Health & Care Worker Visa

The Health and Care Worker visa and the Skilled Worker visa are two different routes. However, these visas operate on similar veins in relation to eligibility and acquiring indefinite leave to remain after residing in the UK for at least 5 years. 

The Health and Care Worker visa permits certain healthcare professionals who intend to stay and work for the NHS, an NHS supplier or in adult social care. The Skilled Worker visa on the other hand permits foreign migrants to enter or remain in the UK to work in an eligible job with a sponsor licence holder. 

There are various benefits of a Health and Care Worker visa over a Skilled Worker visa such as:

  • Fast-tracked into the UK with a dedicated team within the UKVI in processing this visa for migrants and dependent families
  • Reduced visa application fees
  • Exemption from the Immigration Health surcharge (IHS)
Key Contact:

Steph Revelle

Director

Steph Revelle

Hi everyone, and welcome. I’m the Founder and Director of Your Immigration Solutions. Whether you’re an individual or a corporate company, I’m here to help you with your entire visa application process.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for Health and Care Worker visa? Cross Icon

The Health and Care Worker visa is specifically limited to medical professionals and individuals working in eligible health and care roles for an authorised sponsor. Qualified doctors, registered nurses, health professionals and adult social care professionals are therefore eligible to apply for this visa. 

 

The applicant must have a four-digit occupation code, which can be obtained from the employer to determine if the occupation is eligible. The role coming under one of the SOC categories must also have been offered employment by an approved sponsor to qualify for this visa. The sponsoring organisation must be one of the following:

  • An NHS body or trust
  • A medical services provider to the NHS
  • An organisation providing adult social care
  • Other medical and social care organisations listed in the official guidance

 

If the UK sponsor is a private organisation that supplies healthcare services commissioned by the NHS, the following will also need to be demonstrated:

  • Provide an explanation within the CoS detailing how you will fulfil the eligibility requirements for this visa
  • Evidence such as existing contractual agreements with the NHS

What are the Health and Care Worker visa requirements? Cross Icon

Operating on the similar principles under the Skilled Worker route, the Health Care and Worker visa applicant will need to submit the following documents and information:

  • A valid passport and other national ID card
  • A valid CoS from an approved sponsor
  • Proof of English proficiency (SELT) 
  • An offer of a qualifying job that meets the relevant salary threshold
  • Evidence of sufficient savings to support yourself in the UK
  • A TB certificate (if required)
  • A criminal record certificate for any country you have lived for 121 months or more within the last 10 years (if working with vulnerable people as a healthcare professional)

What are the salary requirements for the Health and Care Worker visa? Cross Icon

 

You will need to meet the minimum salary requirement as part of the eligibility criteria. Typically, you will need to be paid £29,000 per year or the lower ‘going rate’ for your job whichever is higher. However, if the ‘going rate’ for your role is higher than the minimum salary threshold, then you will need to be paid at least the going rate. Each occupation code is assigned a going rate. The going rates for the Health and Care Worker are based on the national pay scales set by the relevant independent body, for example the NHS. These going rates apply whether you are working in the public or private sector. 

 

You can check the table of national pay scales for eligible healthcare jobs to find out the pay band for the area where your job is located. 

 

View the list of eligible healthcare and education jobs to see if your job is included.

 

There are some instances where you can still apply for the Health and Care Worker visa if your salary is lower than the minimum required level. The rules permit a salary payment of between 70% to 90% of the ‘going rate’ for your job, providing your salary is at least £23,200 per year, and one of the following applies:

 

  • Your job is in the Shortage Occupation list
  • You are either under the age of 26, a student, a recent graduate or in professional training
  • You have STEM PhD qualification relevant to the job offered
  • Your role is postdoctoral or a scientific position 

 

What are the Health and Care Worker visa costs? 

 

If your job enables you to be eligible for this visa route, the fees are:

What are the Health and Care Worker visa costs? Cross Icon

If your job enables you to be eligible for this visa route, the fees are:

  • £247 for a visa up to 3 years
  • £479 for a visa over 3 years
  • You will be exempt from paying the IHS fee

 

Additionally, you will also need to provide evidence such as bank statements that you have at least £1270 in your bank account to support yourself or any dependents joining you in the UK. These funds must have been available for at least 28 consecutive days prior to the application. However, the applicant is exempted from the above requirement if the following applies:

 

  • A-rated sponsor has ‘certified maintenance’ on the Certificate of Sponsorship
  • The applicant has lived in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months 

Can my partner or dependents join me in the UK? Cross Icon

The lead applicant is allowed to bring dependent family members to the UK in the Health and Care visa. 

 

The following people are permitted to come to the UK as a dependant to join a person who has already been granted permission in this route, or who will be applying at the same time:

 

  • Spouses, civil partners, unmarried partners (who have lived together for at least 2 years)
  • Dependent children under the age of 18 on the date of application
  • Dependent children over 18 who were last granted permission as a dependent child of their parent(s)

Can Health and Care Workers take on an additional or second job? Cross Icon

As a Health and Care visa holder you can take on additional paid work for up to 20 hours a week provided you are still doing the job you are sponsored for. 

 

There is no requirement to update your visa if the following applies:

  • You are working up to 20 hours a week in the same occupation code and at the same level as your first job
  • You are working in a job shortage occupation 
  • You are working in an unpaid or voluntary role

 

However, you need to update your visa if:

  • Your additional job is more than 20 hours a week
  • Your additional job is 20 hours or less a week and falls under the following where your job is not in a shortage occupation and is either:
    1. In a different occupation code from your first job
    2. In a same occupation code as your first job but at a different level

 

To apply to update your visa, you will need to:

  • Obtain a new CoS from your second employer
  • Include evidence such as a letter in the application detailing reasons for changing current permission to stay