A comprehensive guide to Health and Care Worker Visas extracted from the UK Government website on 30th April 2024. A Health and Care Worker visa allows medical professionals to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job with the NHS, an NHS supplier or in adult social care.
Contents
- Overview
- Your job
- If you’ll need to meet different salary requirements
- Knowledge of English
- How much it costs
- Documents you’ll need to apply
- Apply from outside the UK
- Your partner and children
- Extend your visa
- Update your visa if you change job or employer
- Switch to this visa
- Taking on additional work
1. Overview
A Health and Care Worker visa allows medical professionals to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job with the NHS, an NHS supplier or in adult social care.
Eligibility
Your job
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
- work for a UK employer that’s been 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
- be paid a minimum salary – how much depends on the type of work you do
If you’re a care worker or senior care worker working in England, your employer must also be registered with the Care Quality Commission.
Check if your job is eligible.
You must have a confirmed job offer before you apply for your visa.
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.
If you’re not eligible for a Health and Care Worker visa
You may be eligible for another type of visa to work in the UK.
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 to apply
You must apply online.
How you apply depends on whether you’re:
- outside the UK and are coming to the UK
- inside the UK and extending your current visa
- inside the UK and switching from a different visa
If you want to change your job or employer, you must apply to update your visa.
Your partner and children can apply to join you or stay in the UK as your ‘dependants’ if they’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.
As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity and provide your documents.
You may need to allow extra time if you need an appointment to do this. You’ll find out if you need one when you start your application.
Getting a decision
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.
How much it costs
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
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.
2. Your job
You must meet all of the following requirements to be eligible for a Health and Care Worker visa:
- you’re a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional or adult social care professional
- your job is eligible for this visa
- you’ll be working for a UK health and care sector employer that’s been approved by the Home Office
- you’ll be paid the minimum salary or the ‘going rate’ for the type of work you’ll be doing – whichever is higher
Your employer must make sure your job pays at least the minimum wage and follows the UK rules for how many hours a week you work. If your employer does not do this, your application will be refused.
Check if your job is eligible
Before you can find out if your job is eligible, you need to know its 4-digit occupation code.
If you already have a job offer, ask your employer for your occupation code.
Look up your job’s occupation code
If you do not know your code, you can search for your job in the CASCOT occupation coding tool.
Not every job title is included. If you cannot find your exact job title, try searching for similar jobs.
Make sure the job description matches what you’ll be doing. Some jobs in the same area of practice have different codes, for example dentists and dental hygiene therapists.
Check if an occupation code is eligible for this visa
Your job must be in one of the following occupation codes to qualify for the Health and Care Worker visa:
- 1171: health services and public health managers and directors
- 1231: health care practice managers
- 1232: residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors
- 2113: biochemists and biomedical scientists
- 2114: physical scientists
- 2211: generalist medical practitioners
- 2212: specialist medical practitioners
- 2221: physiotherapists
- 2222: occupational therapists
- 2223: speech and language therapists
- 2224: psychotherapists and cognitive behaviour therapists
- 2225: clinical psychologists
- 2226: other psychologists
- 2229: therapy professionals not elsewhere classified
- 2231: midwifery nurses
- 2232: registered community nurses
- 2233: registered specialist nurses
- 2234: registered nurse practitioners
- 2235: registered mental health nurses
- 2236: registered children’s nurses
- 2237: other registered nursing professionals
- 2251: pharmacists
- 2252: optometrists
- 2253: dental practitioners
- 2254: medical radiographers
- 2255: paramedics
- 2256: podiatrists
- 2259: other health professionals not elsewhere classified
- 2461: social workers
- 3111: laboratory technicians
- 3211: dispensing opticians
- 3212: pharmaceutical technicians
- 3213: medical and dental technicians
- 3219: health associate professionals not elsewhere classified
- 6131: nursing auxiliaries and assistants
- 6132: ambulance staff (excluding paramedics)
- 6133: dental nurses
- 6135: care workers and home carers
- 6136: senior care workers
Approved UK health and care sector employers
You must have a job offer from an approved UK employer before you apply for a Health and Care Worker visa. Approved employers are also known as sponsors, because they are sponsoring you to come to or stay in the UK.
You must have a job offer from:
- the NHS
- an organisation providing medical services to the NHS
- an organisation providing adult social care
Read the guidance to see a full list of eligible employers.
If your employer is not currently approved, they can apply for a sponsor licence if they’re eligible.
They’ll need to pay a fee – £536 for small businesses and charities or £1,476 for medium and large organisations. It usually takes around 8 weeks to process a licence application.
If you’re a care worker or senior care worker
Your employer must be registered with the Care Quality Commission if you’re a care worker (code 6135) or senior care worker (code 6136) working in England.
Check if your employer is registered with the Care Quality Commission.
If you already have a job offer from an approved employer
Your employer – also known as your sponsor – will check that you meet the eligibility requirements. They’ll give you a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ to prove this.
The certificate of sponsorship is an electronic record, not a physical document. It will have a reference number, which you’ll need for your visa application.
You must apply for your visa within 3 months of getting your certificate of sponsorship.
Check which documents you’ll need to apply.
Salary requirements
You’ll usually need to be paid at least £23,200.
If the ‘going rate’ for your job is higher than £23,200, you’ll usually need to be paid at least the going rate.
Each occupation code has its own annual going rate. How you find the going rate depends on your job.
When you need to meet different salary requirements
You’ll need to meet different salary requirements for this visa if your job is in one of the the following occupation codes:
- 1171: health services and public health managers and directors
- 1231: health care practice managers
- 1232: residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors
- 2113: biochemists and biomedical scientists
- 2114: physical scientists
- 3111: laboratory technicians
- 3211: dispensing opticians
- 3212: pharmaceutical technicians
- 6135: care workers and home carers
- 6136: senior care workers
Find out the going rate if your job is in one of these occupation codes – including when your employer can pay you less.
If you’re doing any other health and care job
Check how much you need to be paid in the table of national pay scales for eligible healthcare jobs.
Salaries are listed by NHS pay band and area of the UK you’ll be working in. Ask your employer if you’re not sure what your role or pay band will be.
3. If you’ll need to meet different salary requirements
You’ll need to meet different salary requirements for this visa if your job is in one of the following occupation codes:
- 1171: health services and public health managers and directors
- 1231: health care practice managers
- 1232: residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors
- 2113: biochemists and biomedical scientists
- 2114: physical scientists
- 3111: laboratory technicians
- 3211: dispensing opticians
- 3212: pharmaceutical technicians
- 6135: care workers and home carers
- 6136: senior care workers
If your job is in any other occupation code that is eligible for this visa, you must meet the salary requirements described in ‘Your job’.
Salary requirements
You’ll usually need to be paid at least £29,000 per year, or the lower ‘going rate’ for your job, whichever is higher.
Example
Your salary is £30,000 per year, but the annual lower going rate for the job you’ll be doing is £33,000. You do not meet the usual salary requirements for this visa.
Each occupation code has its own annual lower going rate. Check the lower going rate for your job in the going rates table.
When you can be paid less
You might still be able to apply for a Health and Care Worker visa if your job is eligible but your salary is less than £29,000 or your job’s lower ‘going rate’.
You can be paid between 70% and 90% of the lower going rate for your job if your salary is at least £23,200 per year and you meet one of the following criteria:
- you’re under 26, studying or a recent graduate, or in professional training
- you have a science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) PhD level qualification that’s relevant to your job (if you have a relevant PhD level qualification in any other subject your salary must be at least £26,100)
- you have a postdoctoral position in a scientific role
You cannot get a discounted salary rate if your job is on the immigration salary list.
Your job is on the immigration salary list
The immigration salary list is a list of skilled jobs which have lower salary requirements.
If your job is on the immigration salary list, you need to be paid at least £23,200 or your job’s full going rate, whichever is higher.
View the immigration salary list to see how much you’ll need to be paid.
You’re under 26, studying or a recent graduate, or in professional training
You can be paid 70% of your job’s lower going rate if your salary will be at least £23,200 per year and one of the following applies:
- you’re under 26 on the date you apply
- you’re currently in the UK on a Student visa studying at bachelor’s degree level or above – or you have been in the last 2 years, and a Student or visit visa was your most recent visa
- you’ll be working towards a recognised qualification in a UK regulated profession
- you’ll be working towards full registration or chartered status in the job you’re being sponsored for
If this applies to you, check how much you’ll need to be paid to qualify for this visa.
Your total stay in the UK cannot be more than 4 years if you apply for one of these reasons. This includes any time you’ve already spent in the UK on a Tier 2 (General) work visa.
You have a PhD level qualification that’s relevant to your job
You can be paid 80% or 90% of the job’s lower going rate, depending on which subject you are qualified in.
If you have a science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) qualification, you can be paid 80% of your job’s lower going rate, as long as you will still be paid at least £23,200 per year.
If you have a non-STEM qualification, you can be paid 90% of your job’s lower going rate, as long as you will still be paid at least £26,100 a year.
In both situations, you must:
- have a UK PhD or an equivalent doctorate-level overseas qualification – you’ll need to apply through Ecctis (formerly UK NARIC) to check if an overseas qualification is equivalent to a UK PhD
- be able to prove your qualification is relevant to the job you’ll be doing in the UK – your employer can confirm this
View the list of jobs that qualify for a PhD salary discount to see how much you need to be paid.
If you’re a research or academic leader, you may also be eligible to apply for the Global Talent visa. This visa has no language or minimum salary requirements.
You have a postdoctoral position in a scientific role
You can be paid 70% of your job’s lower going rate if your salary will be at least £23,200 per year and you’ll be working in a postdoctoral position in either of the following occupation codes:
- 2113: biochemists and biomedical scientists
- 2114: physical scientists
Check how much you’ll need to be paid to qualify for this visa.
Your total stay in the UK cannot be more than 4 years if you apply to work in a postdoctoral position at 70% of the lower going rate. This includes any time you’ve already spent in the UK on a Tier 2 (General) work visa.
4. Knowledge of English
You’ll usually need to prove your knowledge of the English language when you apply, unless you did this in a previous successful visa application.
Level of English
You must prove you can read, write, speak and understand English to at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale.
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
Who does not need to prove their knowledge of English
You do not need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of one of the following countries or territories:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- the Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- the British overseas territories
- Canada
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Jamaica
- Malta
- New Zealand
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- USA
If you’re a doctor, dentist, nurse or midwife
You do not need to prove your knowledge of English if you’ve already passed an English Language assessment that is accepted by the relevant regulated professional body.
5. How much it costs
When you apply for a Health and Care Worker visa, you’ll need to have enough money to:
- pay the application fee
- support yourself when you arrive in the UK – you’ll usually need to have at least £1,270 available (unless you’re exempt)
You’ll be told how much you need to pay when you apply.
Application fees
The standard application fee depends on whether you’ll be in the UK for:
- up to 3 years – £284 per person
- more than 3 years – £551 per person
The fee is the same whether you apply from inside or outside the UK.
Money to support yourself
You must have at least £1,270 in your bank account to show you can support yourself in the UK.
You will need to have had the money available for at least 28 days in a row. Day 28 must be within 31 days of applying for this visa.
You’ll usually need to show proof of this when you apply, unless either:
- you’ve been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months
- your employer can cover your costs during your first month in the UK
Your partner and children will also need to prove they can support themselves while they’re in the UK. Check how much they’ll need.
Read the guidance on financial evidence for more information about the money you need and how to prove it.
If your employer can support you instead
Your certificate of sponsorship must confirm this. Your employer will need to complete the ‘sponsor certifies maintenance’ section on your certificate. This is under ‘Additional data’.
6. Documents you’ll need to apply
When you apply you’ll need to provide:
- your certificate of sponsorship reference number – your employer will give you this
- proof of your knowledge of English
- a valid passport or other document that shows your identity and nationality
- your job title and annual salary
- your job’s occupation code
- the name of your employer and their sponsor licence number – this will be on your certificate of sponsorship
Ask your employer for a copy of your certificate of sponsorship if you do not have one.
Other documents you might need
Depending on your circumstances, you might be asked to provide:
- evidence that you have enough personal savings to support yourself in the UK, for example bank statements (unless your certificate of sponsorship shows your employer can support you)
- proof of your relationship with your partner or children if they’re applying with you
- your tuberculosis test results if you’re from a listed country
- a criminal record certificate – if you’re working in certain jobs
- your UK PhD certificate, or your unique Ecctis reference number (formerly unique UK NARIC reference number) if your qualification is from outside the UK – you’ll need to apply through Ecctis
You’ll need a blank page in your passport for your visa if you’re:
- from outside the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
- from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein but do not have a biometric passport with a chip in it
If your documents are not in English or Welsh you’ll also need to provide a certified translation.
Criminal record certificate
You’ll need to provide a criminal record certificate if you’re applying from outside the UK, unless your job is in one of the following occupation codes:
- 2113: biochemists and biomedical scientists
- 2114: physical scientists
- 3111: laboratory technicians
- 6132: ambulance staff (excluding paramedics)
Check how to apply for criminal records checks.
If you’ve lived in more than one country
You might need to provide a certificate from each country you’ve lived in, depending on your age and how long you stayed in each country.
If you’re under 28, you’ll need a certificate from any country you’ve stayed in for a total of 12 months or more since you turned 18.
If you’re 28 or over, you’ll need a certificate from any country you’ve stayed in over the last 10 years.
7. Apply from outside the UK
You must apply online for a Health and Care Worker visa.
Check which documents you’ll need to apply.
Proving your identity and providing supporting documents
As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity. How you do this depends on where you’re from and what type of passport you have.
You’ll either:
- have your fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre – this is to get a biometric residence permit
- use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document – you’ll also create or sign into your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account
You’ll be told what you need to do when you apply.
If you do need an appointment:
- the centre may need to keep your passport and documents while they process your application
- you may have to travel to get to your nearest visa application centre (this could be in another country)
Apply for a Health and Care Worker visa
Apply for a Skilled Worker visa. You’ll be asked if you’re applying for a Health and Care Worker visa as part of your application – make sure you choose ‘yes’.
Once you’ve started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.
Continue your application
You can sign back in to your application if you’ve saved it.
Find out how to sign in to your account.
How long it takes to get a decision
Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
You’ll be contacted if your application will take longer, for example because:
- your supporting documents need to be verified
- you need to attend an interview
- of your personal circumstances, for example if you have a criminal conviction
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.
After you apply
You can ask to cancel your application. You’ll only get your fee refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.
You’ll get an email containing the decision on your application. This will explain what you need to do next.
8. Your partner and children
Your partner and children can apply to join you or stay in the UK as your ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible.
If your partner or child’s application is successful, their visa will usually end on the same date as yours. If a child’s parents have visas with different expiry dates, the child’s visa will end on the earlier date.
A dependant partner or child is any of the following:
- your husband, wife, civil partner or unmarried partner
- your child under 18 – including if they were born in the UK during your stay
- your child over 18 if they’re currently in the UK as your dependant
You’ll need to provide evidence of your relationship to your dependant when you apply.
If you’re the first person in your family to apply, you can get a ‘family linking code’ to connect your applications together. Your family members can enter the same code when they apply.
If you’re a care worker or senior care worker
Your partner and children cannot apply to join you or stay in the UK as your dependants unless you were employed as a care worker or senior care worker in the UK and on a Health and Care Worker visa before 11 March 2024 and one of the following is true:
- you’re currently still on a Health and Care Worker visa
- you’re extending your Health and Care Worker visa with your current employer
- you’re changing to a new job within the same occupation code while on a Health and Care Worker visa
Your partner
You must be able to prove one of the following:
- you’re in a civil partnership or marriage that’s recognised in the UK
- you’ve been living together in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply
- you’ve been in a relationship for at least 2 years when you apply but you cannot live together, for example because you’re working or studying in different places, or it’s not accepted in your culture
If you’re not living together, you’ll need to prove that you have an ongoing commitment to each other, for example by providing evidence that you:
- communicate regularly with each other
- support each other financially
- care for any children you have together
- spend time together as a couple, for example on holiday or at events
Your child
They must:
- live with you, unless they’re living away from home in full-time education – for example, at boarding school or university
- not be married or in a civil partnership
You’ll need to provide evidence of their address, such as:
- a bank statement
- credit card bills
- driving licence
- NHS registration document
- an official letter from their university or college
Money they need to support themselves
Your partner and children must have a certain amount of money available to support themselves while they’re in the UK.
You – or your partner or child – will need:
- £285 for your partner
- £315 for one child
- £200 for each additional child
Example
You – or your partner or child – would need to have £600 to bring your partner and one child with you to the UK (£285 for your partner and £315 for your child).
You would also need to have £1,270 available to support yourself for your own application.
You – or your partner or child – will need to have had the money available for at least 28 days in a row. Day 28 must be within 31 days of you or them applying for this visa.
You’ll usually need to show proof of this when they apply, unless either:
- you have all been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months
- your employer can cover your family’s costs during your first month in the UK – this must be confirmed on your certificate of sponsorship
If your partner or child is applying at a different time to you, they’ll only need to prove they have enough money to support themselves if they have been in the UK for less than 1 year.
Apply from outside the UK
Each family member will have to pay the application fee. The fee depends on whether they’ll be in the UK for:
- up to 3 years – £284 per person
- more than 3 years – £551 per person
Your partner and children must either:
Each family member will need to complete a separate application and pay the visa fee. They must apply before they travel to the UK.
They’ll also need your application number – you’ll get this when you apply. This number is called a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN). You’ll find it on emails and letters from the Home Office about your application.
They can also enter a ‘family linking code’ if you got one when you applied. This will connect your applications.
Proving their identity
As part of an application, your partner and children will need to prove their identity.
They’ll either:
- have their fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre – this is to get a biometric residence permit
- use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan their identity document – they’ll also create or sign in to their UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account
They’ll be told what they need to do when they apply.
If they do need an appointment:
- the visa application centre may need to keep their passport and documents while they process their application
- they may have to travel to get to their nearest centre (this could be in another country)
How long it takes to get a decision
Once they’ve applied online, proved their identity and provided their documents, they’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
They may be able to pay to get a faster decision.
Apply from inside the UK (extend or switch their visa)
If you extend or switch your visa, your partner or child’s current visa will still be valid until its original end date. Your partner or child need to apply to extend or switch their visa, either:
- at the same time as you
- at any time before their current visa expires
This includes children who have turned 18 during your stay.
Your partner or children cannot apply to switch to your Health and Care Worker visa as your dependants if they are currently in the UK:
- on a visit visa
- on a short-term student visa
- on a Parent of a Child Student visa
- on a seasonal worker visa
- on a domestic worker in a private household visa
- on immigration bail
- because they were given permission to stay outside the immigration rules, for example on compassionate grounds
If your partner or child is currently in the UK on a Student visa, they can only switch if they have either:
- completed the course they were sponsored to study
- studied for a PhD for at least 24 months
If you’re a care worker or senior care worker
Your partner and children cannot apply to join you or stay as your dependants if you switch to a Health and Care Worker visa from another visa.
They can only apply to join you or stay if you were employed as a care worker or senior care worker in the UK and on a Health and Care Worker visa before 11 March 2024 and one of the following is true:
- you’re currently still on a Health and Care Worker visa
- you’re extending your Health and Care Worker visa with your current employer
- you’re changing to a new job within the same occupation code while on a Health and Care Worker visa
How to apply
The application form will tell you if you can include your partner and children in your application or whether they need to apply separately.
If your partner or child apply separately, they’ll need to either:
They’ll need your application number – you’ll get this when you apply. This number is called a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN). You’ll find it on emails and letters from the Home Office about your application.
They can also enter a ‘family linking code’ if you got one when you applied. This will connect your applications.
Proving their identity
As part of their application, your partner and children will need to prove their identity. They’ll either:
- have their fingerprints and photograph taken at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point – this is to get a biometric residence permit
- use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan their identity document – they’ll also create or sign in to their UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account
They’ll be told what they need to do when they apply.
They must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until they get a decision. Their application will be withdrawn if they do.
How long it takes to get a decision
Once they’ve applied online, proved their identity and provided their documents, they’ll usually get a decision within 8 weeks.
They may be able to pay to get a faster decision.
Children born in the UK
If you have a child while you’re in the UK, they do not automatically become a British citizen.
You must apply for your child’s dependant visa if you want to travel in and out of the UK with them.
The form you fill in depends on whether your child is inside or outside the UK. Your child must either:
You’ll need to provide a full UK birth certificate for each child, showing the names of both parents.
You must apply to add them to your visa before they turn 18 if they want to stay in the UK.
What your partner or child can and cannot do
Your partner or child can:
- work, except as a sportsperson or coach
- study
- travel abroad and return to the UK
- apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) if they’ve lived in the UK for 5 years and meet the other eligibility requirements
They cannot apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension.
If their application is successful, they’ll get a full list of what they can and cannot do.
9. Extend your visa
You can usually apply to extend your Health and Care Worker visa if all of the following are true:
- you have the same job as when you were given your previous permission to enter or stay in the UK
- your job is in the same occupation code as when you were given your previous permission to enter or stay in the UK
- you’re still working for the employer who gave you your current certificate of sponsorship
- you still meet the salary requirements
You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.
Your partner and children
Your partner or child’s visa will not automatically extend if you extend yours. If they do not extend their visa, it will be valid until its original end date.
They can either apply at the same time as you, or at any time before their current visa expires.
If you’re a care worker or senior care worker, your partner and children may not be able to stay in the UK as your dependants when you extend your visa.
If you have a Tier 2 Health and Care Worker visa
You’ll have a Tier 2 Health and Care Worker visa if either:
- you applied for a Health and Care Worker visa before 1 December 2020
- you had a Tier 2 (General) work visa which you’ve extended as a Health and Care Worker visa
If you have this visa, you may be able to meet different eligibility requirements.
If you got your certificate of sponsorship on or after 24 November 2016
If you apply to extend before 1 December 2026, you will still need to meet the salary requirements, but your salary may also include allowances, such as London weighting. Any allowances must be guaranteed for the length of your stay.
If you’re a physical scientist
If you were sponsored for your Tier 2 (General) or Health and Care Worker visa before 1 December 2020, the going rate for your job is different.
| Occupation code | Going rate for Health and Care Worker visa | 90% of going rate (for relevant STEM PhD) | 80% of going rate (for relevant non-STEM PhD or immigration salary list occupation) | 70% of going rate (for new entrants) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2114 Physical scientists | £29,000 (£13.94 per hour) | £26,100 (£12.55 per hour) | £24,750 (£11.90 per hour) | £24,750 (£11.90 per hour) |
If you’ve changed job or employer
You’ll need to apply to update your visa instead.
Fees
Check how much it costs for your type of visa.
You’ll also need to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken – there’s no fee for this.
Proving your identity and providing supporting documents
As part of your application you’ll need to prove your identity. How you do this depends on where you’re from and the type of passport or resident permit you have.
You’ll either:
- use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document – you’ll also create or sign in to your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account
- give your fingerprints and a photograph (biometric information) at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point – this is to get a biometric residence permit
You’ll be told what you need to do when you apply.
Apply to extend your Health and Care Worker visa
Apply for a Skilled Worker visa. You’ll be asked if you’re applying for a Health and Care Worker visa as part of your application – make sure you choose ‘yes’.
You must apply online before your current visa expires.
Once you’ve started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.
Continue your application
You can sign back into your application if you’ve saved it.
Find out how to sign in to your account.
How long it takes to get a decision
Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
You’ll be contacted if your application will take longer, for example because:
- your supporting documents need to be verified
- you need to attend an interview
- of your personal circumstances, for example if you have a criminal conviction
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.
After you apply
If you need to change something in your application after you’ve sent it contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
You can ask to cancel your application. You’ll only get your fee refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.
You’ll get an email or a letter containing the decision on your application. This will explain what you need to do next.
10. Update your visa if you change job or employer
You’ll need to apply to update your Health and Care Worker visa if:
- you want to change your job and your new job is with a different employer
- your job changes to a different occupation code, and you’re not in a graduate training programme
- you leave a job that’s on the immigration salary list for a job that is not on the list
The same conditions apply to Tier 2 Health and Care visas issued before 1 December 2020.
You do not need to apply again if you stay in the same job, but your job is taken off the immigration salary list.
If you’ll be doing a different job for your current employer, you only need to update your visa if your new job is in a different occupation code.
Your partner or child’s visa will not automatically change if you update yours. If they do not update their visa, it will be valid until its original end date. They can either apply at the same time as you, or at any time before their current visa expires.
If you’re a care worker or senior care worker
If you change your employer and you’re working in England, your new employer must be registered with the Care Quality Commission.
Check if your employer is registered with the Care Quality Commission.
Fees
Check how much it costs for your type of visa.
You’ll also need to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken – there’s no fee for this.
Eligibility and documents you’ll need to apply
Your new job must meet the eligibility requirements and you’ll need a new certificate of sponsorship to prove this.
You’ll only need to provide other evidence again if you’ve been in the UK for less than one year.
If you’re applying to add a second job to your current visa
You must apply to update your visa if you take on additional work that is more than 20 paid hours a week in addition to the job you’re being sponsored for.
Your second job must meet the eligibility requirements and you’ll need a new certificate of sponsorship to prove this.
You’ll also need to include a letter with your application explaining that you want to change your current permission to stay.
Your letter must state:
- your name
- your date of birth
- your current certificate of sponsorship reference number
- the date when your current permission to stay runs out
If your application is successful, you’ll get a new visa giving you permission to do both jobs.
You do not need to apply to update your visa if you’re taking on additional work in an eligible occupation code and you’ll be doing less than 20 hours a week.
When to apply to update your visa
You can apply to update your visa up to 3 months before the start date of your new job.
You can continue working in your current job while your new application is being considered, or to work out your notice period – as long as you apply before your current visa expires.
You should not start your new job until you’ve got confirmation of your new permission.
You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.
Proving your identity and providing supporting documents
As part of your application you’ll need to prove your identity.
How you do this depends on where you’re from and the type of passport you have.
You’ll either:
- give your fingerprints and a photograph (biometric information) at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point – this is to get a biometric residence permit
- use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document – you’ll also create or sign in to your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account
You’ll be told what you need to do when you apply. You’ll also be told how to provide your supporting documents if you need to.
Apply to update your visa
You must apply online for a Skilled Worker visa. You’ll be asked if you’re applying for a Health and Care Worker visa as part of your application – make sure you choose ‘yes’.
Once you’ve started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.
Continue your application
You can sign back in to your application if you’ve saved it.
Find out how to sign in to your account.
How long it takes to get a decision
Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
You’ll be contacted if your application will take longer, for example because:
- your supporting documents need to be verified
- you need to attend an interview
- of your personal circumstances, for example if you have a criminal conviction
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.
After you apply
If you need to change something in your application after you’ve sent it contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
You can ask to cancel your application. You’ll only get your fee refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.
You’ll get an email or a letter containing the decision on your application. This will explain what you need to do next.
11. Switch to this visa
You might be able to apply to change (‘switch’) to a Health and Care Worker visa if you’re already in the UK on a different type of visa.
You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.
Your partner and children
Your partner or child’s visa will not automatically switch to this visa if you switch yours. If they do not switch their visa, it will be valid until its original end date.
They can either apply at the same time as you, or at any time before their current visa expires.
If you’re switching to this visa as a care worker or senior care worker, your partner or children will not be able to switch as your dependants to this visa.
Eligibility
You must meet the following requirements:
If you’re currently in the UK on a Student visa, you must also meet one of the following requirements:
- you have completed the course you were sponsored to study
- your job start date is after your course has finished
- you have studied for a PhD for at least 24 months
Who cannot apply to switch to this visa
You cannot apply to switch to this visa if you’re currently in the UK:
- on a visit visa
- on a short-term student visa
- on a Parent of a Child Student visa
- on a seasonal worker visa
- on a domestic worker in a private household visa
- on immigration bail
- because you were given permission to stay outside the immigration rules, for example on compassionate grounds
You must leave the UK and apply for a Health and Care Worker visa from abroad if you’re in one of these categories.
How long you can stay
You can stay in the UK for as long as your employer is sponsoring you for, up to 5 years at a time. Your certificate of sponsorship will say how long your employer is sponsoring you for.
Fees
Check how much it costs for your type of visa.
You’ll also need to have your biometric information (fingerprints and a photo) taken – there’s no fee for this.
Proving your identity and providing supporting documents
As part of your application you’ll need to prove your identity.
How you do this depends on where you’re from and the type of passport you have.
You’ll either:
- give your fingerprints and a photograph (biometric information) at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point – this is to get a biometric residence permit
- use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document – you’ll also create or sign in to your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account
You’ll be told what you need to do when you apply.
Apply to switch to a Health and Care Worker visa
You must apply online before your current visa expires.
Apply for a Skilled Worker visa. You’ll be asked if you’re applying for a Health and Care Worker visa as part of your application – make sure you choose ‘yes’.
Once you’ve started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.
Continue your application
You can sign back in to your application if you’ve saved it.
Find out how to sign in to your account.
How long it takes to get a decision
Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
You’ll be contacted if your application will take longer, for example because:
- your supporting documents need to be verified
- you need to attend an interview
- of your personal circumstances, for example if you have a criminal conviction
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.
After you apply
If you need to change something in your application after you’ve sent it contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
You can ask to cancel your application. You’ll only get your fee refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.
You’ll get an email or a letter containing the decision on your application. This will explain what you need to do next.
12. Taking on additional work
You can do additional paid work on a Health and Care Worker visa as long as you’re still doing the job you’re being sponsored for. You can also do unpaid voluntary work.
If you complete your GP training, you can do 4 months of additional paid work.
You may need to apply to update your visa to do additional paid work. This will depend on the type of work you’re doing and the hours you’re going to work.
Your additional work must be in an eligible Skilled Worker occupation code.
When you need to update your visa
You must update your visa if your additional job is more than 20 hours a week.
You don’t need to update it if you’re:
- working overtime in the job you’re being sponsored for
- working ‘bank shifts’ for your NHS sponsor
Apply to update your visa
To apply, you’ll need to:
- get a new certificate of sponsorship from your second employer
- include a letter with your application explaining that you want to change your current permission to stay
