Health and Care Worker Visa – Comprehensive Guide to Eligibility, Sponsorship, and Salary Criteria

Eligible Roles for the Health and Care Worker Visa

To qualify for the UK Health and Care Worker Visa, applicants must be employed in an eligible role within the health or social care sector, as defined by specific Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes. These positions include, but are not limited to:

• Health and Medical Managers and Directors: 1171, 1231, 1232

• Scientific and Technical Health Professionals: 2113, 2114

• Medical Practitioners and Therapists: 2211 to 2229

• Registered Nursing Professionals: 2231 to 2237

• Pharmacy, Optometry and Allied Health Roles: 2251 to 2259

• Social Care and Welfare Workers: 2461

• Health Technicians and Assistants: 3111, 3211 to 3213, 3219

• Support and Auxiliary Staff: 6131 to 6136

This list is definitive for the Health and Care Worker route. However, if your occupation does not fall within these codes, you may still qualify under the broader Skilled Worker Visa category.

Approved UK Employers in the Health and Care Sector

Eligibility for the Health and Care Worker Visa requires employment with a UK-based organisation that has been granted sponsor status by the Home Office. These approved employers include:

• NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts across all UK nations

• Regulated providers under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC)

• Organisations under the Care Standards Act 2000 and Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016

• Entities contracted for the delivery of NHS or dental services

• Care providers in Scotland registered with the Care Inspectorate (Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland)

• GP Federations and contracted providers under Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care Board

• Organisations overseen by regulators such as the General Medical Council (GMC), General Dental Council (GDC), General Optical Council (GOC), and others

• CQC-registered organisations actively conducting regulated health or care activities

If you’re uncertain about your employer’s sponsor status, expert immigration guidance is available to assist you.

Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) – Essential for Visa Approval

A valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is a mandatory requirement for obtaining a Health and Care Worker Visa. This digital record must be issued by a UK employer authorised to sponsor your specific role under the visa route.

While most sponsoring employers are part of the NHS or deliver NHS-commissioned services, a broad range of entities in the private and voluntary sectors can also qualify. Employers not yet licensed may apply for a sponsor licence if they meet Home Office criteria.

The CoS must include:

• Your full name, job title, and salary details

• A start date no later than three months after your visa application date

• Confirmation that the CoS has not previously been used or withdrawn

• An explanation of how your role meets the Health and Care Worker Visa requirements

If your employer delivers NHS-commissioned services, they may be required to provide documentation confirming contractual arrangements with the NHS.

Sponsorship for Care Workers and Senior Care Workers in England

For those applying under the SOC codes 6135 – Care Workers and Home Carers or 6136 – Senior Care Workers, employment in England requires sponsorship from an employer registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

The sponsor must be actively regulated by the CQC and must not be flagged as dormant or transitioning to dormant status. This requirement is not applicable to care workers who will be working exclusively in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.

Individuals already holding Health and Care Worker Visas issued before 11 March 2024 are eligible to extend their status or apply for settlement, even if their employer is not CQC-regulated, provided they remain with the same sponsor.

Salary Thresholds for Health and Care Worker Visa Applicants

To secure a Health and Care Worker Visa, your salary must meet both the general threshold and the specific “going rate” aligned with your job’s SOC 2020 code.

National Pay Scale Roles (£23,200 minimum or going rate – whichever is higher):

Applicable SOC codes include:

• 2211–2237 (medical practitioners, nurses, therapists, psychologists)

• 2251–2259 (pharmacists, radiographers, paramedics, podiatrists)

• 2461 (social workers)

• 3213, 3219 (technicians and health associates)

• 6131–6133 (nursing assistants, ambulance staff, dental nurses)

ASHE (Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings) Roles:

Roles under the following codes fall into this category:

• 1171, 1231, 1232 (health managers)

• 2113, 2114 (scientists)

• 3111 (lab technicians)

• 3211, 3212 (opticians, pharmaceutical techs)

• 6135, 6136 (care and senior care workers)

These applicants may be required to meet a general salary threshold of £29,000, but this could reduce to £26,100 or £23,200 if they qualify for tradable points.

Tradable Points and Salary Concessions

In certain circumstances, applicants may be paid below the £29,000 threshold if they possess other qualifying characteristics:

• PhD relevant to the role: Minimum salary £26,100 and 90% of the going rate

• PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the role: Minimum salary £23,200 and 80% of the going rate

• Job on the Immigration Salary List: Minimum salary £23,200 and full going rate

• New entrants to the workforce: Minimum salary £23,200 and 70% of the going rate

These tradable attributes are factored into the points-based immigration system and can significantly impact salary requirements.

Understanding the Immigration Salary List (ISL)

The Immigration Salary List (ISL), curated by the UK Home Office, outlines specific skilled roles where employers routinely face shortages of adequately qualified domestic workers. For positions featured on this list, employers may lawfully offer sponsorship to overseas nationals at a reduced salary level below the standard Skilled Worker salary threshold.

Roles that qualify under the Health and Care Worker Visa (excluding those governed by national pay scales) and appear on the ISL may offer salaries starting at £23,200 per annum, provided this meets or exceeds the going rate for the relevant Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 2020) code.

Definition of a ‘New Entrant to the Labour Market’

A ‘new entrant’ is a category designed to provide flexibility in salary thresholds for younger professionals and early-career applicants. You may be considered a new entrant if:

• You are under 26 at the time of your visa application;

• You are switching from a Student Visa or Graduate Visa;

• You are undertaking postdoctoral research under a recognised scheme;

• You are working toward professional registration, certification, or chartered status.

This classification allows for a reduced salary requirement. However, applicants will not qualify as new entrants if the approval of their application would result in more than four years of cumulative leave as a Skilled Worker, Tier 2 Migrant, or Graduate.

English Language Proficiency for Health and Care Worker Visa

To be eligible for a Health and Care Worker Visa, applicants must demonstrate English language competence at a minimum of CEFR Level B1 (intermediate) across all four areas: reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

Applicants can meet the English language requirement if they:

• Are nationals of a majority English-speaking country;

• Have passed a Secure English Language Test (SELT) approved by the UK Home Office;

• Hold a degree-level qualification taught in English;

• Have obtained UK-based academic qualifications such as GCSEs, A-Levels, or Scottish Highers in English; or

• Have already proven B1 proficiency in a previous UK visa application.

Medical professionals—such as doctors, nurses, dentists, and midwives—do not need to resubmit English test evidence if they have previously passed a recognised assessment through their UK professional regulatory body.

Immigration Skills Charge (ISC)

UK employers sponsoring foreign workers must pay the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC), which is a statutory fee intended to contribute toward UK skills training and workforce development. This fee:

• Must be paid in full by the employer;

• Is non-transferable to the applicant;

• Applies each time a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is assigned.

Financial Maintenance Requirement

Unless exempt, applicants must prove that they can support themselves upon arrival in the UK. This requires having a minimum of £1,270 in available funds, held for at least 28 consecutive days, with the end of this period falling no more than 31 days before the visa application date.

Exemptions apply if:

• You have been in the UK lawfully for 12 months or more;

• Your employer agrees to certify maintenance for your first month in the UK (this must be confirmed on the Certificate of Sponsorship under the ‘Sponsor certifies maintenance’ section).

Criminal Record Certificate Requirement

Applicants applying from outside the UK must submit a criminal record certificate from any country where they have resided for 12 months or more (in total or continuously) in the 10 years preceding the application, provided they were 18 or older during their stay.

Exceptions to this requirement include specific occupation codes such as:

• 2113 – Biochemists and biomedical scientists

• 2114 – Physical scientists

• 3111 – Laboratory technicians

• 6132 – Ambulance staff (excluding paramedics)

Key Benefits of the Health and Care Worker Visa

Holders of the Health and Care Worker Visa benefit from significant advantages over standard Skilled Worker Visa applicants:

• Reduced Visa Application Fees (including for dependents);

• Priority Processing, with a target of decisions within 3 weeks from biometric enrolment;

• Exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) for both primary applicants and their dependents.

Switching to the Health and Care Worker Visa Route

Individuals already residing in the UK under different immigration routes may switch into the Health and Care Worker route, except those previously or currently holding:

• Visitor Visa

• Short-Term Student Visa

• Parent of a Child Student Visa

• Seasonal Worker Visa

• Domestic Worker in a Private Household Visa

• Any form of leave outside the Immigration Rules

Students may switch only if:

• They have completed their course;

• The course ended early before the Certificate of Sponsorship start date;

• They have been pursuing a PhD for at least 24 months.

Is There a Cooling-Off Period?

Unlike its predecessor, the Tier 2 (General) route, the Skilled Worker route (including the Health and Care Worker visa) does not impose a 12-month cooling-off period. Applicants can apply for a new visa immediately after their previous leave expires or changes.

Visa Duration and Extensions

Successful applicants will be granted leave to remain or enter the UK up to 14 days beyond the end date of their Certificate of Sponsorship. This period may span up to 5 years depending on the employer’s sponsorship duration.

You can apply for an extension if:

• You remain with the same employer;

• Your role continues under the same SOC code;

• You are still meeting the salary threshold.

Time Limit on Health and Care Worker Route

The Health and Care Worker route has no cap on the maximum period you can remain in the UK. Unlike the old Tier 2 route, the six-year maximum stay restriction has been abolished. You may be granted up to 5 years per application, with no total time limit imposed.

Conditions of Stay

Holders of this visa must:

• Continue working in their sponsored role;

• Apply for a variation of leave if changing employers or job roles, especially if the SOC code changes;

• Are permitted to engage in supplementary employment under defined conditions.

Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain)

To qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) as a Health and Care Worker, you must meet the following criteria:

• Reside continuously in the UK for 5 years;

• Have no absences exceeding 180 days per year during that period;

• Demonstrate proficiency in English and pass the Life in the UK Test (unless exempt by age);

• Be paid at or above the ILR salary threshold or going rate, whichever is higher;

• Continue to be sponsored by an approved UK employer who still requires your services.

Application Fees 

Applicants benefit from reduced fees when their Certificate of Sponsorship confirms eligibility under the Health and Care Worker Visa route:

• £284 for CoS durations of 3 years or less

• £551 for durations exceeding 3 years
  These fees apply equally to applications made from within or outside the UK, including switch applications.

IHS Exemption

The Immigration Health Surcharge is waived for:

• Primary Health and Care Worker Visa holders;

• Eligible dependents (partner and children under 18).

Fast-Track Visa Processing

The UK government has committed to expedited processing for Health and Care Worker Visas, aiming to conclude most applications within 3 weeks of biometric submission.

Dependants of Health and Care Workers

Visa holders may be accompanied by:

• A partner aged 18 or older;

• A child under 18.

Important Update: From 11 March 2024, social care workers under occupation codes 6145 and 6146 are not permitted to bring dependents unless their visa was granted before this date. Those with visas issued prior to the change may still bring family members, including when transferring to new sponsors that comply with Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulations.

Dependents are entitled to the same fee reductions and IHS exemptions as primary applicants.

How Link And Day Lawyers Can Support You

At Link And Day Lawyers, we are more than just an immigration services provider we are trusted legal advisors committed to guiding individuals and employers through the complexities of UK immigration law. Our seasoned immigration barristers possess in-depth expertise in supporting Health and Care Workers and employers across diverse sectors, from small enterprises to large-scale organizations.

Whether you are an overseas professional seeking to launch or advance your career in the UK healthcare sector, or an employer looking to hire and sponsor skilled talent, our team is here to streamline the process. We assist with strategic immigration planning, ensuring compliance with Home Office requirements and helping clients align their immigration pathways with career timelines and organizational goals.

At Link And Day Lawyers, we are known for our proactive and personable approach. We take the time to understand each client’s unique circumstances, offering tailored, clear, and actionable immigration advice. Our commitment to excellence, professionalism, and client-focused service makes us a reliable legal partner for Health and Care Workers navigating the UK immigration system.