Health and Care Worker Visa

Changes in Health and Care Worker Visa in 2025 

From 22 July 2025, the Health and Care Worker visa rules were updated. The visa remains part of the Skilled Worker route, but the Home Office introduced stricter rules on eligible jobs, care worker applications, dependants, and sponsor requirements. 

• Eligibility is limited to the official SOC 2020 occupation-code list. If the role is not on the eligible list, the applicant will not qualify under the Health and Care Worker route. 

• Care workers under SOC 6135 and senior care workers under SOC 6136 can rely on these roles for in-country extension, update or switching applications only where the relevant conditions are met. 

• If a care worker or senior care worker is switching from another visa route, they must have been working legally for their UK sponsor in that role for at least 3 months before the Certificate of Sponsorship is assigned. 

• For care workers and senior care workers working in England, the sponsor must be registered with the Care Quality Commission. If the applicant changes employer, the new sponsor must meet the CQC registration requirement. 

• Transitional arrangements apply to certain workers whose first Tier 2 or Skilled Worker Certificate of Sponsorship was assigned before 22 July 2025 and who have continuously held Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker permission since then. 

• Under the transitional rules, eligible roles may include health care practice managers, dispensing opticians, medical and dental technicians, health associate professionals not elsewhere classified, ambulance staff excluding paramedics, and dental nurses. 

• New dependants cannot usually join care workers or senior care workers under SOC 6135 or SOC 6136 unless one of the listed exceptions applies. 

• Dependants may still be eligible where: 

• The worker has been continually employed in the UK as a care worker or senior care worker and has held a Health and Care Worker visa or Skilled Worker visa since before 11 March 2024. 

• The dependant is a child born in the UK. 

• The worker is the child’s only living parent and is applying for the child to stay in the UK. 

• The child’s other parent is also sponsored as a care worker or senior care worker and the application is for the child to stay in the UK. 

• Successful Health and Care Worker visa applicants pay reduced application fees and are exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge. 

• Most applicants usually receive a decision within three weeks after applying online, proving their identity, and providing the required documents. 

• Sponsors must explain in the Certificate of Sponsorship how the applicant meets the Health and Care Worker visa eligibility requirements. 

• Non-NHS organisations providing NHS-commissioned services may need to provide evidence of the relevant contract arrangements to UKVI. 

• Sponsors may contact UKVI’s dedicated NHS support team for Health and Care Worker visa eligibility or application process queries. 

Health and Care Worker Visa Eligible Occupation Codes 

To apply for a Health and Care Worker visa, your job must be on the official list of eligible roles. This list is set by the Home Office and is strictly applied. If your occupation code is not listed, you will not qualify under this visa route. 

Eligible occupation codes for new applications include: 

• 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 

If you are extending, updating, or switching to a Health and Care Worker visa, your job can also be in one of these medium-skilled codes: 

• 6135 – Care workers and home carers 

• 6136 – Senior care workers 

Note: If you are switching from a different visa, you must have been legally working for your UK sponsor in this role for at least 3 months before the Certificate of Sponsorship is assigned. 

For Certificate of Sponsorship Issued Before 22 July 2025 

If you are extending or updating your visa, and the Certificate of Sponsorship for your first Tier 2 or Skilled Worker visa was assigned before 22 July 2025, you may also qualify if your job is in one of these additional 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 

To qualify under these transitional rules, you must have continuously held one or more Health and Care Worker visas or Skilled Worker visas since you got the relevant Certificate of Sponsorship. 

Health and Care Worker Visa Eligibility Requirements 

Applicants for a Health and Care Worker visa must meet all relevant requirements under the Skilled Worker visa route, including: 

• Valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): Hold a valid CoS assigned by a Home Office approved sponsor for an eligible role in the UK. 

• Qualifying Job Offer: Have a confirmed offer of employment in an eligible role that meets the applicable minimum salary or going rate. 

• Eligible Occupation Code: The role must be listed under the current Health and Care Worker visa eligible occupation codes. Transitional rules apply only to specific occupation codes and applicants who meet the relevant visa history requirements. 

• Financial Maintenance: In certain cases, show at least £1,270 in personal savings, unless the applicant has been in the UK with valid permission for at least 12 months or the sponsor certifies maintenance on the CoS. 

• English Language Proficiency: Meet the required English language level in reading, writing, speaking, and understanding. Most new applicants must meet CEFR level B2, while limited B1 transitional rules apply to some applicants extending or updating a visa held before 8 January 2026. 

• Tuberculosis Testing: Provide a valid tuberculosis test certificate if applying from a country on the UK’s TB testing list. 

• Criminal Record Certificate: Where required, provide a criminal record certificate for any country outside the UK where the applicant has been present for 12 months or more, continuously or in total, in the 10 years before the application while aged 18 or over. 

Salary Requirements for Health and Care Worker Visa 

To qualify for a Health and Care Worker visa, you must usually be paid at least: 

• £25,000 per year; or 

• The going rate for your specific occupation code, whichever is higher. 

For certain eligible occupation codes, different salary requirements apply. If your job is in one of the following occupation codes, you will usually need a salary of at least £31,300 per year or the job’s lower going rate, whichever is higher: 

• 1171 

• 1231 

• 1232 

• 2113 

• 2114 

• 3111 

• 3211 

• 3212 

• 6135 

• 6136 

Some of these occupation codes are only eligible under extension, update, switching or transitional rules. 

If your job is on the Immigration Salary List, you must still be paid at least: 

• £25,000 per year; or 

• The full going rate for the job, whichever is higher. 

A discounted salary rate cannot be used for an Immigration Salary List role. 

National Pay Scale

If your role is paid according to a national pay scale, your salary must: 

• Meet the relevant pay band for your occupation, location and role; and 

• Meet the applicable Health and Care Worker visa salary rules. 

Transitional Provisions (Recent Change) 

Certain medium-skilled roles including 6135 (care workers and home carers) and 6136 (senior care workers) remain eligible only for applicants extending, updating, or switching into the route from within the UK, provided they meet the specific eligibility criteria. 

If you are switching from another visa category, you must have been working legally in your role for your sponsor for at least three months before the Certificate of Sponsorship is assigned. 

If you are extending or updating your visa and the Certificate of Sponsorship for your first Tier 2 or Skilled Worker visa was assigned before 22 July 2025, you may also qualify if your job is in one of these additional medium-skilled codes: 1231, 3211, 3213, 3219, 6132, or 6133, provided you have continuously held Skilled Worker permission, including Health and Care Worker permission, since that CoS. 

Tradeable Salary Options (A–J) 

Some applicants may qualify for a reduced salary threshold if their job is eligible and they meet specific conditions under the Immigration Rules. These reduced salary options may allow payment at 70% to 90% of the lower going rate, subject to the relevant minimum salary floor. These include: 

• Being under 26, a student, a recent graduate, or in professional training – eligible at 70% of the lower going rate, but not less than £25,000 per year. 

• Where this option is used, the applicant’s total stay in the UK under this reduced salary option cannot exceed 4 years. 

• Holding a relevant STEM PhD – eligible at 80% of the lower going rate, but not less than £25,000 per year. 

• Holding a relevant non-STEM PhD – eligible at 90% of the lower going rate, but not less than £28,200 per year. 

• Working in a post-doctoral role in SOC codes 2113 or 2114 – eligible at 70% of the lower going rate, but not less than £25,000 per year. 

• Where this postdoctoral option is used, the applicant’s total stay in the UK under this reduced salary option cannot exceed 4 years. 
• Important: No reduced salary option in this section allows the salary to fall below £25,000 per year. 

Financial Requirements 

Applicants for the Health and Care Worker visa must demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to support themselves during their stay in the UK. Specifically: 

• The applicant must have at least £1,270 available in their bank account. 

• The funds must have been held in the account for at least 28 consecutive days, with the 28th day falling within 31 days before the application is submitted. 

Exceptions:
Proof of funds is not required if: 

• The applicant has been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months. 

• The applicant’s employer can cover the living costs for the first month in the UK. 

The applicant’s partner and children (if applying as dependants) must also prove they have sufficient funds to support themselves while in the UK. 

Certificate of Sponsorship 

In order to obtain a Health and Care Worker visa, you must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for the job you are planning to do. The CoS must be assigned by a Home Office approved sponsor. 

The CoS is an electronic record, not a physical document. It will have a reference number that you must provide when applying for your visa. 

You must apply for your visa within 3 months of receiving your CoS. 

Skill Level Requirement 

The Health and Care Worker visa requires the sponsored job to be listed under the current eligible SOC 2020 occupation codes for this route. The role must match the correct occupation code and meet the relevant salary, sponsor and transitional requirements. 

This includes eligible roles such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, allied health professionals, social workers, health managers, pharmaceutical technicians, laboratory technicians, and nursing auxiliaries and assistants. 

The employer must provide the correct SOC 2020 code for the job. UKVI may assess whether the job duties match the selected code, whether the role is genuine, whether the applicant has the required skills and experience, and whether the sponsor has selected the correct code. 

Care workers and senior care workers under SOC 6135 and SOC 6136 are only eligible in specific in-country extension, update or switching applications. Additional transitional occupation codes may apply where the relevant Certificate of Sponsorship was assigned before 22 July 2025 and the applicant meets the continuous permission requirement. 

English Language Requirements 

Applicants must usually demonstrate the ability to read, write, speak, and understand English to at least level B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale. 

The required knowledge of English may be evidenced by one of the following: 

• Passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider. 

• Holding a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher, or Advanced Higher in English, obtained through study at a UK school that commenced when the applicant was under the age of 18. 

• Possessing a degree-level academic qualification awarded by a UK institution and taught in English. 

• Possessing a degree-level academic qualification awarded outside the UK, where Ecctis confirms that the qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or PhD and was taught in English. 

If You Are Extending, Updating or Switching Your Visa 

• If you had a Health and Care Worker visa before 8 January 2026 and you are applying to extend or update it, you need level B1 English. You do not need to prove your knowledge of English again. 

• If you are switching from a Skilled Worker visa, you also do not need to provide proof of English again. 

• If you are applying to switch from a different visa route, you need level B2 English. 

Who Does Not Need to Prove English Language?

Applicants are not required to prove English if they are nationals of a majority English-speaking country or territory, including Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the British Overseas Territories, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, or the United States of America. 

Doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives do not need to prove English separately if they have already passed an English language assessment accepted by the relevant regulated professional body. 

Documents Required 

When applying for the Health and Care Worker visa, you will need to provide the following documents: 

• Certificate of Sponsorship Reference Number – This reference number will be provided by your employer and must be included in the visa application. 

• Proof of English Language Knowledge – You may need to provide evidence that you meet the required English language level, unless you are exempt or do not need to prove English again. 

• Valid Passport or Travel Document – A passport or another official document that verifies your identity and nationality. 

• Job Title and Annual Salary – The details of the role you will be undertaking in the UK, including your annual salary. 

• Occupation Code – The specific occupation code for your job. 

• Employer’s Details – The name of your employer and their sponsor licence number, which can be found on your CoS. 

• If you do not have a copy of your CoS, ask your employer to provide it. 

Other Documents You Might Need 

• Depending on your circumstances, you may be asked to submit the following additional documents: 

• Proof of Sufficient Funds – Evidence showing you have enough savings to support yourself in the UK, such as bank statements. This may not be required if your Certificate of Sponsorship confirms that your employer will support you. 

• Proof of Relationship – If your partner or children are applying with you, you will need to provide documentation proving your relationship with them. 

• Tuberculosis Test Results – If you are from a country where a tuberculosis test is required, you must provide these results. 

• Criminal Record Certificate – You may need this if you are applying from outside the UK and your job is one of the roles requiring a criminal record certificate. 

• PhD Certificate or Ecctis Reference – You may need to provide a UK PhD certificate or a unique Ecctis reference number where you are relying on a relevant qualification. If the qualification was awarded outside the UK, you may need an Ecctis assessment. 

• If any of your documents are not in English or Welsh, you will need to provide a certified translation. 

Criminal Record Certificate 

You will need to provide a criminal record certificate if you are applying from outside the UK, unless your job is in one of the following occupation codes: 

• 2113: Biochemists and biomedical scientists 

• 2114: Physical scientists 

• 3111: Laboratory technicians 

• 6132: Ambulance staff excluding paramedics 

Make sure you check the specific instructions for applying for criminal record checks in your country. 

If You have Lived in Multiple Countries 

If the criminal record certificate requirement applies, you must provide a criminal record certificate from every country outside the UK where you have been present for 12 months or more, whether continuously or in total, during the 10 years before your application, while aged 18 or over. 

For applicants aged 18 to 27, this will usually cover the period since turning 18. 

You do not need to provide a criminal record certificate for time spent in the UK. 

Make sure you check the specific instructions for applying for criminal record checks in each relevant country. 

How to Apply for a Health and Care Worker Visa 

To apply for a Health and Care Worker visa, follow these steps: 

• Secure a confirmed job offer from a Home Office approved sponsor in the UK. 

• Obtain your Certificate of Sponsorship reference number from your employer. The CoS must contain details of the role offered in the UK. 

• Check that your job is eligible, your occupation code is correct, and your salary meets the relevant requirement. 

• Prepare the documents needed for your application, including your CoS reference number, proof of English where required, valid passport or travel document, job title, annual salary, occupation code, employer name and sponsor licence number. 

• Complete the online visa application form. If you are applying under the Health and Care Worker route, you must select the Health and Care Worker option during the Skilled Worker visa application process. 

• Pay the required application fee. You and your eligible dependants do not need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge under the Health and Care Worker route. 

• Provide your supporting documents as required during the application process. 

• Prove your identity using the UK Immigration: ID Check app or by attending a biometric appointment, depending on your passport, nationality and application route. 

Application Fees 

The application fee for the Health and Care Worker visa depends on the length of stay in the UK: 

• If the visa is for up to 3 years, the fee is £324 per person. 

• If the visa is for more than 3 years, the fee is £628 per person. 

The application fee is the same whether the applicant applies from inside or outside the UK. 

Applicants under the Health and Care Worker route, and their eligible dependants, do not need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. 

Processing Time 

Once an applicant has submitted the online application, proved their identity, and provided the required documents, they will usually receive a decision within 3 weeks. 

If the application is expected to take longer, the applicant will be contacted. Delays may occur due to reasons such as: 

• Additional verification of supporting documents. 

• The need for an interview. 

• Specific personal circumstances, such as a criminal conviction. 

In some cases, applicants may be able to pay for a faster decision, subject to availability and eligibility. 

Priority and Super Priority Service

Priority and Super Priority services may be available for Health and Care Worker visa applications, depending on the applicant’s circumstances, location and application route. 

The Priority Service costs an additional £500 and usually provides a decision within 5 working days. 

The Super Priority Service costs an additional £1,000 and usually provides a decision by the end of the next working day after identity checks are completed. If the biometric appointment or document upload takes place at a weekend or on a bank holiday, a decision will usually be made within 2 working days. 

Processing may still take longer if the Home Office needs further information, needs to verify details with other government departments, or needs to carry out additional checks. 

Priority and Super Priority fees are not usually refunded if a decision takes longer because further information or evidence is required. A refund may only be considered in limited circumstances, such as where the delay was caused by a technical issue or another matter outside the applicant’s control. 

Duration of a Health and Care Worker Visa 

If your application for a Health and Care Worker visa is approved, you will be granted entry clearance or permission to stay until 14 days after the end date of your Certificate of Sponsorship. The end date of the Certificate of Sponsorship may be up to 5 years after its start date. 

If you are sponsored under SOC 2211 as a General Practitioner for GP specialty training, different grant rules may apply. 

You can apply to extend your Health and Care Worker visa as many times as you like, provided you continue to meet the eligibility requirements. 

Dependants of Health and Care Worker Visa 

If you hold a Health and Care Worker visa, your partner and children may be eligible to join you or stay with you in the UK as dependants. Eligible dependants include: 

• Your husband, wife or civil partner. 

• Your unmarried partner, if you have lived together in a relationship for at least 2 years. 

• Your unmarried partner, if you have been in a relationship for at least 2 years but cannot live together because of work, study, cultural reasons or similar circumstances. 

• Your child under 18, including a child born in the UK during your stay. 

• Your child over 18, if they currently have permission to be in the UK as your dependant. 

Special Rules for Care Workers and Senior Care Workers 

If you are sponsored as a care worker or senior care worker, your partner and children may only be able to apply as dependants in limited circumstances. This may apply where you have been continually employed in the UK as a care worker or senior care worker and have held a Health and Care Worker visa or Skilled Worker visa since before 11 March 2024, or where another specific exception applies. 

Applying from Outside the UK 

Each dependant must submit a separate online application and pay the visa fee. The current fees are: 

• Up to 3 years: £324 per person. 

• More than 3 years: £628 per person. 

Dependants must also meet the financial requirement unless an exemption applies. The required amounts are: 

• £285 for a partner. 

• £315 for one child. 

• £200 for each additional child. 

These funds are in addition to the £1,270 required for the main applicant, unless the main applicant is exempt. The funds must usually be held for at least 28 consecutive days, with day 28 falling within 31 days before the date of application. 

Dependants do not usually need to show funds if they have all been in the UK with valid permission for at least 12 months, or if the sponsor confirms on the Certificate of Sponsorship that it will cover the family’s costs during the first month in the UK. 

Dependants must provide the main applicant’s visa application number or a family linking code. They must also prove their identity using the UK Immigration: ID Check app or by attending a biometric appointment, depending on the application process. 

Switching to a Dependant Visa Inside the UK 

Dependants can apply to extend or switch before their current permission expires. Their visa will not automatically extend or switch when the main applicant extends or switches. 

Dependants cannot usually switch to this route from inside the UK if they are currently in the UK as a visitor, short-term student, Parent of a Child Student, seasonal worker, domestic worker in a private household, on immigration bail, or with permission outside the Immigration Rules. 

If a dependant is currently on a Student visa, they can only switch after completing their sponsored course, or after studying for a PhD for at least 24 months. 

Dependants must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man while their application is pending. Their application will be withdrawn if they do. 

Dependants can work, except as a professional sportsperson or sports coach. They can also study, travel abroad and return after permission is granted, and may apply for settlement after 5 years if they meet the relevant requirements. 

Switching to a Health and Care Worker Visa 

Individuals currently in the UK on a different visa category may be eligible to switch to a Health and Care Worker visa, provided that their role meets the eligibility requirements and they satisfy the English language requirement. Applicants on a Student visa must have either completed their sponsored course, secured a job with a start date after their course has concluded, or been engaged in full-time PhD studies for a minimum of 24 months. Care workers and senior care workers must have been lawfully employed by their sponsoring organisation in their role for at least three months prior to application. 

Applicants must remain within the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man while their application is under consideration, as travelling outside these areas will result in the application being withdrawn. Dependants must submit separate applications if they wish to switch, and if the main applicant is switching as a care worker or senior care worker, dependants are not eligible to apply under this route. 

Who Cannot Switch? 

Switching to this visa from within the UK is not permitted for individuals holding a visit visa, short-term student visa, Parent of a Child Student visa, seasonal worker visa, domestic worker in a private household visa, immigration bail, or permission to remain outside the Immigration Rules. Individuals in these categories must depart the UK and submit their application for a Health and Care Worker visa from overseas. 

Extension of Health and Care Worker Visa  

An applicant may usually extend their Health and Care Worker visa if: 

• They remain in the same job as when their previous permission was granted. 

• The job remains within the same occupation code. 

• They continue to work for the same sponsoring employer. 

• They still meet the applicable salary requirements. 

Once an extension application has been submitted, the applicant must not travel outside the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man until a decision has been made, as this will result in the application being withdrawn. 

A partner’s or child’s visa will not automatically extend when the main applicant’s visa is extended. Each dependant must apply either at the same time or before their own visa expires. Eligibility rules for dependants should be checked before applying. 

Important note: If the applicant changes their job or sponsoring employer, they must apply to update their visa rather than extend it. 

Special Circumstances 

Applicants with a Tier 2 Health and Care Worker visa may be able to meet different eligibility requirements. This applies if they applied for a Health and Care Worker visa before 1 December 2020, or if they had a Tier 2 General visa that was extended as a Health and Care Worker visa. 

If the applicant got their Certificate of Sponsorship on or after 24 November 2016 and applies to extend before 1 December 2026, their salary may include certain guaranteed allowances, such as London weighting. Any allowances must be guaranteed for the length of their stay. 

If the applicant was sponsored as a physical scientist under occupation code 2114 before 1 December 2020, a different going rate may apply. 

Application Process and Decision Times 

Applications must be made online through the Skilled Worker visa application form. The applicant must confirm that they are applying under the Health and Care Worker route when asked. 

Identity must be proven either through the UK Immigration: ID Check app or by providing biometrics. Applicants applying inside the UK may need to attend a UKVCAS service point, while applicants applying from outside the UK may need to attend a visa application centre. 

Most applicants usually receive a decision within 3 weeks after applying online, proving their identity and submitting the required documents. 

Delays may occur if documents need verification, an interview is required, or there are complicated personal matters, such as a criminal conviction. 

In some cases, a faster decision may be available through priority or super priority service, subject to eligibility, location and application route. 

ILR as a Health and Care Worker Visa Holder 

An individual holding a Health and Care Worker visa may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain after completing 5 continuous years in the UK on a qualifying visa route. To qualify, the applicant must continue to be needed for their sponsored job, meet the relevant salary requirement, and satisfy the continuous residence requirement. Applicants aged 18 to 64 must pass the Life in the UK Test, unless exempt. The application can be submitted up to 28 days before completing the 5-year qualifying period and must be made before the current visa expires. ILR allows the applicant to live, work and study in the UK without time restrictions and may lead to British citizenship. 

What if your Visa Application is refused? 

If an application for a Health and Care Worker visa is refused or rejected, the applicant will receive a written decision from the Home Office explaining the reasons for the decision. 

The decision letter will state whether the applicant can request an administrative review or has any other available remedy. Administrative review should only be requested where the applicant believes the Home Office made a caseworking error or failed to properly consider relevant evidence. 

The applicant may also choose to submit a fresh application after a refusal or rejection. Any issues identified in the refusal decision should be resolved before submitting a new application. 

If the applicant requests an administrative review and then submits a new immigration application, the administrative review may be withdrawn or rejected. 

What is the Difference Between a Skilled Worker Visa and a Health and Care Worker Visa? 

The Health and Care Worker visa is a specific category within the Skilled Worker route, designed exclusively for medical professionals and individuals in eligible health and social care roles. By contrast, the Skilled Worker visa covers a wide range of other professions outside the health and care sector. 

The Health and Care Worker visa offers several advantages over the general Skilled Worker visa. Applications are prioritised by UKVI, with most decisions issued within three weeks of the applicant providing their biometric information, compared to processing times of eight to twenty weeks for some other work visas. The application fee is also significantly lower for applications of more than three years, compared to the Skilled Worker visa. In addition, Health and Care Worker visa holders are exempt from paying the Immigration Health Surcharge, which is normally £1,035 per year for other work visa categories. 

How Sunrise Solicitors can Help? 

Sunrise Solicitors offers expert legal assistance to individuals seeking to apply for, extend, or resolve issues with their Health and Care Worker visa. Our team has in-depth knowledge of UK immigration law and extensive experience handling complex cases, ensuring that applications are prepared to the highest standard and that clients receive clear, practical advice at every stage. 

We can assist with: 

• Entry Clearance Applications – Preparing and submitting strong visa applications from overseas, ensuring all eligibility and documentary requirements are met. 

• Switching to a Health and Care Worker Visa – Advising on eligibility and preparing applications to switch from another visa category while meeting all legal requirements. 

• Visa Extensions – Managing extension applications to maintain lawful status, ensuring continuity of employment and compliance with sponsor requirements. 

• Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) – Guiding clients through the ILR process after completing the qualifying period, including advice on eligibility, documentation, and the Life in the UK Test. 

• Administrative Reviews – Challenging unfair refusals by identifying legal or procedural errors in the Home Office decision and preparing strong review applications. 

With a commitment to professional excellence and client-focused service, Sunrise Solicitors ensures that every stage of the Health and Care Worker visa process is handled with precision, efficiency, and care, maximising the chances of a successful outcome.