Health And Care Worker Visas.

This visa route enables qualified health and care professionals from outside the UK to work for approved employers in the NHS and NHS suppliers.

Applicants must have a confirmed job offer in an eligible occupation and meet other eligibility requirements set by the UK Home Office.

Please note:

• Irish citizens do not need a visa to work in the UK.
• If you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein and were living in the UK before 1 January 2021, you may be eligible for the EU Settlement Scheme.

From 22nd July 2025, care worker and senior care worker job titles are no longer on the skilled occupation list. This means that those hoping to work in the UK as a care worker need to find an alternative route.

Eligibility requirements have been updated as of 2025, raising the minimum salary threshold for most Health and Care roles to £25,000 per year, or the ‘going rate’ for the specific role – whichever is higher.

Job requirements

• Be a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional or adult social care worker.
• Have a job offer from a UK employer approved by the Home Office.
• Receive a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) detailing your role, salary, and employment start date.
• Be applying for a job that meets the eligible occupation code list.

English language requirements

You must prove your ability to speak, read, write, and understand English at a B1 level (on the CEFR scale). This can be demonstrated by:

• Passing an approved English language test.
• Holding a degree or qualification taught in English.
• Being a citizen of an exempt English-speaking country.

One of the major changes to immigration in 2025 is that there are now restrictions to bringing dependants as part of a Health and Care Worker Visa. Eligibility is done on a case-by-case basis depending on your role within the care industry.

For further advice on whether your dependants are eligible to apply for a visa linked to your Health and Care Worker visa, please arrange a consultation with our immigration specialists.

To apply for a Health and Care Worker Visa from outside of the UK, you must apply online.

When applying, you’ll need to provide the following:

• Your certificate of sponsorship reference number given to you by your employer
• Proof of English language ability
• A valid passport or other forms of identification confirming identity and nationality
• Your job title, salary and occupation code
• Your employer’s name and sponsorship license number

In some cases, you may need to provide other documents. Some examples include a criminal record certificate or tuberculosis test results. These other documents will depend entirely on where you are coming from, who with, and for what job.

When applying for a Health and Care Worker Visa, you must have money for the following:

• An application fee – this fee ranges depending on your circumstances and whether your job is on the occupation shortage list. You can find all up to date visa application fees on the Home Office website. 
• Supporting yourself when you arrive – you’ll need to have £1,270 available when you arrive in the UK.

Unlike with other visas, you will not have to pay the healthcare surcharge for this application.

Furthermore, your employer can support you when you arrive in the UK instead. This must be confirmed by the certificate of sponsorship. 

For a breakdown of our prices for helping with a Health and Care Worker Visa, visit our immigration pricing page.

It usually takes around three weeks for the Home Office to send a response to your visa application. However, they may require more time to process if:

• Documents need to be verified
• They need to interview you
• Personal circumstances complicate the process (e.g. criminal convictions)

You are eligible to apply for a Health and Care Worker Visa up to three months before you are due to start working in the UK. It’s best to send your application as soon as possible to compensate for any extra time the Home Office might need.

You may also have the option to pay extra for fast track approval. 

There are several reasons why your application may have been refused. This could include:

• Incomplete or invalid application form
• Fee payments not made
• Ineligible job role or salary
• Relevant codes (i.e. occupation, sponsorship reference) incorrect or left out
• Your criminal or immigration history invalidated your application

If your application was refused, you may apply for an administrative review of the Home Office’s decision. You have up to 28 days to file this request if outside the UK or, alternatively, 14 days if within the UK. If this is refused, you can submit a judicial review to further this.

We highly recommend consulting an experienced immigration solicitor if your application is denied. We can help explore other options or assist in submitting forms to question why your appeal was refused.

As of 22^nd July 2025, the UK has officially stopped issuing new Health and Care Worker visas to overseas care workers or senior care workers. 

If you are already working in the UK on the Health and Care Visa, you may have the option to extend your current visa and continue working and living in the UK. 

If you are applying for a visa from abroad, you may have to explore other routes, such as securing a job on the skilled worker list or the skills shortage list. 

You may benefit from speaking with a specialist immigration solicitor, who can review your personal circumstances and see which option will suit you best.