UK Health and Care Worker Visa Application, Eligibility & Documents Required

The UK Health and Care Worker visa was launched on 4 August 2020 and is a sub-category of the UK Skilled Worker Visa. This is a visa for foreign health and care professionals wanting to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job for a UK employer in the health and care sector.  

This visa offers several benefits to the applicants, including fast-track entry to the UK, reduced visa fees, and dedicated support. People applying for the UK Health and Care Worker visa, and their dependents, are also exempt from paying the IHS (Immigration Health Surcharge). 

This is a visa under the point-based system, where an applicant must have 70 points to be eligible to apply for this visa.  

Who needs a UK Health and Care Worker visa? 

A Health and Care Worker visa is for qualified medical professionals (doctors, health professionals, nurses, or adult social care professionals) to come to the UK or stay here to do an eligible health or social care job with the NHS (National Health Service), an NHS supplier, or in adult social care. 

This is a sponsored route, which means a person seeking entry clearance or permission on this route must have a CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) from their UK employer, with all the information about the job role they have been offered in the UK.  

This route also leads to indefinite leave to remain (also known as ‘settlement’) in the UK. 

Who cannot apply for the Health and Care visa? 

A person cannot apply to switch to a Health and Care visa if they are currently in the UK on: 

• A UK visitor visa 

• A UK short-term student visa 

• A UK Parent of a Child Student visa 

• A UK Seasonal Worker visa 

• A UK domestic worker in a private household visa 

• Immigration bail  

Those who are in the UK because they were permitted to stay outside the rules, for example, on compassionate grounds, also cannot apply to switch to this visa. 

Anyone in the UK with one of the above visas must leave the UK and apply for a Health and Care visa from abroad. 

Validity requirements for a Health and Care worker visa  

A person applying for a UK Health and Care Worker visa from outside the UK or from within the UK must apply online on the website gov.uk using the correct application form. 

An application must satisfy all the following criteria: 

(a) The applicant must have paid any required fee; and 

(b) The applicant must have enrolled in biometrics (their fingerprints and facial photograph) when required; and 

(c) The applicant must have submitted a passport or other valid document to establish their identity and nationality. 

The applicant must have a CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) issued to them by their sponsor no more than 3 months before they apply. 

Suitability Requirements 

The health and care visa applicant must not fall for refusal under Part Suitability, which has replaced the previous Part 9: grounds for refusal and became effective from November 11, 2025. 

Eligibility 

A person applying for a UK health and care worker visa will be required to satisfy having been offered an eligible job and a CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) from a licenced employer, a minimum salary threshold requirement, knowledge of English criteria, and financial requirements. 

1. The job requirement 

A person applying for a UK health and care worker visa must be able to show that: 

• They are a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional or adult social care professional 

• They have a confirmed job offer  

• Their job must be at the skill level of RQF 6 (Highly Skilled) or above (effective from 22 July 2025) 

• Their job is eligible for this visa 

• They will be working for a Home Office-approved UK employer in the health and care sector  

• They have a CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) from their UK employer with information about the job role they have been offered in the UK 

• They will be paid the minimum salary or the ‘going rate’ for the type of work they will be doing - whichever is higher 

From 22 July 2025, a person can only apply for jobs under a Skilled Worker visa at a skill level of RQF 6 (Highly Skilled) or above, unless the job is on ISL (Immigration Shortage List) or newly launched TSL (Temporary Shortage List). 

The following job codes are for highly skilled applicants under the Health and Care Worker visa. 

• 1171: health services and public health managers and directors 

• 1232: residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors 

• 2113: biochemists and biomedical scientists 

• 2114: physical scientists 

• 2211: generalist medical practitioners 

• 2212: specialist medical practitioners 

• 2221: physiotherapists 

• 2222: occupational therapists 

• 2223: speech and language therapists 

• 2224: psychotherapists and cognitive behaviour therapists 

• 2225: clinical psychologists 

• 2226: other psychologists 

• 2229: therapy professionals not elsewhere classified 

• 2231: midwifery nurses 

• 2232: registered community nurses 

• 2233: registered specialist nurses 

• 2234: registered nurse practitioners 

• 2235: registered mental health nurses 

• 2236: registered children’s nurses 

• 2237: other registered nursing professionals 

• 2251: pharmacists 

• 2252: optometrists 

• 2253: dental practitioners 

• 2254: medical radiographers 

• 2255: paramedics 

• 2256: podiatrists 

• 2259: other health professionals not elsewhere classified 

• 2461: social workers 

• 3111: laboratory technicians 

• 3212: pharmaceutical technicians 

• 6131: nursing auxiliaries and assistants 

However, a person can extend or update their visa if they got their CoS before 22 July 2025 for one of the following RQF 6 level (‘medium-skilled’) occupation codes: 

• 1231: health care practice managers 

• 3211: dispensing opticians 

• 3213: medical and dental technicians 

• 3219: health associate professionals not elsewhere classified 

• 6132: ambulance staff (excluding paramedics) 

• 6133: dental nurses???? 

They must have continually held one or more Health and Care Worker visas or Skilled Worker visas since they obtained their CoS. 

Care worker and Senior care worker routes have closed from 22 July 2025 

Please note that the Care Workers and Home Carers (6135) and Senior Care Workers (6136) route has been closed for new applications from 22 July 2025. 

This means Care Workers (6135) and Senior Care Workers (6136) are no longer eligible under the Health and Care Worker visa, and UK employers are no longer allowed to sponsor (assign a CoS) new international care workers under this route. 

However, care providers in the UK may still assign a CoS to Care Workers (6135) and Senior Care Workers (6136) already in the UK who want to extend, update, or switch to a Health and Care Worker visa.  

Those wanting to switch from a different visa must have been working legally in their job for their sponsor for at least 3 months up to 22 July 2028. This is provided the worker is being sponsored in the same SOC code and by the same sponsor for whom they have worked for 3 months or more before the CoS is assigned. 

2. Certificate of Sponsorship requirement 

A person applying to obtain a health and care worker visa must have been assigned a CoS from a licensed sponsor stating all the information with regard to the job role they have been offered in the UK. A CoS is an electronic record with a reference number required at the time of application.  

3. The salary requirement 

An applicant will usually need to be paid an annual salary of £25,000 or more, according to going rate or according to Table 4 of Going rates for healthcare more. Kindly note that the amount is only relevant to health and care category  

4. The English language requirement  

Unless exempt, a person applying for a UK health and care worker visa will be required to satisfy the English language proficiency criteria to at least the minimum level of B1 of CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) in all 4 components (reading, writing, speaking, and listening).   

Those who have already proved their knowledge of English in a previous successful UK visa application may not be required to prove it again. 

• Those who need to prove their knowledge of English can do so by: 

• Successfully passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved test provider at an approved test location in the UK or overseas 

• Having a GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education), A level, Scottish NQ (National Qualification) level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher qualification in English, gained through study at a UK school that they started when they were under 18 

• Having a degree-level academic qualification equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or PhD that was taught in English at a university outside the UK.  

If the applicant is a doctor, nurse, dentist, or midwife  

Those who have already passed an English Language assessment accepted by the relevant UK-regulated professional body are not required to prove their knowledge of English. 

5. Financial Requirement 

Unless exempt, a Health and Care Worker visa applicant must, on the date of application, have at least £1,270 in their bank account for at least 28 consecutive days to support themselves in the UK. 

Those who have been with a valid visa in the UK for at least 12 months, or if their UK employer will cover their costs during their first month in the UK, will not be required to show proof of funds of £1,270 or more. 

Additional eligibility requirement for those currently in the UK on a Student visa 

If a person is applying to switch to a UK health and care visa from a UK student visa, they must also satisfy: 

• They have completed their course of study they were sponsored for; or 

• The start date of their job is after their course has finished; or 

• They are studying for a PhD full-time, and have been for 24 months or more 

Documents they need 

A person making an application for a health and care worker visa will need to provide: 

• Their CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) reference number given by their employer  

• Proof of their proficiency in the English language 

• A valid passport or other document showing their identity and nationality 

• Their job title and annual salary 

• The occupation code of their job  

• Their employer’s name and their sponsor licence number, which is mentioned on their CoS  

• Criminal record certificate 

Those applying from outside the UK will need to submit a criminal record certificate unless they have been offered a job in one of the following occupation codes: 

• 2113: biochemists and biomedical scientists 

• 2114: physical scientists 

• 3111: laboratory technicians 

• 6132: ambulance staff (excluding paramedics)  

A person under 28 will need to submit a certificate from any country they have stayed in for at least 12 months in total since they turned 18. 

On the other hand, those aged 28 or above will need to submit a certificate from any country they have stayed in over the last 10 years. 

Other documents they might need 

Depending on the circumstances of an applicant, they may be asked to submit: 

• Evidence such as bank statements showing they have enough personal savings to support themselves in the UK (unless their CoS shows their UK employer can support them) 

• Proof of the applicant’s relationship with their partner or children if they’re applying with the main applicant 

• Their TB test results (If Appendix Tuberculosis applies)  

• A criminal record certificate is required for those working in certain jobs 

If any documents are not in English or Welsh, the applicant will need to provide a certified translation of those documents. 

Applying for a UK Health and Care Worker visa from overseas  

An applicant must apply online on gov.uk. They will have to use the application form for the Skilled Worker visa. When applying for a Skilled Worker visa, they will have to choose the Health and Care Worker visa. They must apply from outside the UK before they travel to the UK. 

The earliest someone can apply for this visa is 3 months before the day they are due to start work in the UK.  

An applicant needs to pay the health and care worker visa application fee of £304 per person (for applications of up to 3 years) and £590 per person (for applications of more than 3 years). 

Please note that UK health and care worker visa applicants do not need to pay the immigration health surcharge. 

As part of their online visa application, they will need to prove their identity. They can do so by using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app, where they scan their identity document, or by booking an appointment at a VAC (Visa Application Centre) in their country.  

If a person has booked an appointment at a VAC, on the date of the appointment, they will have their biometrics (their fingerprints and facial photograph) taken at the VAC. The applicant should allow time to attend their VAC appointment, as the visa application centre could be in another country. 

Switching from another UK visa to a UK Health and Care Worker visa  

An applicant must apply online on gov.uk. They will have to use the application form for the Skilled Worker visa. When applying for a Skilled Worker visa, they will have to choose the Health and Care Worker visa. They must apply from inside the UK before their current visa expires. 

The earliest someone can apply for this visa is 3 months before the day they are due to start work in the UK.  

An applicant needs to pay the health and care worker visa application fee of £304 per person (for applications of up to 3 years) and £590 per person (for applications of more than 3 years). 

Please note that UK health and care worker visa applicants do not need to pay the immigration health surcharge. 

They will need to prove their identity as part of their application. They can prove it either by using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app, where they scan their identity document, or by booking an appointment at a UKVCAS (UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services) service point in the UK.  

If a person has booked an appointment at a UKVCAS, on the date of the appointment, they will have their biometrics (their fingerprints and facial photograph) taken there.  

They will also be required to submit the supporting documents proving their eligibility. They can: 

• Upload their documents online  

• Have them scanned at their UKVCAS appointment 

Getting a Decision 

Once a person has applied online, proved their identity, and submitted the supporting documents, they will usually get a decision on their application for a health and care worker visa within 3 weeks. 

The UKVI will contact the applicant if their application will take longer, for example, because: 

• Their supporting documents need to be verified 

• They need to attend an interview 

• of their individual circumstances, for example, if they have a criminal conviction 

A person may be able to pay for ‘priority’ service or ‘super priority’ service to get a faster decision.  

Granting a Health and Care Worker visa 

If a person satisfies the decision maker that they fulfil all the requirements for a health and care visa, they may be granted permission for as long as their employer is sponsoring them for, up to 5 years at a time. Their CoS will confirm how long their UK employer is sponsoring them.  

Applying for a partner and children 

A person’s partner and children may be able to apply to join them or stay in the UK as their ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible. 

A dependent partner or child of a person is any of the following: 

• Their spouse (husband, wife), civil partner, or unmarried partner 

• Their child under 18, including if they were born in the UK during their stay 

• Their child aged over 18 if they currently have leave to enter or leave to remain in the UK as their dependant 

A person will be required to submit evidence of their relationship to their dependant at the time of application.  

A successful partner or child visa will usually end on the same date as the main applicant. A child whose parents have visas with different expiry dates will have their visa ended on the earlier date. 

From March 11, 2024, new care and senior care workers on a Skilled Worker visa cannot bring their dependants (partners or children) to the UK. 

However, individuals who were already in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa in these roles prior to 11 March 2024 may still be able to bring dependants as long as they meet certain conditions, such as renewing with the same UK employer.