Work Visa
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Doctors, nurses, and other trained health and adult social care workers who want to work in adult social care or for the NHS or one of NHS suppliers are eligible to apply for the Health and Care Worker Visa.
Eligibility requirements
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 an eligible health or social care job
- Have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from an approved employer with information about the role you’ve been offered in the UK
- Be able to communicate in English up to CEFR Level B1, which is comparable to an IELTS score of 4.0
- Show that you have enough money to support yourself without relying on public funds;
- Have a valid TB certificate, if required
Check if your job is eligible:
- 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 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
- 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
- 6145: care workers and home carers
- 6146: senior care workers
You must have a job offer from either:
- the NHS
- an organisation providing medical services to the NHS
- an organisation providing adult social care
Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)
To be eligible for a UK Health and Care worker visa, you need to have a current Certificate of Sponsorship for the work you want to do. The employer who provided your Certificate of Sponsorship must be approved by the Home Office to sponsor the employment in question through the UK Health and Care Worker route.
Certain necessary information must be included in your Certificate of Sponsorship, such as:
– specifics about your name, position, and pay;
– a start date that comes no later than three months from the date of your application for your visa;
– affirmation that the sponsor has not revoked the sponsorship certificate or had the Home Office cancel it, and that the certificate has not been used in a prior application that was either approved or denied.
Knowledge of English
You must be able to speak, read, write and understand English. You’ll usually need to prove your knowledge of English when you apply. (Level B1)
You can prove your knowledge of English by:
- passing a Secure English Language Test (SELT) from an approved provider
- having a GCSE, A level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Higher or Advanced Higher in English, gained through study at a UK school that you began when you were under 18
- having a degree-level academic qualification that was taught in English – if you studied abroad, you’ll need to apply through Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) for confirmation that your qualification is equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or PhD.
You can only take a SELT with one of the following providers: (The date of award must be two years before the date of your application)
- LanguageCert
- Pearson
- PSI Services (UK) Ltd – Skills for English (UKVI)
- IELTSSELT Consortium
The list of approved English language tests has been assessed as meeting Home Office requirements under the secure English language testing arrangements. Only those tests and test levels specified are approved. If you intend to use an English language test in your immigration or nationality application, you must take one of the tests on the list.
You should make sure the test that you book is the one approved for SELT:
• IELTS SELT Consortium: ‘IELTS for UKVI’ or ‘IELTS Life Skills’
• LanguageCert: ‘LanguageCert International ESOL SELT’ or ‘LanguageCert Academic SELT’ or ‘LanguageCert General SELT’
• Pearson: ‘PTE Academic UKVI’ or ‘PTE Home’
• PSI Services: ‘Skills for English UKVI’
• Trinity College London: ‘Secure English Language Tests for UKVI’ – Integrated Skills in English (ISE) or Graded Examinations in Spoken English (GESE)
It is for you to decide which test to take.
The list of approved tests gives the CEFR level and minimum grade requirements for each level.
Where 2 or more components (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) of a test are examined and awarded together, you must show that you achieved the required scores in all the relevant components with the same test centre provider as part of the combined test assessment.
In certain circumstances, if you failed one component of the test, you may be allowed to sit that component again. You will need to check the test provider’s terms and conditions before booking a test.
Financial Requirement
Unless you have been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months or your employer agrees to cover your costs during your first month in the UK (and this is confirmed on your Certificate of Sponsorship) you will need to have at least £1,270 in your bank account, held for at least 28 days, ending not more than 31 days before the date of your visa application.
Exceptions:
If you have a completely “A-rated” sponsor who will cover your maintenance costs through the end of the first month of your job, up to a minimum of £1,270, if needed, you will not be required to meet the financial criteria. Your sponsor will need to verify this on your Certificate of Sponsorship.You will not need to provide proof of finances if you ask for permission to stay and have been in the UK for 12 months or more at the time of application.
How long you can stay
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.
If you want to stay longer in the UK
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.
How long it takes
You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. This date is listed on your certificate of sponsorship.
Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.
Dependents:
You, your partner or children will each need to:
- pay the application fee
- prove you have enough personal savings
Check how much money you’ll need.
Healthcare surcharge
You – and your partner or children – will not have to pay the healthcare surcharge.
What you can and cannot do with Health and Care Worker Visa.
You can:
- work in an eligible job
- take on additional work in certain circumstances
- do voluntary work
- study
- bring your partner and children with you as your ‘dependants’, if they’re eligible
- travel abroad and return to the UK
- apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) if you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years and meet the other eligibility requirements
You cannot:
- apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension
- change jobs or employer unless you update your visa
If your application is successful, you’ll get a full list of what you can and cannot do with a Health and Care Worker visa.