Health And Care Work Visa

The Health and Care Worker visa is a visa that allows qualified doctors, nurses, health professionals, and adult social care professionals to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job in the health or social care sector.

To qualify for a Health and Care Worker visa, you must:

• Be a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional, or adult social care professional.

• Work in an eligible health or social care job.

• Have a job offer from an approved visa sponsor

• Have a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from your employer with information about the role you've been offered in the UK.

• Be paid a minimum salary - how much depends on the type of work you do.

There were a number of immigration rule changes introduced on the 4 April 2024 and you check if you qualify by searching a list of occupations and viewing the qualification criteria and minimum salaries.

To qualify for the Health and Care Worker visa, your occupation must correspond to one of the specified ONS (Office for National Statistics) occupation codes listed below:

• 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 categorized as 'Not Elsewhere Classified,' including Audiologists and Occupational Health Advisers

• 2221: Physiotherapists

• 2222: Occupational Therapists

• 2223: Speech and Language Therapists

• 2229: Therapy Professionals categorized as '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 classified elsewhere

• 6141: Nursing Auxiliaries and Assistants

• 6143: Dental Nurses

• 6145: Care Workers and Home Carers

• 6146: Senior Care Workers

Ensure your occupation aligns with one of these codes to meet the criteria for the Health and Care Worker visa.

You must be able to demonstrate your knowledge of English by passing an approved English language test, OR by having an academic qualification that was taught in English and is recognized by UK ​Ecctis (formerly NARIC) as being equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree or higher.

The application fee for the Health and Care Worker visa varies based on the duration of your stay in the UK:

• If you plan to stay for up to 3 years, the standard fee is £247 per person.

• For those intending to stay for more than 3 years, the fee is £479 per person.

It's important to note that the fee remains consistent whether you apply from within the UK or outside of it.

Additionally, it's crucial to demonstrate your ability to support yourself once you arrive in the UK . You must have a minimum of £1,270 in savings in your bank account for at least 28 consecutive days before applying for the visa. This financial requirement helps ensure that you have the means to support yourself during your stay in the UK.

You can stay in the UK for up to 5 years on a Health and Care Worker visa. The visa is valid for the length of time that your employer is sponsoring you, up to a maximum of 5 years.

If you want to stay in the UK for longer than 5 years, you may be able to apply to extend your visa or switch to another visa, such as the Skilled Worker visa.

To extend your visa, you will need to meet the same eligibility requirements as you did when you first applied for the visa. You will also need to pay the application fee.

No, Health and Care Work visas applicants  are currently exempt from paying the IHS.