UK Health and Care Worker visa

Qualified doctors, nurses, health professionals and adult social care professionals with an eligible job offer from an approved UK health and care employer.

• Be at least 18

  You must be aged 18 or over on the date of application.

  gov.uk · checked 5 days agoSource

• Be a qualified professional

  You must be a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional or adult social care professional.

  gov.uk · checked 5 days agoSource

• Have an eligible job

  Your job must have an eligible occupation code. Care workers and home carers (6135) and senior care workers (6136) are listed for extending, updating or switching to this visa, not for a new application from outside the UK. If switching from another visa into either of those jobs, you must have worked legally in the job for your sponsor for at least 3 months.

  gov.uk · checked 5 days agoSource

• Get an approved job offer

  You must have a confirmed job offer from a Home Office-approved UK health and care sector employer before applying. The offer must be from the NHS, an organisation providing medical services to the NHS, or an organisation providing adult social care.

  gov.uk · checked 5 days agoSource

• Get a sponsorship certificate

  Your employer must give you a certificate of sponsorship with a reference number for your application. You must apply within 3 months of getting it.

  gov.uk · checked 5 days agoSource

• Meet the salary requirement

  You will usually need at least £25,000 a year, or your job’s going rate if higher. The page specifies different requirements for certain occupation codes and directs applicants in other eligible health and care jobs to the national pay scales for their role and area.

  gov.uk · checked 5 days agoSource

• Check your occupation’s salary rule

  For occupation codes 1171, 1231, 1232, 2113, 2114, 3111, 3211, 3212, 6135 and 6136, the usual requirement is at least £31,300 a year or the job’s lower going rate, whichever is higher. The page sets out circumstances in which a lower salary may qualify.

  gov.uk · checked 5 days agoSource

• Meet the English requirement

  You must be able to read, write, speak and understand English to at least CEFR level B2. The page lists ways to prove this and circumstances in which you do not need to prove it again or are exempt from providing proof.

  gov.uk · checked 5 days agoSource

• Have money to support yourself

  You must have at least £1,270 in your bank account for at least 28 days in a row; day 28 must be within 31 days of applying. You usually do not need to show proof if you have held a valid UK visa for at least 12 months or your employer certifies that it can cover your first month’s costs.

  gov.uk · checked 5 days agoSource

• Provide proof of identity

  You need a valid passport or another document showing your identity and nationality.

  gov.uk · checked 5 days agoSource

• Provide a TB result if required

  You may need tuberculosis test results if you are from a listed country.

  gov.uk · checked 5 days agoSource

• Provide a criminal record certificate if required

  If applying from outside the UK, you need a criminal record certificate unless your job is in occupation code 2113, 2114, 3111 or 6132. Depending on where you have lived, certificates from more than one country may be needed.

  gov.uk · checked 5 days agoSource

• Meet the points requirement

  The Skilled Worker rules require all 50 mandatory points for sponsorship, an appropriately skilled job and English, plus 20 points under an applicable salary option: 70 points in total.

  gov.uk · checked 5 days agoSource

• Application fee for up to 3 yearsgov.uk · checked 5 days agoSource£324 per person
• Application fee for more than 3 yearsgov.uk · checked 5 days agoSource£628 per person
• Healthcare surchargegov.uk · checked 5 days agoSource£0 per person
• Decision timeThe published processing time for applications from outside the UK is 3 weeks, measured from identity verification and submission through the app or attendance at a visa application centre. An application may take longer.About 3 weeks

1. Get ready

   • Check your job’s occupation code

     Confirm that your job’s code is eligible for a new application and check its salary requirements.

     You’ll need: Job description, Occupation code

   • Get an offer from an approved employer

     Get a confirmed offer for the eligible job from an approved UK health and care sector employer.

     You’ll need: Job offer, Employer’s sponsor licence number

   • Prepare your English evidence

     Check which accepted qualification, test or exemption applies to you.

     You’ll need: Proof of English knowledge, if required

   • Prepare evidence of your funds

     If you need to show savings, keep at least £1,270 available for 28 consecutive days within the specified application period.

     You’ll need: Evidence of savings, if required

   • Get your certificate of sponsorship

     Ask your employer for its certificate of sponsorship reference number and apply within 3 months of receiving it.

     You’ll need: Certificate of sponsorship reference number

   • Gather your application documents

     Prepare your identity and job details, plus any TB result, criminal record certificate or other evidence required in your circumstances.

     You’ll need: Valid passport or other identity document, Job title and annual salary, Occupation code, TB test result, if required, Criminal record certificate, if required, Certified translations, if required

2. Apply

   • Apply online and pay the fee

     Apply through the Skilled Worker visa application and select ‘yes’ when asked whether you are applying for a Health and Care Worker visa.

     You’ll need: Certificate of sponsorship reference number, Application documents

3. Visa

   • Prove your identity

     Follow the application instructions to use the UK Immigration: ID Check app or provide your fingerprints and photograph at a visa application centre.

     You’ll need: Identity document

   • Wait for the decision

     Wait for the decision email and do not book travel until you have received a decision.

     You’ll need: Decision email

4. Travel

   • Travel after your visa is approved

     Do not travel to the UK before your visa application is approved.

     You’ll need: Approved visa, Identity document

5. Settle in

   • Check whether you can apply to settle

     After 5 years in the UK, check whether you meet the other requirements to apply for indefinite leave to remain.

You may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain after 5 years if you meet the other eligibility requirements.

• Health and Care Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UKgov.ukOfficial
• Health and Care Worker visa: Your job - GOV.UK gov.ukOfficial
• Health and Care Worker visa: If you’ll need to meet different salary requirements - GOV.UK gov.ukOfficial
• Health and Care Worker visa: Knowledge of English - GOV.UKgov.ukOfficial
• Health and Care Worker visa: Documents you'll need to apply - GOV.UKgov.ukOfficial
• gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa/apply-from-outside-the-ukOfficial
• Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Worker - Guidance - GOV.UK gov.ukOfficial
• Health and Care Worker visa: How much it costs - GOV.UKgov.ukOfficial
• Visa processing times: applications outside the UK - GOV.UKgov.ukOfficial

Japper is an AI immigration assistant. It gives general information from official sources, not legal advice, and it can be wrong. For your own case, ask a licensed advisor.