Health & Care Worker Visa
If you are a medical professional who wants to work in the United Kingdom, you may qualify for the Health and Care Worker Visa. Book your consultation to learn more about the visa’s requirements and application process.
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Health and Care Worker Visa
The UK Health and Care Worker Visa is available to qualified doctors, nurses, and other health and adult social care professionals who seek to work for the National Health Service, a supplier of the NHS, or in adult social care.
The UK Health and Care Worker Visa can lead to permanent residency in the United Kingdom after five years, and dependent partners and children may accompany the principal applicant.
Eligibility Criteria for a UK Health and Care Worker Visa
To qualify for a UK Health and Care Worker Visa, you must satisfy the following requirements:
- You are at least 18 years of age,
- You are a licenced physician, registered nurse, health care or adult social care professional,
- You currently work or will work in a health or social care occupation that is on the list of approved occupation list,
- You work or will work for an employer who holds a valid A-rated sponsor license,
- You possess a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from your employer detailing the position you have been offered,
- You have a minimum level of English proficiency equivalent to IELTS 4.0,
- You will be paid the prevailing wage for your occupation,
- You have sufficient funds to maintain and accommodate yourself and any dependents, and
- You have provided a clean security background check if you work with vulnerable individuals.
The exact requirements may vary according to your personal circumstances. We recommend that you seek advice from an experienced UK immigration lawyer.
Eligible Occupations for a UK Health and Care Worker Visa
Your job must be in one of the following occupation codes to qualify for a UK Health and Care Worker visa:
- 1181: health services and public health managers and directors
- 1242: residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors
- 2112: biological scientists and biochemists
- 2113: physical scientists
- 2211: medical practitioners
- 2212: psychologists
- 2213: pharmacists
- 2214: ophthalmic opticians
- 2215: dental practitioners
- 2217: medical radiographers
- 2218: podiatrists
- 2219: health professionals that are ‘not elsewhere classified’, such as audiologists and occupational health advisers
- 2221: physiotherapists
- 2222: occupational therapists
- 2223: speech and language therapists
- 2229: therapy professionals that are ‘not elsewhere classified’, such as osteopaths and psychotherapists
- 2231: nurses
- 2232: midwives
- 2442: social workers
- 3111: laboratory technicians
- 3213: paramedics
- 3216: dispensing opticians
- 3217: pharmaceutical technicians
- 3218: medical and dental technicians
- 3219: health associate professionals not elsewhere classified
- 6141: nursing auxiliaries and assistants
- 6143: dental nurses
- 6145: care workers and home carers
- 6146: senior care workers
If your occupation is not on this list, you may qualify for a UK Skilled Worker visa instead.
Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) Requirement
To qualify for a UK Health and Care Worker Visa you will need to have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job you are planning to do. Your Certificate of Sponsorship will need to have been issued by an employer that is authorised by the Home Office to sponsor a Health and Care Worker. Your sponsor must be an A-rated licenced sponsor on the Home Office’s register of licenced sponsors.
Your Certificate of Sponsorship must have been issued no more than three months prior to the date of your application for a UK Health and Care Worker Visa. Your Certificate of Sponsorship must include the following required information:
- Your full name,
- Details of the job and salary offered by your sponsoring organization,
- A commencement date that is no more than three months after the application date for your UK Health and Care Worker Visa,
- Confirmation that the Certificate of Sponsorship has not been used in a previous application that was granted or denied, and that it has not been revoked by the sponsor or cancelled by the Home Office.
- A detailed explanation of how you were recruited, your suitability for the position and how you satisfy the eligibility requirements for a UK Health and Care Worker Visa.
- Where an employer is an organisation that provides services commissioned by the NHS, it may be necessary to disclose evidence of any contractual arrangements with the NHS.
Immigration Skills Charge Requirement
Your employer must also have paid any applicable Immigration Skills Fee in full. The applicant cannot receive a transfer of this payment.
The Immigration Skills Charge is a fee per foreign worker that a sponsoring employer intends to hire. When a sponsoring employer assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship to a foreign worker, the Immigration Skills Charge must be paid.
Chemical scientists (2111) and biological scientists and biochemists (2112) are exempt from the requirement of paying the Immigration Skills Charge.
Salary Requirements
You’ll usually need to be paid at least £20,960. If the ‘going rate’ for your job is higher than £20,960, you’ll usually need to be paid at least the going rate. Each occupation code has its own annual going rate. How you find the going rate depends on your job.
When you need to meet different salary requirements
You’ll need to meet different salary requirements for this visa if your job is in one of the following occupation codes:
- 1181: health services and public health managers and directors
- 1242: residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors
- 2112: biological scientists and biochemists
- 2113: physical scientists
- 3111: laboratory technicians
- 3216: dispensing opticians
- 3217: pharmaceutical technicians
- 6145: care workers and home carers
- 6146: senior care workers
There are various situations where you may be paid less than the prevailing wage. You can be paid between 70% and 90% of the usual going rate for your job if your salary is at least £20,960 per year and you meet one of the following criteria:
- Your job is in a shortage occupation,
- You’re under 26, studying or a recent graduate, or in professional training,
- You have a science, technology, engineering, or maths (STEM) PhD level qualification that’s relevant to your job (if you have a relevant PhD level qualification in any other subject your salary must be at least £23,580), or
- You have a postdoctoral position in a scientific role.
Financial Maintenance Requirement
Subject to the exceptions listed below, you will be required to demonstrate that you can support yourself in the United Kingdom by having at least £1,270 in liquid cash funds. You must have held the funds for at least 28 consecutive days, ending no more than 31 days prior to the date of your application for a UK Health and Care Worker visa.
If you have been in the United Kingdom with permission for at least 12 months at the time of your application, you meet the financial requirement and do not need to provide proof of funds. You will also be exempt if your employer certifies that they will cover your expenses during your first month in the United Kingdom to the sum of at least £1,270.
Criminal Record Certificate Requirement
If you are applying from outside the United Kingdom, you will be required to provide a criminal record certificate, unless your employment falls under the codes for biological and biochemical scientists (2112) or physical scientists (2113).
If you are under 28 years old and have lived in more than one country since turning 18, you must provide a criminal record certificate for each country in which you have resided for 12 months or more.
If you are over 28 years old, you will be required to provide a criminal record certificate from every country in which you have resided in the decade immediately preceding your application for a UK Health and Care Worker Visa.
Switching into the UK Health and Care Worker Visa Route
You may switch your status into the UK health and Care Worker category from other routes unless your current leave to remain is as a: Visitor, Short-term Student, Parent of a Short-term Student, Seasonal Worker, Domestic Worker in a Private Household; or as a person with leave outside the Immigration Rules.
Duration of a United Kingdom Health and Care Worker Visa
If your application for a UK Health and Care Worker Visa is approved, you will be granted entry clearance for the period specified on your Certificate of Sponsorship, up to a maximum of period of five years.
Conditions of Stay for Health and Care Workers in the UK
Health and Care Worker Visa holders may work in their sponsored occupation. They may also engage in supplementary employment, so long as they continue to work in the sponsored position and the additional work is in the same occupation code is 20 hours per week or less.
Permanent Residence in the UK for Health and Care Worker Visa Holders
To qualify for permanent residence in the UK as a Health and Care Worker, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- You have lived in the United Kingdom for five continuous years,
- You have not spent more than 180 days outside in each of the five consecutive years,
- You passed the Life in the United Kingdom test,
- Your sponsor is still an approved Home Office sponsor,
- Your sponsor continues to require you to work for them for the foreseeable future, and
You are currently receiving and will continue to receive, a salary at the minimum threshold or the prevailing wage rate, whichever is greater.
Accompanying Dependents of UK Health and Care Worker Visa Applicants
UK Health and Care Worker Visa holders may be joined or accompanied by a spouse, civil partner or common-law partner and dependent children under the age of 18.
How Our UK Immigration Lawyers Can Assist
Our team of UK immigration lawyers has experience assisting employers and Health and Care Professionals from a wide range of industries and businesses of all sizes.
If your UK Health and Care Worker Visa has been refused you may submit a fresh application or file an Administrative Review application if there are sufficient legal merits and the decision-maker has made a clear error.
For further information, please schedule a consultation.
Related Content: UK Skilled Worker Visa
UK Immigration Frequently Asked Questions
Our team of UK immigration lawyers will handle your case promptly and diligently until you achieve the desired outcome. Your dedicated UK immigration attorney will provide you with an estimated processing period for your case and keep you informed through each stage of the UK visa process. To expedite the processing of your application, we will ensure that your forms are meticulously completed and that you provide sufficient supporting documentation.
However, please note that the UKVI processing time depends on several factors including the volume of cases the UKVI is receiving and whether there are any priority programs where UKVI gives precedence to applicants from war torn countries or countries affected by natural disasters.
We can offer a fast-track service if your application is time sensitive. Please schedule a consultation to learn more about this package and all the services provided by our immigration lawyers.
Hiring one of our qualified UK immigration attorneys can offer several benefits when applying for a visa. Here are some of the advantages:
- Expertise and Knowledge: Our UK immigration attorneys specialize in all aspects of UK immigration law and are well-versed in the complexities of the UK visa application process. They stay updated with the latest changes in immigration laws and regulations, ensuring that your application is accurate and compliant.
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- Legal Representation: If your visa application is complex or encounters challenges, having one of our skilled immigration lawyers on your side can be invaluable. They can communicate with the UK Home Office or immigration authorities on your behalf, prepare detailed and persuasive legal submissions and provide guidance throughout the process.
Time and Stress Management: Navigating the UK visa application process can be time-consuming and overwhelming, especially if you are unfamiliar with the requirements. By hiring one of our immigration lawyers, you can offload the paperwork, legal aspects, and administrative tasks to them, allowing you to focus on other important matters.
Our experienced UK immigration attorneys provide specialist legal advice and representation on all aspects of UK immigration law, to individuals and businesses. Our services can be classified as:
- Initial Immigration Consultations
- Immigration Application Preparation and Submission (Full Representation)
- Immigration Application Checking Service
- Sponsor License Applications and Corporate Immigration Services
Regardless of the service you require, you can be assured that you will have direct access to a specialist UK immigration lawyer who has an in-depth understanding of UK immigration law and procedure. Our flexible services are delivered professionally and are tailored to your individual situation. Please schedule a consultation to learn more about our cost-effective UK immigration solutions and the services provided by our immigration lawyers.