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Health and Care Worker Visa UK Requirements:… | SkilledJobs
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Health and Care Worker Visa UK Requirements: Full 2026 Guide
By SkilledJobs Editorial · Published 18 September 2026 · Last verified
The Health and Care Worker visa is a UK work visa route designed for qualified doctors, nurses, health professionals, and adult social care workers who have a job offer from the NHS, an NHS supplier, or in adult social care. It offers faster processing, lower fees than the Skilled Worker visa, and a direct pathway to permanent settlement after five years. uk skilled worker visauk skilled worker visa requirementsuk skilled worker visa requirements 2026
This guide covers the complete health and care worker visa UK requirements, including eligibility criteria, salary thresholds, job types, application documents, and recent policy changes.
What Is the Health and Care Worker Visa?
The Health and Care Worker visa is a specialist work route for medical and care professionals. You must be a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional, or adult social care professional with a confirmed job offer from an approved UK employer in the health and social care sector.
The visa was introduced to support recruitment in critical healthcare roles. It carries lower application fees and exempts holders from the Immigration Health Surcharge, unlike the standard Skilled Worker visa. You can start using the NHS for free from the date your visa starts, though you will still need to pay for some services such as prescriptions, dental treatment, and eye tests, as stated on .
To qualify for a Health and Care Worker visa, you must meet all of the following criteria:
Job offer: You must have a confirmed job offer from an approved UK employer before you apply. Your employer must hold a valid sponsor licence from the Home Office.
Certificate of Sponsorship: Your employer will issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) that includes your job details, salary, and sponsor licence number.
Eligible job: Your role must be on the list of eligible health and care occupations and meet the required skill level.
Minimum salary: You must be paid at least £31,300 per year or the "going rate" for your occupation code, whichever is higher, as set out in GOV.UK guidance.
English language: You must prove you can speak, read, write, and understand English to at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
Financial requirement: You must show you can support yourself financially in the UK, unless your Certificate of Sponsorship confirms your employer will support you during your first month.
You cannot bring dependants on this visa. From April 2024, the ability to sponsor dependants was removed under new Home Office rules.
Salary Thresholds
Standard Minimum Salary
The standard salary threshold for a Health and Care Worker visa is £31,300 per year or the "going rate" for your specific occupation, whichever is higher, according to GOV.UK.
The going rate is tied to the relevant Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code for your job. Your employer will list the SOC code and salary on your Certificate of Sponsorship.
Reduced Salary Thresholds
You can be paid between 70 per cent and 90 per cent of the lower going rate for your job if your salary is at least £25,000 per year and you meet one of the following criteria, as detailed on GOV.UK:
You are under 26, studying, or a recent graduate, or in professional training.
You have a science, technology, engineering, or maths (STEM) PhD level qualification that is relevant to your job. If you have a relevant PhD in any other subject, your salary must be at least £28,200.
You hold a postdoctoral position in a scientific role.
Part-Time Work and Pro-Rata Salaries
If you work part-time, your salary will be pro-rated. You must still meet the minimum threshold based on the actual hours you work compared to a standard full-time role. The pro-rata calculation is explained in Home Office sponsor guidance.
Recent Salary Changes
New rules came into force from April 2024, which included the first phase of increases to salary requirements and the removal of the right to bring dependants. A further increase to the salary threshold was implemented in 2025, as referenced in Home Office guidance.
Eligible Jobs
Your job must be in an eligible health or social care occupation. The full list of eligible jobs is published on GOV.UK.
Eligible roles include, but are not limited to:
Medical practitioners (doctors)
Nurses and nursing associates
Midwives
Paramedics
Pharmacists
Physiotherapists
Occupational therapists
Radiographers
Speech and language therapists
Social workers
Care workers and home carers in adult social care
Senior care workers
Each job has a corresponding SOC code and going rate. Your employer must specify the correct SOC code on your Certificate of Sponsorship, and your salary must meet the threshold for that code.
Approved Employers
You must have a job offer from a UK employer that holds a valid sponsor licence and operates within the health and social care sector. Approved employers include:
NHS trusts and health boards
Organisations that supply services to the NHS
Registered adult social care providers
Your employer's sponsor licence number will appear on your Certificate of Sponsorship. You can check whether an organisation is a licensed sponsor by contacting them directly or reviewing the Home Office register (not publicly searchable online).
English Language Requirement
You must prove your knowledge of English when you apply. Acceptable evidence includes:
A pass in a Secure English Language Test (SELT) at level B1 or higher in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
A degree taught in English, confirmed by UK ECDIS (formerly UK NARIC).
Citizenship of a majority English-speaking country as defined by the Home Office.
Details of acceptable tests and exemptions are provided on GOV.UK.
Documents You Must Provide
When you apply, you will need to provide:
A valid passport or other travel document.
Your Certificate of Sponsorship reference number.
Proof of your English language ability (unless exempt).
Evidence of personal savings (bank statements showing at least £1,270 held for 28 consecutive days), unless your Certificate of Sponsorship states your employer will support you.
A tuberculosis test certificate if you are from a listed country.
A criminal record certificate if you are under 28 and have lived in certain countries for 12 months or more since turning 18.
Your Health and Care Worker visa can last for up to five years before you need to extend it, as stated on GOV.UK. You can apply to extend your visa if you continue to meet the eligibility requirements and your employer issues a new Certificate of Sponsorship.
There is no limit to the number of times you can extend.
Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain)
You can apply to settle permanently in the UK—known as indefinite leave to remain (ILR)—if you have lived in the UK continuously for five years on a Health and Care Worker visa and meet the other eligibility requirements, including knowledge of life in the UK and English language requirements.
Time spent on this visa counts towards settlement, provided you do not spend more than 180 days outside the UK in any 12-month period.
Switching From Another Visa
You can switch to a Health and Care Worker visa from most other UK visa categories, including Student, Skilled Worker, and Graduate visas, provided you meet the eligibility criteria and apply before your current visa expires. Guidance on switching is available on GOV.UK.
You must be in the UK when you apply to switch.
Dependants
From April 2024, you cannot bring dependants (partners or children) to the UK on a Health and Care Worker visa. This change was part of a package of immigration policy reforms introduced by the Home Office.
If your dependants were already in the UK on this route before April 2024, separate rules may apply to their status.
Application Fees and Processing Times
Application fees for the Health and Care Worker visa are significantly lower than for the Skilled Worker visa. You are also exempt from paying the Immigration Health Surcharge.
Current fee information and guidance on how to apply online are available on GOV.UK.
Processing times vary depending on where you apply from. Priority and super-priority services may be available for faster decisions.
Key Policy Changes in 2024 and 2025
The Health and Care Worker visa underwent significant changes:
April 2024: The minimum salary threshold increased, and the right to bring dependants was removed.
2025: A further salary threshold increase was implemented, as referenced in Home Office guidance materials.
These changes are part of broader reforms to the UK's skilled migration system.
How to Apply
To apply for a Health and Care Worker visa:
Secure a job offer from an approved sponsor.
Receive your Certificate of Sponsorship from your employer.
Gather your supporting documents.
Complete the online application on GOV.UK.
Pay the application fee (no Immigration Health Surcharge is required).
Book and attend a biometric appointment at a visa application centre.
Can I work in private healthcare?
No. The Health and Care Worker visa is only for roles in the NHS, NHS suppliers, or registered adult social care. Private healthcare roles typically require a Skilled Worker visa.
Can I change employer?
Yes, but your new employer must hold a valid sponsor licence and issue a new Certificate of Sponsorship. You will need to apply to update your visa.
What happens if I lose my job?
You must find a new sponsor within 60 days or leave the UK. Your visa will be curtailed if your sponsorship is withdrawn.
Can I study on this visa?
Yes, you can study while on a Health and Care Worker visa, subject to any restrictions your employer places on your time.
Why This Visa Matters
The Health and Care Worker visa is a critical recruitment tool for the UK's health and social care sector. It provides a faster, more affordable route for qualified professionals to live and work in the UK, with a clear path to permanent settlement.
Understanding the health and care worker visa UK requirements—including salary thresholds, eligible jobs, and documentation—will help you prepare a compliant application and plan your career in the UK healthcare system.
