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Health And Care Worker Visa & Requirements

Apply for Health and Care Worker if you are a medical professional and want to come to the UK to do an eligible job. Speak to our immigration solicitor today!

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Health And Care Worker Visa

A Health and Care Worker visa allows medical professionals to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job with the NHS, an NHS supplier or in adult social care.

The Health and Care visa has been designed to encourage healthcare professionals from around the world to come to work in the UK health sector. For applicants, the benefits of the new Health and Care Worker visa include fast-tracked entry to the UK, together with reduced visa fees and exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge. It also includes the support of a dedicated team within UKVI in processing visa applications for migrants and their dependent families.

Health And Care Worker Visa Specialists

Our team of health and care worker visa solicitors are experts in all types of UK work visas. We at United Solicitors pride ourselves on serving over 25,000 clients worldwide. Our top immigration lawyers in Manchester can help you to ensure that you meet all the requirements for a health and care worker visa to avoid any negative outcome.

The health and care worker visa leads to settlement in the UK and the dependants of health and care worker visa holders can also join the main applicant in the UK.

 

Our highly experienced immigration solicitors based in  Levenshulme, Manchester can provide free general immigration advice online via email, online chat, or an enquiry form. For detailed advice, please book an appointment with our expert immigration solicitor today.

You can contact us on 01612258181 or leave your details here for a call back request regarding your immigration matter.

Eligibility Requirements For Health And Care Worker Visa

To qualify for a Health and Care Worker visa, you must:

  • be a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional or adult social care professional
  • work in eligible health or social care job
  • work for a UK employer that’s been approved by the Home Office
  • have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your employer with information about the role you’ve been offered in the UK
  • be paid a minimum salary – how much depends on the type of work you do

 

 

You must also meet all the other eligibility requirements. Please contact us for initial assessment to determine your eligibility, and to discuss the options.

It is open to individuals applying under the skilled worker route for entry clearance or leave to remain who will be taking up a job offer in one of the occupations specified within a prescribed list of Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes.

The list of eligible professions is subject to change, and at present includes the following:

SOC codeEligible job roles

1181

Health services and public health managers and directors

1242

Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors

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 not elsewhere classified eg audiologists and occupational health advisers

2221

Physiotherapists

2222

Occupational therapists

2223

Speech and language therapists

2229

Therapy professionals not elsewhere classified eg osteopaths and psychotherapists

2231

Nurses

2232

Midwives

2442

Social workers

3111

Laboratory technicians

3213

Paramedics

3216

Dispensing opticians

3217

Pharmaceutical technicians

3218

Medical and dental technicians

3219

Health associate professionals not elsewhere classified

6141

Nursing auxiliaries and assistants

6143

Dental nurses

6146

Senior care workers

English Requirement For Health And Care Worker Visa

You must be able to speak, read, write, and understand English. You’ll usually need to prove your knowledge of English when you apply. You must prove you can read, write, speak and understand English to at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale

If you are not eligible for skilled worker visa You may be eligible for another type of visa to work in the UK.

The Salary Threshold Requirement For Health And Care Worker Visa

Employers seeking to recruit under the Health and Care Worker route must (subject to circumstances where less may be paid as set out below) pay their Health and Care Workers a salary of at least £20,480 per year unless the ‘going rate’ for the job is higher than this.

Each occupation code has its own annual ‘going rate’. For roles within the NHS, there are various pay bands that vary according to whether they are in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

There is a separate system for those working as biochemists or as biological or physical scientists which usually requires a minimum salary of £25,600 per year unless the ‘going rate’ for your job is higher than this.

You may be paid less than the ‘going rate’ in the following circumstances: 

  • You can be paid at 80% of the usual going rate if your job is on a shortage occupation list.
  • You can be paid at 70% of the usual going rate if you are under 26, studying or a recent graduate, or in professional training towards a recognised UK qualification or registered status.
  • You can be paid at 80% of the usual going rate if you have a science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) PhD level qualification that’s relevant to your job as long as you will still earn at least £20,480 a year.
  • You can be paid at 90% of the usual going rate if you have a non-STEM PhD level qualification as long as you will still earn your salary must be at least £23,040.
  • You can be paid 70% of your usual going rate if you will be working in a postdoctoral position.

How Long Can You Stay On Health And Care Worker Visa

Your visa can last for up to 5 years before you need to extend it. You’ll need to apply to extend or update your visa when it expires or if you change jobs or employer.

You can apply to extend your visa as many times as you like as long as you still meet the eligibility requirements.

After 5 years, you may be able to apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’). This gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you’re eligible.

Supporting Documents For Health And Care Worker Visa

As with any UK visa application, you will need to provide various documents in support including, where relevant, the following:

  • A statement or letter from your bank or building society showing you have enough personal savings unless your CoS shows your A-rated sponsor can support you instead
  • Proof of your knowledge of English
  • A current, valid passport or travel document to prove you can travel
  • Any expired passports or travel documents to show your travel history
  • Your tuberculosis test results if you are from a listed country
  • A criminal record certificate.

If you are applying as a doctor, dentist, nurse or midwife, you will be able to rely on the assessment of your professional body as proof of your language ability.

Dependants Of Health And Care Worker Visa Holders

When applying for a Health and Care visa, immediate family members will be eligible to accompany or join you in the UK on this route. This includes your spouse or partner, and any dependent children.

If you are already in the UK and would like your dependants to join you, your UK sponsor will need to provide written confirmation that your family member is eligible to do so based on your occupation. This should be in the form of a letter or email from the sponsor, setting out the organisation for which you work, and, if not an NHS body, how the organisation qualifies.

How Much The Health And Care Worker Visa Cost?

The Health and Care visa comes with a reduced visa application fee compared to that paid by other skilled workers.

The fees apply to applicants and dependents and are the same for leave to enter the UK or to remain in the UK, to those who qualify under this visa.

Health and Care visa applications made outside the UK 

Under 3 years and over 3 years

£232

Shortage Occupation category under 3 years

£232

Shortage Occupation category over 3 years

£464

Health and Care visa applications made within the UK 

Under 3 years and over 3 years

£232

Shortage Occupation category under 3 years

£232

Shortage Occupation category over 3 years

£464

 

The reduced visa fees also apply to dependants.

Applicants and dependants who are eligible to apply under this visa are exempt from having to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.

Our legal fee

We charge a fixed fee starting from £700 + VAT to £1200 + VAT for our professional legal services in relation to Health And Care Worker visa applications. The agreed fixed-fee will depend on the complexity of the matter and the casework involved in the matter.

 

 

How Can We Help With Your UK Visa Application?

Our expert UK immigration solicitor will guide you through every step of your application process including advice about legal requirements, eligibility criteria and required documents.

  • Detailed immigration advice
  • List of documents and assessment of supporting documents
  • Direct Access to your case handler and supervisor
  • Remote & face to face service
  • Submission of your immigration application after your approval
  • We book an appointment for you to enrol your biometrics
  • We prepare our legal representations/cover letter
  • We upload all the supporting documents
  • Unlimited chase up letters to the Home Office
  • We keep you updated with every stage of your application
  • 24/7 support in urgent matters

Call us for a free legal advice

0161 225 8181

Or ask a question to our Injury solicitor

Health And Care Worker Visa & Requirements