You can apply for entry clearance for health and care worker visa if you are sponsored by NHS, an NHS supplier or a care home to do an eligible job in the UK. Those applying for the Health and Care visa are exempt from having to pay the Immigration Health Charge and have lower visa application fees.

As specialist work visa solicitors, we can provide fast, friendly, reliable and fixed fee immigration advice and legal representations for health and care worker visa entry clearance application. Ask a question to our expert team of work visa solicitors for free immigration advice or book an appointment for detailed immigration advice concerning your application for entry clearance for health and Care Worker visa.

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Eligibility Requirements For Health and Care Worker Visa

The applicants applying for the Health and Care Visa need to meet the requirements of the Skilled Worker route which is contained in Appendix Skilled Worker of the Immigration Rules. To qualify for a Health and Care Worker visa, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• You must be a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional or adult social care professional
• You must work in an eligible health or social care job
• Your employer must hold the sponsor license to sponsor you for your job
• Your employer must have a certificate of sponsorship (CoS) from your employer with information about the role you’ve been offered in the UK
• You must be paid a minimum salary – how much depends on the type of work you do
• You must be able to provide evidence of knowledge of English language
• You must have sufficient personal savings to support yourself in the UK unless your employer has certified maintenance
• You must be able to demonstrate ability to travel and travel history over the preceding five years
• You must provide a valid tuberculosis test results (if from a listed country)
• You must provide a criminal record certificate from any country where a migrant has lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years, if working with vulnerable people

The employer is required to include a brief explanation in the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) setting out how the employee meets the Health and Care Visa eligibility requirement. The employer will also be responsible for informing the applicant they are eligible for the Health and Care Visa so the applicant can correctly complete the visa application form. Where an employer is an organization that provides services commissioned by the NHS, evidence of the contract arrangements with the NHS may need to be provided to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) as proof that applicants are eligible to apply for a Health and Care Visa.

Occupation Codes For Health and Care Visa

Your job must be in one of the following occupation codes to qualify for the Health and Care Worker visa:

2112: biological scientists and biochemists
2113: physical scientists
2211: medical practitioners
2212: psychologists
2213: pharmacists
2214: ophthalmic opticians
2215: dental practitioners
2217: medical radiographers
2218: podiatrists
2219: health professionals that are ‘not elsewhere classified’, such as audiologists and occupational health advisers
2221: physiotherapists
2222: occupational therapists
2223: speech and language therapists
2229: therapy professionals that are ‘not elsewhere classified’, such as osteopaths and psychotherapists
2231: nurses
2232: midwives
2442: social workers
3213: paramedics

Approved UK Health and Care Sector Employers

You must have a job offer from an approved UK employer holding sponsor license before you apply for a Health and Care Worker visa. Approved employers are also known as sponsors, because they are sponsoring you to come to or stay in the UK.

You must have a job offer from:

• the NHS
• an organization providing medical services to the NHS
• an organization providing adult social care

If your employer is not currently approved, they can apply for a sponsor license if they are eligible. Our specialist team of immigration solicitors can help your employer with an application for sponsor license.

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Salary Requirements

Your employer with sponsor license need to pay you a salary of at least £20,480 per year unless the ‘going rate’ for your job is higher than this. Each occupation code has its own annual going rate. How you find the going rate depends on your job and occupation code. Salaries are listed by NHS pay band and area of the UK you’ll be working in.

Reduced Visa Fee

Health and Care Visa applicants will pay the reduced application fees. The visa fee reduction applies to partners and dependents of Health and Care Visa applicants. In addition to the reduced visa fee, applicants applying for the Health and Care Visa, and their family are exempt from having to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Fast Track Service

The Home Office UKVI will priorities Health and Care Visa applications, with the aim that the vast majority are processed within three weeks from the point the applicant has provided their biometric information.

Dedicated NHS Support and Visa Processing Team

There is dedicated support available, enabling Health and Care Visa sponsors to contact UKVI’s specialist team if they have any issues with the application process or eligibility for the health and Care Visa. Sponsors can contact UKVI’s dedicated NHS team at the following email address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

How Can We Help You?

Our specialist team of Skilled Worker visa solicitors can provide fast, friendly, reliable and fixed fee legal services for your Health and Care Worker visa entry clearance application. As your appointed legal representatives for Health and Care Worker visa entry clearance application, our work can include the following:

• assessing your eligibility for Health and Care Worker visa for UK by considering all the relevant eligibility requirements;
• assisting your prospective Skilled Worker sponsor with correctly assigning the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to you;
• advising on relevant documents to be submitted in support of the Health and Care Worker visa entry clearance application;
• assessing the documentary evidence including the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to ensure that the documents are in line with the Home Office UKVI requirements for Health and Care Worker visa entry clearance;
• completing online application form for Health and Care Worker visa entry clearance for UK;
• preparing a detailed cover letter in support of the Health and Care Worker visa entry clearance application to explain in detail how all the relevant requirements for Health and Care Worker visa entry clearance have been satisfied by the applicant;
• submitting the Skilled Worker visa entry clearance application online, paying the Home Office UKVI fees for Health and Care Worker visa application and booking applicant’s appointment with the relevant UK visa application centre;
• uploading all the supporting documents online in support of the Health and Care Worker visa entry clearance application;
• preparing the applicant for an interview by the Entry Clearance Officer (ECO) in relation to Health and Care Worker visa entry clearance application;
• making any post interview representations to the Entry Clearance Officer (ECO), if necessary;
• doing all the follow up work until decision is reached on your Health and Care Worker visa entry clearance application.