UK Health and Care Worker Visa

UK Health and Care Worker Visa

The Health and Care Worker Visa is open to qualified nurses, doctors and other professionals in adult health and social care who want to do eligible work in the NHS, with an NHS contractor or in adult social care.

The UK Health and Care Worker Visa can lead to settling in the UK after 5 years, and dependent partners and children can join applicants.

Requirements for a UK Health and Care Worker Visa

To qualify for a UK Health and Care visa, you must meet UK Visas and Immigration that:

• • You are over 18 years old;
  • You are a qualified doctor, nurse, adult social care professional, or paramedic;
  • You work in an eligible health or social care occupation that falls within a list of approved occupation codes;
  • You will be paid the minimum wage or the “going rate for the type of work you will be doing, whichever is higher;
  • You work or will work for an employer in the UK health and care sector that the Home Office approves;
  • You have a valid ‘confirmation of sponsorship’ from your employer detailing the role you have been offered;
  • You are competent in the English language at least at CEFR level B1 (equivalent to IELTS 4.0);
  • You should have sufficient money to support yourself without hoping on public funds;
  • If you work with vulnerable people, you have provided a criminal record statement; and
  • You have provided a valid TB certificate from the specified country.

The requirements you will need to meet will vary based on your assumptions. You may want to discuss this with an immigration attorney for professional advice.

English Language Requirement

In order to qualify for a UK Health and Care Worker visa, you will need to demonstrate English proficiency on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for languages ​​in all four components (reading, writing, speaking and listening) at a minimum level of B1 (intermediate).

Potential employees applying for entry or leave to remain as a UK health and care worker will meet the English language requirement if:

• • You are a national of a mass English-speaking country;
  • Have passed a secure English test from an approved provider;
  • Have obtained an academic qualification at the university level acquired in English;
  • Obtained a GCSE/A Level, Scottish National Qualification level 4 or 5, Scottish Highers or Advanced Higher in English at a UK school; or
  • They have already demonstrated that they have met the B1 level requirement in a previous successful application for an entry permit or residence permit.
  • If you are sponsored to work as a doctor, dentist, nurse or midwife, you do not need to prove your knowledge of English if you have already passed an English language test accepted by the relevant professional regulatory body.

Financial Maintenance Requirement

Subject to the exceptions below, you will need at least £1,270 in cash to prove you can support yourself in the UK.

You will need to have the money for at least 28 continuous days, ending at most 31 days before your UK Health and Care Worker visa application date.

If you are applying for a residence permit and have been in the UK with a permit for 12 months or more at the date of application, you will meet the financial requirement and will not need to show funds.

You will also be exempt if your employer can cover your costs during your first month in the UK of at least £1,270 if necessary. Your sponsor must confirm this on your Certificate of Sponsorship by completing the “Sponsor Confirms Maintenance” section.

Duration of a UK Health and Care Worker Visa

Suppose your application for a UK health and care worker visa is approved. In that case, you will be granted entry or leave to remain for a period ending 14 days after the end date of your certificate of sponsorship (which can be a maximum of 5 years after the start date of your certificate of sponsorship).

• • Your sponsorship certificate will state how long your employer has sponsored you.

• • You can usually apply for a Health and Care Worker visa extension if you still meet the salary requirements and:
  • You have the same job as when you were previously allowed to enter or stay in the UK; or
  • Your employment is under the same occupation code as when you were previously allowed to enter or remain in the UK; or
  • You work for the same employer that issued your current sponsorship certificate

Is there a maximum time in the Health and Care Worker route?

Under the former Tier 2 (General) route, applicants for a permit to enter or transfer to the route had to meet the requirement to spend a maximum of six years on the route.

For Health and Care Worker route, the 6-year maximum length of stay in the route has been cancelled. There is no limit to the length of stay; you can be granted up to 5 years of leave at a time.