Apply For a Health and Care Worker Visa

Those who want to access the UK to carry out a medical or care-based role can do so through the Health and Care Worker Visa. It allows those who have secured an eligible job with the NHS, an NHS supplier, or adult social care to stay in the UK for up to 5 years.

It can be applied for from outside the UK as well as inside the UK, and you may switch from another visa to the Health and Care Worker Visa. You may bring dependents so long as you meet the requirements to do so.

About The Health and Care Worker Visa

The Health and Care Worker Visa offers a clear route to ILR (Indefinite Leave To Remain) through 5 years of continuous residency in the UK. This will provide migrants with the eligibility to pursue British Citizenship later down the road.

Health and Care Worker Visa requirements

To successfully apply for a Health and Care Worker Visa, you must make sure that you meet all of the relevant requirements. This may include more general requirements such as an acceptable knowledge of English, and evidence that you can financially support yourself and any dependants that you may bring.

There are further requirements that you must meet to receive this visa such as a Certificate of Sponsorship from your employer and proof that you meet the specified salary requirements for your job.

Please note that there are certain exemptions for doctors, dentists, nurses, or midwives.

General requirements

You must:

  • Have a level of English that meets or exceeds level B1 on the CEFR scale (doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives exempt if you’ve already passed an English Language assessment that is accepted by the relevant regulated professional body).
  • Have proof of available finances to support yourself as well as any dependants that you wish to bring along.
  • Be able to prove that your relationship with any dependants that you wish to bring along is legitimate.

Financial requirements

The financial requirements that you must meet to successfully apply for a Health and Care Worker Visa will depend on your health or care role.

The minimum salary is usually £25,480 per year, or your job’s ‘going rate’, whichever is higher. Specific roles will each have their own ‘going rate’, and there are exceptions for cases where the salary requirements are not met.

Meeting different financial requirements is very much dependent on your role; for job-specific advice, we highly recommend you get in touch so our experienced lawyers can make sure your application meets the requirements for your role.

Job requirements

You must:

  • Be a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional, or adult social care professional.
  • Secure work in an eligible health or social care job.
  • Have a UK employer in the health and care sector that is 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.

Employment requirements

You must either be employed or have a job offer by an approved UK health and care sector employer, to successfully apply for the Health and Care Worker Visa. Your employment should fall into one of the three following categories:

  • You are employed by the NHS.
  • You are employed by an organisation providing medical services to the NHS.
  • You are employed by an organisation providing adult social care.

Your employer should also be approved to provide you with a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Health and Care Visa costs

The application fee for this visa depends on your intended period of stay. The application for up to 3 years will cost £247 per person, while the application for more than 3 years will be £479 per person.

You must also be able to prove that you can support yourself financially when you come to the UK. That means having at least £1,270 in your bank account readily available for up to 28 days before your application is made.

There are additional costs that must also be considered, such as fees for legal assistance, which is highly advisable to receive your Health and Care Worker Visa on the first attempt. This is because the Administrative Review or Appeal Process can prove to be extremely time-consuming as well as costly.

ILR through the Health and Care Workers Visa

As your visa lasts up to 5 years before needing to be extended, it is a great option for health and care workers who are seeking ILR. As you will have met the requirement of 5-years of stay, you can work towards further requirements such as passing the Life in the UK Test.

If you are a health or care professional seeking a path towards ILR or eventual British Citizenship, the Health and Care Workers Visa offers a clear and achievable route.

How QC Immigration can assist your application

At QC Immigration, we have a proven process that has led to successful visa applications. Our team has an in-depth and practical knowledge of immigration law and will be able to assist you with pragmatic guidance.

Increase the likelihood of a granted application by contacting us today, you can click here to contact us online, email us at info@qc-immigration.com, or phone us on 0203 637 8633.

Have a questions?

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How we work

1
consultation.

We start a discussion by understanding your history, and we will clearly outline the best option available and any recommendations to save you time and costs.

2
instruction.

Once you instruct us to be your legal representative, we will start preparing your case. We may require more information about you to help you more effectively.

3
documents.

Documentation is a crucial part of an immigration application. We will customise a document list to guide your preparation. Your dedicated lawyer will check the documents and advise of any improvements needed.

4
application.

We will complete your application to the Home Office and may also write a cover letter with strong legal arguments where relevant. We may discuss this with you to confirm the final details.

5
submission.

We will submit your application to the Home Office, Court authorities securely. We will represent you as the main point of contact with them for any further requests.

6
interview.

You may sometimes be invited to attend a Home Office interview or Court hearing. While this may sound daunting, we will help you prepare and provide guidance on what questions to expect.

7
decision.

As soon as we receive a decision from the Home Office, we will get in touch with you to share the news.

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What clients say

We did multiple assignments with QC and were very happy with the fast response and results we achieved on our applications.

manish rungta
manish rungta
Google five star client rating

Qiyin was very quick to respond to my inquiries. She was very professional, supportive and helpful. Highly recommended!

Ainul Nadhirah Hanafiah
Ainul Nadhirah Hanafiah
Google five star client rating

Qiyin listened very attentively to my concerns and reassured me. Gave me a lot of insight into how I need to plan my application in a very personal way. Would definitely highly recommend.

Sashi Ganes
Sashi Ganes
Google five star client rating

Very professional team, who helped me gain EU Settled status pre-Brexit using a new Android app. It is refreshing to see that QC-immigration team adopts fast the technology and is on top of all changes in legislation. They got my full trust.

Victoria Rusnac
Victoria Rusnac
Google five star client rating

Hafsah made my application look so simple and easy even though i was doubtful about my case before approaching QC. I can’t believe my ILR application got approved by Home office within 24 hrs of biometric appointment. Thank you Hafsah for helping me get this done.

Shubha Shet
Shubha Shet
Google five star client rating

It was a pleasure working with Qiyin and her team. They were very helpful and responsive all the time. They helped me with my Permanent Residence which was succesful and was received in less than a month. I will work with them again in the future, so I strongly recommend this Immigration office to everyone.

Nasos Balasis
Nasos Balasis
Google five star client rating

Definitely the best law firm I've ever dealt with. Hafsah Awan is an amazing lawyer, she is extremely professional, she truly cares, and gives great advise to ensure all goes smoothly. My entire process with Hafsah went really well, and we successfully got our Start-up visas to the UK, many thanks to Hafsah for her great efforts. I also loved that they are very responsive, to emails, calls, etc. Qiyin Chuah, the founder, actually helped me in the last moment during her weekend, I was very thankful for that, as not many people would even get back to you during the weekend. Overall, an amazing law firm, I'm very pleased, and I truly wish Hafsah, Qiyin, and the rest of QC Immigration team all the best, God bless you all :)

Ahmad Agha
Ahmad Agha
Google five star client rating

I had an exploratory conversation with QC Immigration. Qiyin was professional and personable throughout our conversation, explaining clearly the current criteria and regulatory considerations to keep in mind. I would have no reservations in appointing them for representation should there ever be a need, as Qiyin provided from the outset, the calm assurance of having the knowledge, experience and an individual approach that I strongly value.

May Loke
May Loke
Google five star client rating

Very good service and professional company! I contact them trough a friend because I had problem with a Family Visa in Scotland, they helped me and advised in all the process and they solved what I needed to solve so quick. Specially Qiyin and Marianna. I would always come back to them again if I needed and also recommend them. As I said, very good and Professional.

Martin Nicolas Camaño Martin
Martin Nicolas Camaño Martin
Google five star client rating

Both my fiancé and I used QC Immigration this year for our new visa and naturalisation applications, respectively, and were very happy with the service. Our main point of contact was Marianna, who was very prompt and thorough in her preparation of our applications and helpful throughout every step of the process with our concerns, etc. Highly recommend QC Immigration. Thank you again, Marianna!

Sarah Monaco
Sarah Monaco
Google five star client rating

My friend had recommended QC Immigration and I was not disappointed! Marianna was my main point of contact and she was kind, prompt and very efficient. I had a lot of questions and Marianna was very quick in replying to me. I would definitely recommend QC Immigration.

Malulie Tongprasert
Malulie Tongprasert
Google five star client rating

They were extremely professional and thorough throughout the application process. I even shared my travel plans and they worked based on my timelines, which based on experience, most companies don't prioritise. Highly recommend working with them if you want to be stress free and want your application handled with care.

Shruthi Padmanabhan
Shruthi Padmanabhan
Google five star client rating

I have been using QC Immigration to help prepare for my partner's Proposed Civil Partnership Visa application. We have been dealing with Marianna since January, and have found her to be extremely professional, knowledgeable and personable. She has always responded to my queries and concerns, (however neurotic!) and she has paid great attention to detail. It has been an invaluable service, and should our application be successful in this instance, I will not hesitate to appoint QC Immigration again to assist with the next stages. Many thanks again for your hard work and for showing us such an understanding and caring attitude! :)

Bethany Taylor-James
Bethany Taylor-James
Google five star client rating

My partner and I recently used QC Immigration when applying for a UK partner visa. They were very professional throughout and dealt with all questions and queries accordingly. Marianna was our main point of contact and was extremely diligent and reassuring throughout the process. We appreciated their attention to detail and extensive knowledge of UK immigration law and would highly recommend them to any prospective clients.

Eliot Parker
Eliot Parker
Google five star client rating

FAQ

What happens if my situation changes?

If you have changed your job and are no longer working in health or care, you must switch to one of the other Work Visa routes that you meet the requirements for. If you are still working in health and care but your role or situation has changed, you will have to update the relevant information on your visa. For example, if you change roles but are working for the same employer, you will have to change your occupation code. Our team can provide further guidance specific to your case.

Can I bring my family?

Yes, you can bring your partner and children under 18 along as dependants. To do so, you must be able to prove that you can financially support them, or they must prove that they can financially support themselves. If you extend your stay in the UK, your dependants will also need to apply for extensions.

How long will it take to get a decision on my Health and Care Worker Visa application?

Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you should get a decision on your visa application within 3 weeks. We can advise you on the available priority services to fast-track the application.

What if I work in the private health industry?

If you work in the health industry but do not meet the employment requirements, you may gain access to the UK through alternative routes. Visas such as the Skilled Worker Visa offer those in the private sector the opportunity to gain access to the UK. This is conditional to meeting the relevant requirements and having an employer who is approved to offer a Certificate of Sponsorship.

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