If you are a health or social care professional planning to relocate to the UK for work, the Health and Care Worker visa is the main immigration route available.
This visa is a dedicated subcategory of the Skilled Worker route, launched in August 2020 to help address the UK’s shortage of healthcare and adult social care workers. It provides a more streamlined application process with lower costs than the standard Skilled Worker visa.
Applicants benefit from:
- A reduced visa application fee
- Full exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS)
- Faster processing times (typically within 3 weeks for overseas applications)
- A clear pathway to settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) and, eventually, British citizenship
The Health and Care Worker visa is available to qualified doctors, nurses, care workers, and other eligible professionals with job offers in the NHS, NHS supply chain organisations, or adult social care roles in England.
Holders of this visa can live and work in the UK for up to 5 years at a time, with the option to extend or apply for settlement after 5 continuous years of lawful residence.
Section A: Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for a Health and Care Worker visa, you must meet the requirements under the Immigration Rules (Appendix Skilled Worker). These include:
- Job offer in an eligible role – your job must be on the list of roles eligible for the Health and Care visa under Appendix Skilled Occupations.
- Approved UK sponsor – your employer must be licensed by the Home Office to sponsor Skilled Workers.
- Appropriate salary level – you must be paid at or above the Health and Care Worker salary thresholds (see Section C).
- English language ability – you must meet the English language requirement at B1 CEFR level in speaking, reading, writing and understanding.
- Financial maintenance – you must show you have at least £1,270 in savings, unless your sponsor certifies maintenance on your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).
- Criminal record certificate – required for certain roles, including health and social care jobs.
- Tuberculosis (TB) test – required if you are applying from a country where TB testing is mandatory.
These requirements apply whether you are applying from outside the UK or switching into the Health and Care Worker route from within the UK.
Section A Summary: Eligibility rests on three fundamentals: a genuine job offer in an eligible role, sponsorship from a licensed employer, and compliance with language, salary, and financial requirements. Without meeting all these conditions, an application will be refused.
Section B: Eligible Jobs
Your job offer must be in an occupation listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations as eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa. These are specific roles in health and social care where sponsorship is permitted under the Immigration Rules.
1. Health professionals
- 2211 Medical practitioners (doctors)
- 2212 Psychologists
- 2213 Pharmacists
- 2214 Ophthalmic opticians
- 2215 Dental practitioners
- 2217 Medical radiographers
- 2218 Podiatrists
- 2219 Health professionals not elsewhere classified (e.g. audiologists)
- 2221 Physiotherapists
- 2222 Occupational therapists
- 2223 Speech and language therapists
- 2231 Nurses
- 2232 Midwives
- 3213 Paramedics
2. Social care roles
- 2442 Social workers
- 6145 Care workers and home carers* (England only; CQC-registered sponsor required)
- 6146 Senior care workers* (England only; CQC-registered sponsor required)
3. Associated technical roles
- 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
*For SOC 6145 and 6146, sponsorship is only permitted for roles in England and the employer must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Section B Summary: Only occupations designated in Appendix Skilled Occupations for the Health and Care route are eligible for sponsorship. Roles outside this list (for example, general science roles) are not eligible, and applications in non‑designated codes will be refused.
Section C: Salary Requirements
To be sponsored under the Health and Care Worker visa, you must be paid at or above the salary thresholds set out in Appendix Skilled Worker. These thresholds differ from the general Skilled Worker route and remain lower to reflect sector shortages.
1. General threshold
As of July 2025, the minimum salary requirement for most Health and Care roles is £23,040 per year (£11.90 per hour).
2. Lower threshold
A reduced threshold of £20,960 per year (£10.10 per hour) applies if one of the following applies:
- You are under 26 and classed as a “new entrant”
- You are switching into the route after graduation or from a Student visa
- Your job is listed on the Shortage Occupation List
3. Going rate requirement
In addition to meeting the thresholds above, your salary must meet or exceed the “going rate” for your job under its Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code. The Home Office publishes the list of going rates and exceptions.
4. Care worker exemptions
For care workers (SOC 6145) and senior care workers (SOC 6146), the £23,040 / £20,960 thresholds apply regardless of the higher £41,700 threshold introduced in July 2025 for the Skilled Worker route. These roles remain exempt from the higher general threshold.
Section C Summary: Applicants must be paid at least £23,040 per year, or £20,960 where a lower threshold applies, and also meet the “going rate” for their SOC code. Care roles retain protection from the higher Skilled Worker salary rules, ensuring continued access for employers in shortage areas.
Section D: English Language Requirement
Applicants for the Health and Care Worker visa must demonstrate English language ability at B1 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) in reading, writing, speaking, and understanding.
1. Approved methods of meeting the requirement
- Secure English Language Test (SELT) – passing an approved test at B1 level or higher with a Home Office–approved provider.
- UK qualification – holding a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification (level 4 or 5), Scottish Higher, or Advanced Higher in English gained at a UK school before the age of 18.
- Degree taught in English – holding a degree-level academic qualification taught in English, supported by Ecctis confirmation if obtained outside the UK.
- Nationality – being a citizen of a majority English-speaking country as recognised in the Immigration Rules.
2. Majority English-speaking countries
Nationals of the following countries automatically satisfy the English requirement through their citizenship and are not required to take a test:
Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States.
Section D Summary: The English language requirement can be met through a test, UK qualifications, a recognised English-taught degree, or nationality. Canadian and other majority English-speaking nationals meet the rule automatically without needing further evidence.
Section E: What You Can and Cannot Do
A Health and Care Worker visa grants permission to live and work in the UK under specific conditions. It is important to understand what activities are permitted and what restrictions apply.
1. Permitted activities
- Work in the sponsored health or care role stated on your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)
- Undertake supplementary employment (up to 20 hours per week) in eligible roles, in line with secondary employment rules
- Study at a university or college alongside your sponsored employment
- Carry out voluntary work
- Travel abroad and return to the UK during the visa validity period
- Apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after 5 years of continuous residence, if eligible
- Bring eligible dependants to the UK (subject to restrictions in Section F)
2. Prohibited activities
- Accessing public funds or benefits
- Working in a role outside your sponsorship, unless permitted as supplementary employment
- Changing employer or role without a new CoS and approved visa application
3. Compliance obligations
You must inform the Home Office if your job, salary, or sponsoring employer changes. You are required to maintain compliance with all visa conditions throughout your stay.
Section E Summary: The visa allows sponsored work, supplementary employment, study, and travel, but prohibits public funds and unauthorised employment. Compliance with Home Office reporting duties is essential to maintain lawful status.
Section F: Application Process
Applications for the Health and Care Worker visa are made online through UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). The process differs depending on whether you apply from outside the UK or switch from another visa route within the UK.
1. Applying from outside the UK
If applying from abroad, you must complete the online application form from your country of nationality or legal residence. You will need to:
- Submit the online UKVI form
- Pay the visa fee (£232 for visas up to 3 years, £464 for over 3 years, reduced by £55 for EU nationals)
- Book and attend a biometrics appointment at a visa application centre (VAC), unless eligible to use the ID Check app
- Provide fingerprints, a photograph, and supporting documents
- Submit your passport for endorsement with an entry clearance vignette or confirmation of digital status
From 2025, many successful applicants will be issued a digital immigration status (eVisa) instead of a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP).
Most applications from outside the UK are decided within 3 weeks. Priority and super priority processing may be available for an additional fee.
2. Applying from inside the UK
If you are already in the UK, you may be able to switch into the Health and Care Worker route, provided your current visa allows it. You must:
- Complete the online application form
- Pay the application fee (£232 or £464 depending on visa length, minus £55 if EU national)
- Book and attend a UKVCAS biometrics appointment (£19.20 fee), unless instructed to use the ID Check app
- Upload supporting documents online or provide them at your appointment
In-country applications normally take up to 8 weeks. Faster decisions may be available for an additional fee.
3. Supporting documents
Applicants must provide:
- Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number
- Job title, salary, and occupation code
- Proof of English language ability
- Passport or travel document with a blank page
Depending on circumstances, you may also need:
- Criminal record certificate (for certain roles)
- TB test certificate (if applicable)
- PhD certificate or Ecctis reference (if relying on academic qualifications)
- Marriage or birth certificates for dependants
- Bank statements showing at least £1,270 in savings (unless certified by sponsor)
All documents must be in English or Welsh, or accompanied by a certified translation.
Section F Summary: The application process is completed online, with supporting documents and biometrics required. Applicants outside the UK can usually expect a decision within 3 weeks, while in-country applications take up to 8 weeks unless a priority service is used.
