Health and Care Worker Visa

Usually, you must be paid at least £25,600 per year or £10.10 per hour to meet the minimum salary requirements for Health and Care Worker route. Your minimum salary will be higher than this if the going rate for your role is higher.

Each occupation code has its own going rate, you must earn at least the going rate for your role. For example, if your salary is £28,000 per year but the going rate for your occupation is £30,000 then you must earn at least £30,000 to meet the minimum salary requirement.

In some circumstances, you can still qualify for this visa if your salary is less than £25,600 per year. You can earn less than this if any of the following apply:

• Your job is in a role on the Shortage Occupation List
• You are either under the age of 26, a students or recent graduate or are in professional training
• You have a STEM PhD qualification that is relevant to your job
• You have a postdoctoral position in a scientific role

If any of the above apply then you can be paid between 70-90% of the going rate for your job providing your salary is at least t £20,480 per year. If you have a relevant PhD qualification then your salary can be £23,040 per year.

You must apply online for the Health and Care Worker Visa, you can do so using the application form available on the gov.uk website.

You apply for this visa using the Skilled Worker route, when applying you will be asked if you are applying for a Health and Care Worker Visa as part of your application, make sure that you tick yes on this question.

As part of your application, you will need to prove your identity, you can do this in one of two ways. You can either use the UK Immigration: ID Check app to scan your identity document or you can attend an appointment at a visa application centre near you to have your biometric information taken, this is your photograph and fingerprints.

To complete your application you must submit the application form, prove your identity, submit your supporting documents and pay the application fee.

You can apply for your visa up to 3 months before the date you intend to start work in the UK. You will usually receive a decision on your application within 3 weeks.

When making your application for a Health and Care Worker Visa you will need to submit certain documents and information to prove that you meet the eligibility criteria. You will need to provide:

• Your Certificate of Sponsorship reference number
• Proof of your knowledge of English – this may be your Secure English Language Test (SELT) results or proof of an eligible academic qualification taught in English.
• A valid passport or another national identity document
• The occupation code for your job
• Your job title and annual salary
• Who your employer is and their sponsor licence number – this will be on your CoS
• Your tuberculosis test results if you are from a country where the test is required
• Evidence that you have enough personal savings to support yourself in the UK

For certain job roles, you may also need to submit a criminal record certificate. If you plan to bring eligible family members to the UK with you then you will need to provide documents proving your relationship with them.

All of your documents should be in English or Welsh, if your documents are in another language then you will need to get them translated by an official.

The cost of applying for a Health and Care Visa varies depending on how long you will be in the UK for. If you plan to stay for up to 3 years then the application fee is £247. If you plan to stay for more than 3 years then the application fee is £479.

As well as the application fee, you will also need to show that you have at least £1,270 in your bank account to support yourself in the UK.

When living in the UK on the Health and Care Visa there are certain immigration rules that you must adhere to. This visa allows you to do the following:

• Work in an eligible job
• Do voluntary work
• Take on additional work (only in some circumstances)
• Study
• Bring your partner and dependent children to join you
• Travel in and out of the UK
• Apply for ILR after 5 years

Whilst this visa permits you to do many things in the UK there are some restrictions, you cannot access most public funds or the state pension and you cannot change employer unless you update your visa.

Occupational Codes for Health and Care Worker visa

• 2213: pharmacists
• 2211: medical practitioners
• 6143: dental nurses
• 6146: senior care workers
• 2218: podiatrists
• 6141: nursing auxiliaries and assistants
• 3216: dispensing opticians
• 2223: speech and language therapists
• 3219: health associate professionals not elsewhere classified
• 3217: pharmaceutical technicians
• 2221: physiotherapists
• 2112: biological scientists and biochemists
• 1242: residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors
• 2231: nurses
• 2212: psychologists
• 6145: care workers and home carers
• 3213: paramedics
• 2222: occupational therapists
• 2217: medical radiographers
• 2113: physical scientists
• 2232: midwives
• 2442: social workers
• 2229: therapy professionals that are ‘not elsewhere classified’, such as osteopaths and psychotherapists
• 2214: ophthalmic opticians
• 3218: medical and dental technicians
• 2215: dental practitioners
• 1181: health services and public health managers and directors
• 2219: health professionals that are ‘not elsewhere classified’, such as audiologists and occupational health advisers

Financial Maintenance Requirement

To get the Health and Care Worker Visa:

• You must have £1,270 in your bank account.
• Prove you’ve had this money for 28 consecutive days in the last month before applying.
• If you’ve been in the UK for 12 months or more, you don’t need to show funds.
• Your employer can cover your first month’s expenses, at least £1,270 if necessary. Your sponsor will confirm this on your Certificate of Sponsorship.

Duration of the Health and Care Worker visa

Visa holders may enjoy a duration of five years staying in the UK, as long as they continue to fulfil the requirements and job description on their certificate of sponsorship.

Extension Options

Dependants on the Health and Care Worker visa

Main visa applicants for the Health and Care visa are permitted to bring dependant family members along with them.

A dependant partner or child is defined as one of the following:

1. Your spouse, civil partner, unmarried partner, or legal spouse.
2. Your child under the age of 18, including those born in the UK while you are residing there.
3. Your child over the age of 18, provided they are currently in the UK as your dependent.

How employers can issue CoS

To issue prospective Health and Care workers a certificate of sponsorship, as the employer, you must have official authorisation from the Home Office to sponsor the specific job position your prospective applicant is applying for under the Health and Care Worker route. Typically, organisations with this authorisation include the NHS, those providing medical services to the NHS, or those actively engaged in adult social care. In cases where a company is not currently authorised, you will have the option to apply for a Sponsor Licence provided you meet the necessary eligibility criteria.

You will be responsible for including a concise explanation within the Certificate of Sponsorship, clearly detailing how you fulfil the eligibility requirements for the Health and Care Visa. If your organisation offers services commissioned by the NHS, you may also need to disclose any existing contractual arrangements with the NHS.

The Certificate of Sponsorship should adhere to several key guidelines. It must be issued no more than 3 months before the date of the Health and Care Worker visa application. Furthermore, it should contain essential information, such as you applicants name, job particulars, and salary details. The start date specified in the Certificate must not exceed 3 months after their visa application date. Additionally, the Certificate must confirm that it has not been utilised in any previous application, whether granted, refused, or withdrawn. Furthermore, it should confirm that neither the Home Office nor the sponsoring organisation has cancelled it.

Immigration Skills Charge

Apply for sponsor licence

To get a Sponsor Licence for your company and hire foreign workers, you must meet certain requirements:

• Check that your business is eligible by ensuring your staff has no history of immigration offenses or crimes.
• Determine the type of licence you need based on the type of workers you want to sponsor, including skilled workers, religious workers, and temporary workers in various categories.
• Choose employees from your company who will be responsible for managing sponsorship. They cannot be shareholders and should hold senior positions in the company. You’ll need at least two members to use the Sponsorship Management System (SMS).
• Apply online and pay the Home Office fee, which varies based on the type of visa you want to sponsor and the size of your business. The fees range from £536 to £1,476 for Skilled Worker only, £536 for Temporary Worker only, and £536 to £1,476 for both.