Health and Care Workers Visa UK
Those who are trained as health and care workers and want to work in the UK are eligible for this visa. You can get additional information on visa requirements and the process to apply here.
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you require help with your Health and Care Worker Visa by calling our immigration lawyers on +2080162308.
Those who are trained as health and care workers and want to work in the UK are eligible for this visa. You can get additional information on visa requirements and the process to apply here.
Don’t hesitate to contact us if you require help with your Health and Care Worker Visa by calling our immigration lawyers on +2080162308.
What is the Health and Care Workers Visa?
Overseas workers with specific skills who want to work in the UK for approved employers in particular roles can use the Health and Care visa. Type 2 visas can be given to doctors, registered nurses, pharmacists, and workers in adult social care.
Bringing more workers into the UK through the visa is intended to address the skills shortage in the UK healthcare sector, while also providing a route to permanent settlement.
Successful UK visa applicants can live and work in the UK for up to five years and can choose to renew their visas as many times as they wish, as long as they are still eligible.
After five years, Health and Care visa holders may apply for UK indefinite leave to remain. As an ILR holder, you are out of UK immigration control, making it possible to switch jobs whenever you wish.
You can benefit from the Health and Care route thanks to:
- Fast processing
- A discounted application fee
- Being excused from paying the Immigration Health Surcharge
A Skilled Worker visa can be granted to people in eligible professions. Still, a Health and Care Worker Visa is only available to medical experts and other employees in suitable roles.
People who do not fit into one of the pre-approved jobs at a designated organisation cannot get the new Health and Care visa, except that they could apply for the Skilled Worker visa if they are eligible for that.
The Health and Care Visa is a choice for qualified doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals who want to work in selected positions in UK healthcare. There are some other criteria you must meet to be approved for the visa, in addition to meeting the job requirements.
- Be a highly skilled doctor, nurse, health professional, or adult social care professional.
- Having a job in a recognized occupation in the health or social care field
- Receive a job promise from an employer in the UK after the Home Office has looked at and approved the offer.
- Ensure you have a Certificate of Sponsorship from your UK employer that gives details about the job offered to you.
- Meet the necessary pay based on the type of work you will perform.
- You should be able to read, write, speak, and understand English on the B1 level of the CEFR. There is no need to meet this requirement if you come from a country where English is the primary language or if your university qualification was taught in English.
For your Health and Care Worker Visa application, you must submit the papers that show you are eligible for this visa. With these documents, the UK Home Office can review your case and make sure you fulfill every requirement.
This is what you’ll usually have to include:
- Reference Number for Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)
From your UK employer, this letter shows your eligibility for the offered job. - Achievement of English proficiency
You can meet this requirement by getting a Secure English Language Test pass or holding a degree-level qualification taught in English. - Passport or National Identity Document
The document you use to travel should be current and confirm your identity without any issues. - Role Description and Related Occupation
The description should state your job title, your assigned occupation code, and the amount you are paid each year. - Employer Information
Details of your UK sponsor, including the number of their sponsor licence, which is included in your CoS. - TB certification
You are advised to take this test if your country appears on the TB-testing list provided by the UK government. - A document showing you have the means to support yourself financially.
Proof that you can support your living in the UK, unless your employer handles this part of the sponsorship. - Certified Copy of Criminal Record
If the work you do involves helping vulnerable people (for example, in healthcare), you may have to submit a police clearance from any countries where you have lived. - (If you have) Family Documents
If someone in your family is coming with you, you will need to show proof of your relationship with them, such as a marriage certificate or a birth certificate.
Each of the documents given must be written in English or Welsh. For papers written in a language other than English, a certified translation will be required.
A criminal record certificate is usually required as part of the application. However, some jobs may have certain exemptions. Occupation codes listed below generally don’t call for a certificate.
- 2113 – Biochemists and Biomedical Scientists
- 2114 – Scientists who work in physical science
- 3111 –This year belongs to the Laboratory Technicians.
- 6132 – Ambulance Staff who are not paramedics
You may need to provide a certificate if specific conditions related to your age and location are met.
- If you are under 28, you must show a certificate from any country you have spent 12 months or more in since you turned 18.
- Individuals who are 28 and older must have a certificate from the countries they have resided in over the last 10 years.
It’s essential to find out from your employer if there are any additional background checks needed for your position.
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You must be paid at least the minimum wage established by the Home Office to qualify for a Health and Care Worker visa in the UK. So, you must receive at least the standard salary amount or the going rate for your job, whichever is greater. The rates can differ for different jobs and are adjusted regularly.
The visa rules for most applicants, both first-time and renewing, include a minimum salary requirement. Where roles are defined on a national scale, like many positions in the NHS, you must be paid based on that. If a role is not mentioned on the national pay scale, a higher general threshold is typically used.
But there are cases where this is not the case. You may still get the visa if your income is lower than the expected minimum, as long as you meet certain conditions. Among the options available under the Home Office’s guidance, there are several where the reduced salary thresholds can be used.
- A lower salary threshold can be accepted by those with a PhD in a related field.
- If your PhD is in STEM and valuable for your role, the minimum market value will be lowered even more.
- If the position appears on the Immigration Salary List, the immigrant can be offered reduced rates.
- If you are a young professional under 26 at the beginning of your career, you may qualify for the company with a lower beginning salary.
The salary flexibility enables more professionals, such as those just starting their careers or possessing specialized skills, to utilize this visa route for the UK’s health and care sectors. Refer to official Home Office documentation to ensure that the purpose of your work and your salary meet today’s requirements.
The vast majority of applicants for the Health and Care Worker visa must demonstrate that they can read, write, speak, and understand English at a B1 level on the CEFR scale.
You may demonstrate your English skills in one of the ways listed below:
- Completing and passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) that comes from an approved supplier.
- Having successfully finished English classes at GCSE, A level, or Scottish National level without turning 18 at a school in the UK.
- Having a qualification that was obtained through studying in the English language. If your degree comes from a different country, you will be required to receive confirmation from Ecctis stating that it matches a UK qualification.
- Doctors, nurses, dentists, and midwives are not required to prove their English if they have already met the testing standards set by their professional bodies.
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You aren’t required to show your English abilities in the following cases:
- Because you applied successfully for a visa to the UK in the past, you have already met this requirement.
- Your passport shows that you’re a resident of one of the English-speaking countries:
Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Overseas Territories, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, or the United States are examples.
Make sure to follow the latest guidance from the Home Office to find out which qualifications are needed.
To be considered for the UK Health and Care Worker Visa, you need to meet specific standards and use a particular application process.
The application can be made using the form on the official gov.uk website, and this should be done online. If you’re eligible for the Health and Care Worker Visa, choose “yes” to this question on the application form to confirm your status.
When applying, you must complete and hand over the following:
- Go to the official website and use the available form.
- Show your identity by presenting documents that confirm it.
- Upload all the documents that are necessary for your application.
- Pay the required fee for a visa.
For identification purposes, you will have to complete one of the following options:
- ID Check app, where you can scan your documents through your phone.
- Arrange a meeting at a visa office, as they will capture your biometrics.
You should apply for this visa at least 3 months before your planned arrival in the UK.
The application review usually takes 21 days, and you might get the result within that time.
If you have difficulties or need confirmation that your paperwork has been submitted correctly, help is available from professionals.
If you need information and guidance, call ISUK at +2080162308 or connect with them on social media.
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Compared to applying for the Skilled Worker route, the Health and Care Worker Visa costs less and is therefore more attractive.
The fee for principal applicants and their dependents is the same, no matter where they apply from.
Apart from the reduced visa cost, healthcare professionals and their families are exempt from paying the IHS, making this option even more cost-effective.
The amount you pay may vary based on:
- How long is your job contract (as listed in your Certificate of Sponsorship)
- If the position is on the Immigration Salary List (previously the Shortage Occupation List)
Be sure to look at the current fees on the UK government website before filling out an application.
Applications for the Health and Care Worker Visa usually take less time than the Skilled Worker visa does.
After submitting your form and providing your biometrics, most cases are typically decided within approximately three weeks.
Due to this process, British or international professionals can assume their duties more quickly and efficiently, thereby meeting the needs of NHS or social care employers.
When you experience any difficulty or your application is delayed, the UK Home Office healthcare team will advise you professionally.
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While you are in the UK under a Health and Care Worker Visa, you are allowed certain rights, but you must also follow some immigration-related rules.
The purpose of the visa is to allow you to carry out the following actions:
- Take up employment in the job named in your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).
- Get involved in some kind of volunteer position.
- Take on an extra job if the situation allows.
- Continue to learn or get skills training.
- Enter and leave the United Kingdom as you wish.
After you have lived in the UK for 5 years without a break, you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
While you can live and work in the UK, this visa stands in the way of main public benefits and state pension claims from the UK.
To work for a new company, you are required to get the Home Office’s approval and update your visa.
An individual holding a Health and Care Worker Visa can take on extra employment when proper conditions are in place.
Nonetheless, you should keep working in the role described in your CoS.
Here is how you do it:
- You can use your visa just as before unless you are told otherwise.
- You’re putting in a lot of extra hours for your current company.
- You are expected to perform short bank shifts in the NHS.
- You can work up to 20 hours per week in a second job that belongs to the same occupation code and role.
Let the Home Office know if you notice or experience anything that could be wrong.
- For your second job, you are required to put in more than 20 hours each week.
- My occupation code has been updated to reflect a different role.
- You’re taking a new job with a different employer.
Be sure to follow the rules set by UKVI for any additional employment you take on, or else you might face visa violations.
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An applicant who has been issued a Health and Care Worker Visa may typically stay in the United Kingdom for five years.
You have to apply for an extension if you’re planning to live in the UK for a further period after your current visa expires.
You may renew your visa if you are still qualified, such as meeting the original rules:
- Working under the same organization that issued your CoS.
- Being employed in the same job with the same occupation code.
- Receiving compensation that is above the minimum salary set for your role.
You should submit your extension application before your existing visa expires.
When you hold a Health and Care Worker Visa for five continuous years in the UK, you can qualify to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), which is similar to permanent settlement.
Doing so would eliminate the requirement for extensions and create new rights, for example, the ability to receive public assistance funds.
Any dependent family members living in the UK on a visa must apply to renew it before their visa expires.
Should you be applying for ILR, your dependents might also be eligible for ILR if they meet the required criteria.
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Depending on what job you do and the conditions of your visa, you could bring your dependents with you to the UK if applying for a Health and Care Worker Visa.
Who Can Be Claimed as a Dependent?
Usually, “dependents” are:
- Your husband, wife, civil partner, or partner must be in an actual, honest relationship.
- My child who is under 18 years old or born to me while I lived in the UK
If your child is currently over 18 and has already received a dependent visa in the UK, you should follow the instructions mentioned below.
You will be unable to bring dependents if you are applying for either a care worker or senior care worker position, and your visa was granted after March 2024.
The Financial Needs of Dependents
If you can have your family join you, it is necessary to ensure they have enough resources for their stay. You need to have at least the following minimum funds:
- The total cost for a partner is £285.
- £315 for the first child
- You must pay an additional £200 for each child attending.
Your funds should remain in your account for a full 28 days, and you will need to prove it when you apply.
Changing to a Health and Care Worker Visa While in the UK
Should you already be living in the UK under any other visa, you might switch to the Health and Care Worker visa, provided the eligibility requirements are satisfied.
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All students must match the basic criteria to be eligible for the Health and Care route. Such a task requires making sure to have:
- A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) provided by an approved UK employer by the Home Office
- A position that matches both the salary requirement and the area of work
- The English language level that must be reached
These Are the People Unable to Use This Visa:
There are types of visas that prevent applicants from switching to the Health and Care Worker visa from the UK. These include:
- Individuals who hold visitor visas
- Individuals who hold a short-term visa to study
- People who hold a Parent of a Child Student visa
- Seasonal workers
- Private workers who serve in households
- Individuals who have been granted immigration bail
- Anyone granted permission to remain in the country even though their case does not fit within the Immigration Rules.
Applications to switch from a Student visa are allowed only if you meet one of the following reasons:
- You have completed all the activities for your course.
- You will begin your new role after the course is finished.
- You have been working towards your PhD for at least two years now.
Steps to Apply
Applications to move to a Health and Care Worker visa must be sent online directly from the UK government’s official website. If you apply before the expiry of your current visa, you will be able to stay in the UK lawfully.
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To apply for the Health and Care Worker Visa, it is essential to meet the stringent requirements and complete all forms accurately and thoroughly. Our team of immigration lawyers at Immigration Solicitors UK is always informed about the updates in UK immigration law, and especially the Health and Care route. Our goal is to review your case to see if you qualify for a visa in this category.
Our lawyers are dedicated to making the process as straightforward as possible. We can guide you through the entire process, from submitting your application to providing the necessary documents and contacting the Home Office, so that you have nothing to worry about.
Do you work for an organization that wants to hire international health or care professionals? We can also help you with sponsorship and confirm that you fulfill all requirements by the Home Office and stay in compliance with immigration laws.
If you would like to speak with a specialist today, please contact us at +2080162308 or use our online live chat.
