Health and Care Worker Visa: Who Can Apply?

The Health and Care Worker visa allows eligible healthcare professionals to work in the UK with an approved employer. You need a qualifying job offer, sponsorship and the appropriate salary, along with evidence that you meet the other immigration requirements.

For Americans considering a move, the important distinction is between finding healthcare employment and qualifying for this particular visa. Not every healthcare job or employer meets the requirements.

Quick Answer

You may qualify for a Health and Care Worker visa if you have an eligible job with an approved UK health or care sector employer, a Certificate of Sponsorship and the required salary.

You must also meet the English language and financial requirements, unless an exemption applies. Qualifying applicants and their eligible dependants do not pay the immigration health surcharge.

New overseas applications for care worker and senior care worker roles closed on 22 July 2025. Other eligible healthcare professions remain available under the route.

Why This Matters

A job offer alone does not confirm visa eligibility. The occupation code, employer and salary must all meet the relevant rules.

It is also important to distinguish doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals from care worker roles affected by recruitment restrictions. Applying the wrong rules to your occupation could lead to unnecessary costs or an unsuitable application.

Who Qualifies for a Health and Care Worker Visa?

This visa operates within the Skilled Worker route, with specific provisions for eligible health and care employment.

Before applying, confirm that:

• Your job falls within an eligible occupation code.
• Your employer qualifies to sponsor you under this arrangement.
• Your pay meets the applicable salary requirements.
• You meet the English requirement or qualify for an exemption.
• You can meet the financial requirement or use an accepted exemption.
• You satisfy the remaining immigration requirements.

The overseas application process asks whether you are applying as a Health and Care Worker. Eligible applicants must select the appropriate option rather than assuming any healthcare job automatically receives the relevant concessions.

Health and Care Worker Visa: Eligible Jobs

Eligible occupations include various medical, nursing, therapy and scientific roles. Examples include:

• Generalist and specialist doctors.
• Registered nurses and midwives.
• Physiotherapists and occupational therapists.
• Pharmacists.
• Medical radiographers.
• Paramedics.
• Certain laboratory and technical roles.

Check the four-digit occupation code against your actual duties. Similar job titles can fall under different codes, with different rules.

Your employer should confirm the code used for sponsorship. A role being advertised as “healthcare” is not enough by itself.

Our overview of healthcare careers explores employment opportunities separately from the visa application requirements.

What about care workers and senior care workers?

New applications from overseas for care worker and senior care worker positions closed on 22 July 2025.

Some people already in the UK may still qualify to extend, update or switch their permission under the applicable rules. Switching into these roles includes a requirement to have worked legally for the sponsor in the job for at least three months.

For care worker and senior care worker jobs in England, the employer must also meet the Care Quality Commission registration requirement.

These provisions should not be confused with the rules for nurses, doctors or other eligible healthcare professionals.

What Must Your Employer Provide?

You need a confirmed offer from an approved employer before applying.

Eligible employers include the NHS, organisations providing medical services to the NHS and qualifying adult social care organisations. The employer must have the appropriate sponsorship permission.

Your sponsor assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship, which is an electronic record rather than a paper certificate. You use its sponsorship reference in your application.

Check that the job title, occupation code, salary and employment dates are accurate. You must normally apply within three months of the certificate being assigned.

Salary Requirements: Check Your Occupation

There is no single salary figure that every applicant can use.

Official guidance gives a usual minimum of £25,000, but the applicable going rate may be higher. Certain occupations follow different salary provisions, while many healthcare jobs use national pay scales.

Ask your employer to confirm:

• The occupation code.
• The relevant salary table or pay scale.
• Your contracted working hours.
• Whether any transitional or other salary provision applies.

Do not assume that meeting £25,000 automatically makes an offer eligible. The correct calculation depends on the role and your circumstances.

English Requirements for US Applicants

US nationals do not normally need to provide separate evidence of English knowledge for this visa.

Other applicants may qualify through an accepted qualification, an approved test or another permitted method. The current standard for applicants who need to demonstrate English is generally B2, with transitional provisions for some existing visa holders.

Doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives may also meet the requirement through an English assessment accepted by the relevant professional regulator.

Check the available English language exemptions before booking a test. An immigration exemption does not remove any separate requirements imposed by your professional regulator or employer.

Health and Care Worker Visa Fees and Savings

The current standard application fees are:

The fees are the same for applications from inside and outside the UK.

You will usually also need £1,270 available to support yourself. Unless exempt, you must hold this for at least 28 consecutive days, with the final day falling within 31 days before applying.

You may not need to provide those savings if you have held valid UK permission for at least 12 months or your sponsor certifies maintenance on your Certificate of Sponsorship.

Eligible dependants have separate financial requirements.

Do you pay the immigration health surcharge?

Qualifying applicants and their eligible dependant partners and children do not pay the surcharge.

This does not mean every healthcare service is free. Charges can still apply to services such as prescriptions, dental treatment and eye tests.

Check the latest GOV.UK fees and requirements before submitting your application, as figures and rules can change.

How to Apply for a Health and Care Worker Visa

Prepare the information supporting your identity, sponsored employment and eligibility.

Depending on your circumstances, this includes:

• Your passport or other accepted identity document.
• Certificate of Sponsorship reference.
• Job title, salary and occupation code.
• Employer’s name and sponsor licence number.
• English evidence, where required.
• Financial evidence, unless exempt.
• Criminal record certificates for relevant roles.
• TB test evidence, where required.
• Family relationship evidence for accompanying dependants.

Documents outside English or Welsh require certified translations. Criminal record requirements can involve countries where you previously lived, so check these early.

The main application steps are:

1. Confirm the job, sponsor and salary requirements.
2. Obtain and check your Certificate of Sponsorship.
3. Complete the online application.
4. Pay the applicable fee.
5. Prove your identity through the process specified.
6. Submit supporting evidence and await the decision.

An overseas application usually receives a decision within three weeks after submission, identity verification and provision of documents. Some cases take longer.

You can normally apply up to three months before the employment start date shown on your Certificate of Sponsorship.

Bringing Family on a Health and Care Worker Visa

Eligible partners and children may apply as dependants, but this is not automatic for every occupation.

Care worker and senior care worker roles have specific restrictions and exceptions. Other medium-skilled occupations also have restrictions linked to the worker’s immigration and employment history.

Qualifying exceptions include certain existing workers and particular circumstances involving children.

Check dependant eligibility alongside the rules for your exact occupation before making family travel arrangements. Each applicant needs the appropriate permission, supporting evidence and application fee.

How Long Can You Stay?

Permission can last for up to five years, depending on the sponsored employment. Extensions may be possible if you continue meeting the requirements.

Under the current published guidance, settlement may be available after five years if you meet all the relevant conditions. It is not automatic.

Changing jobs or employer may require an application to update your permission. Additional work also has its own conditions, so check before taking another role.

Planning Your Arrival

Once you have the appropriate permission and confirmed start arrangements, consider the practical costs of moving.

Organising banking after arrival can help you receive salary and manage regular payments.

Budget separately for rent, deposits, transport and household bills. The visa maintenance requirement is an application rule, rather than a complete estimate of your relocation costs.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming every healthcare vacancy qualifies.
• Confusing a nursing role with a care worker role.
• Using a salary threshold without checking the occupation-specific rules.
• Assuming sponsorship replaces professional registration.
• Paying the immigration health surcharge without checking eligibility for this visa.
• Assuming every worker can bring dependants.
• Treating the usual processing time as a guaranteed decision date.

Where to Go Next

• Open a UK Bank Account: Guide for New Arrivals
• UK Council Tax: What New Residents Need to Know
• UK Healthcare Careers: Opportunities & How to Get Started
• UK Certificate of Sponsorship: What It Is and How to Get One
• English Test Scores and Exemptions for UK Visa Applications
• Dependent Visa Requirements in the UK: Complete Guide