Who the Health and Care Worker visa is for
This visa is for people who are qualified to work in health or adult social care in the UK. GOV.UK says you must be a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional or adult social care professional, doing an eligible job for an employer that the Home Office has approved.
It is part of the same system as the Skilled Worker visa, but it has lower fees and you do not pay the healthcare surcharge. If your job qualifies, it is usually the better choice.
What you need to qualify
You need all of these:
- A confirmed job offer in an eligible health or social care role.
- A certificate of sponsorship from your employer.
- An employer approved by the Home Office. This means the NHS, an organisation providing medical services to the NHS, or an organisation providing adult social care.
- A salary that meets the minimum or the going rate for your work, whichever is higher.
You must also be able to speak, read, write and understand English, and you usually prove this when you apply. Your employer must follow UK minimum wage and working hours rules, or the application will be refused.
You must apply within 3 months of receiving your certificate of sponsorship, and you can apply up to 3 months before the start date on it.
Which jobs qualify
For a new application, GOV.UK lists eligible occupation codes that cover doctors and other medical professionals, therapy professionals, nursing professionals, pharmacists, optometrists, dental practitioners, radiographers, paramedics, podiatrists, social workers, laboratory technicians, pharmaceutical technicians and nursing auxiliaries and assistants.
Care workers and home carers (code 6135) and senior care workers (code 6136) are treated differently. They are only eligible if you are extending, updating or switching. If you are switching, you must have worked legally in the job for your sponsor for at least 3 months. If you work in England, the employer must be registered with the Care Quality Commission.
Check the full list of codes on GOV.UK and ask your employer for the code on your certificate of sponsorship before you plan around any job.
The salary you must be paid
You will usually need to be paid at least £25,000 a year. If the going rate for your job is higher than £25,000, you will usually need to be paid at least the going rate. For many other health and care jobs, GOV.UK points to national pay scales, which list salaries by NHS pay band and area of the UK.
What it costs
The application fee is £324 for a visa of up to 3 years and £628 for a visa of more than 3 years, whether you apply from inside or outside the UK. These are the reduced fees for people who qualify for this visa.
You, your partner and your children do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. You can use the NHS for free from the date your visa starts. You still pay for some services, including prescriptions, dental treatment, eye tests and assisted conception.
Everyone in the application must show they have enough personal savings. Check the how much it costs page on GOV.UK for the current amount before you apply.
How long it takes and how long it lasts
You usually get a decision within 3 weeks of applying, proving your identity and providing your documents. You may be able to pay for a faster decision, and you may need an appointment for your identity check, so leave extra time.
The visa can last up to 5 years before you need to extend it. You can extend as many times as you like while you still meet the requirements. After 5 years you may be able to apply for settlement.
Bringing your family
Your partner and children may be able to join you or stay with you as dependants. A partner can be a husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner, and unmarried partners need to show a relationship of at least 2 years. Children must be under 18, or already hold permission as your dependant.
There are restrictions for care workers and senior care workers. GOV.UK says dependants can apply if you have been continually employed in the UK as a care worker or senior care worker on a Health and Care Worker or Skilled Worker visa since 11 March 2024. Other exceptions cover a child born in the UK, a sole responsible parent, and a child whose other parent is also sponsored in the same kind of role. For other medium skilled jobs the same structure applies, with a start date of before 22 July 2025.
If you work in a care role, read the partner and children page on GOV.UK before you make plans for your family.
What you can and cannot do
You can work in your eligible job, study, travel abroad and return, and do unpaid voluntary work for a registered charity, voluntary organisation, associated fundraising body or statutory body. You can take on additional work in certain circumstances.
You cannot apply for most public funds or the State Pension, and you cannot change jobs or employer unless you update your visa.
How to apply
- Get a confirmed job offer and a certificate of sponsorship from your employer.
- Apply online and choose the route that fits: from outside the UK, extending, or switching from another visa.
- Prove your identity and provide your documents. Attend an appointment if you are asked to.
- Pay the application fee and show your savings.
- Wait for the decision email, which explains your next steps.
Common questions
Do I pay the healthcare surcharge on this visa?
No. You, your partner and your children do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge on the Health and Care Worker visa.
Can a care worker apply from outside the UK?
GOV.UK lists care workers (6135) and senior care workers (6136) as eligible only when extending, updating or switching, so a new application from abroad is not available for those two codes.
How much do I need to be paid?
Usually at least £25,000 a year, or the going rate for your job if that is higher.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Immigration rules change often. We last checked it on 31 October 2026, so please confirm the details on the official page before you apply.