Health and Care Worker Visa

Overview

The Health & Care Worker visa lets qualified health and adult social care professionals come to (or stay in) the UK to do an eligible job for an approved employer. You need a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), an eligible occupation, and pay that meets the route’s salary rules.

📌 Key facts at a glance

Job offer & sponsor: Required — from an approved UK health or adult social care employer

Who can sponsor: The NHS, an NHS medical services provider, or an adult social care organisation (care providers in England sponsoring care workers must be CQC-registered)

English: You must meet B1 CEFR in reading, writing, speaking and listening (or qualify via an accepted exemption/qualification)

Fees & IHS: Reduced application fees (£304 to £590 on this route and no Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS); plan for personal savings (£1,270)

Processing times (typical): About 3 weeks from outside the UK after ID/biometrics; around 8 weeks inside the UK.

Stay & settlement: Permission can be up to 5 years at a time; you may extend and later apply for ILR after 5 years if you meet all rules

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✅ Health and Care Visa UK Eligibility

• You’re a doctor, nurse, health professional or adult social care professional in an eligible occupation
• You’ll work for an approved UK employer in health or adult social care (CQC registration applies for care-worker sponsorship in England)
• Your salary meets the route’s rules for your job and circumstances
• You meet the English requirement and any financial/other requirements (e.g., TB or criminal record checks where applicable)

💷 Salary rules & pay bands (what to know)

• Many listed occupations require at least £31,300 or the lower going rate for the job — whichever is higher
• If your job is on the Immigration Salary List (ISL), you’ll typically need at least £25,000 or the full going rate — whichever is higher
• Some roles follow NHS national pay scales and banding
• Limited salary discounts exist in specific cases (e.g., eligible STEM PhD, recent graduates), subject to minimums
  Always confirm your occupation code and the correct threshold before applying

🗣️ English language (B1 CEFR)

Show B1 across all four skills via an approved test, a qualifying nationality, or an eligible qualification taught in English (where accepted). (There isn’t a blanket “IELTS 7.0” rule for this route.)

🧾 Sponsorship & your CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship)

Your employer assigns a CoS with your job title, occupation code, salary and start date. You use the CoS reference in your application. If you change employer or your occupation code changes, you’ll usually need to apply to update your visa before starting the new role.

📃 Documents checklist (typical)

• CoS reference number
• Passport/ID and identity evidence
• Job details (title, salary, occupation code)
• Sponsor’s name and licence number (as shown on the CoS)
• Proof of English and financial evidence (if required)
• Role-specific documents (e.g., criminal record certificate for certain roles)
• Certified translations if documents aren’t in English or Welsh

🧭 How to apply — step by step

1. Confirm eligibility (occupation, sponsor, salary, English)
2. Start the online application for Health & Care Worker (outside the UK / extend / switch)
3. Pay the application fee (reduced on this route); IHS is not payable on Health & Care
4. Prove identity (biometrics appointment or app, where available)
5. Decision and next steps to travel/activate or continue your stay

💰 Costs, IHS & savings (overview)

• Application fee: reduced compared with general Skilled Worker
• IHS: exempt for you and eligible family on this route
• Personal savings: you’ll usually need £1,270 available unless exempt

⏱️ UK Health and Care Visa Processing Time

After submitting your application and proving identity, decisions are usually within ~3 weeks outside the UK and ~8 weeks inside the UK.

👨‍👩‍👧 Dependants (important changes)

Rules differ by role and date:

• Care workers / senior care workers (codes 6135 & 6136): dependants are only allowed in limited scenarios linked to when you were first granted status
• Other ‘medium-skilled’ H&C roles: dependant eligibility can depend on when you were first employed/on the route
  Always check your occupation code and the current dependant rules before applying

📎 Conditions, changes & extra work

• You can work in your sponsored role; some additional work is allowed within limits
• To change employer (or occupation code), you’ll usually apply to update your visa before starting
• Keep your details up to date and follow route conditions

❓ FAQs

Do I need a job offer from an approved employer?
Yes — from the NHS, an NHS medical services provider, or an adult social care organisation.

What English level do I need?
At least B1 CEFR across all four skills (unless an accepted exemption/qualification applies).

Do I pay the IHS?
No — Health & Care applicants (and eligible family) are exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Can my family come with me?
It depends on your job and when you were first granted your visa. Care workers and some other medium-skilled roles have specific restrictions introduced in 2024–2025.

How much should I budget to apply?
£304 to £590 application fee, no IHS, and personal savings (usually £1,270) unless exempt. Confirm current figures before you apply.

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