Health and Care Worker Visa (formerly known as TIER 2 (Health and Care Visa))

There are five categories of Skilled Worker applicants who will require a sponsorship certificate from their sponsors in order to make a visa applications in line with the certificate:

• Skilled Worker Visa (formerly known as TIER 2 (General))
• Minister of Religion Visa (formerly known as TIER 2 (Minister of Religion))
• International Sportsperson Visa (formerly known as TIER 2 (Sportsperson))
• Global Business Mobility from 11 April 2022 (formerly Intra-Company Visa
• Health and Care Worker Visa (formerly known as TIER 2 (Health and Care Visa))

New: Social care workers can get Skilled Worker visas from 15 February 2022

Health and Care Worker Visa

The Health and Care Worker Visa is for qualified doctors, nurses and allied health professionals who have been trained to a recognised standard and who have good working English.

The scope of the visa is being extended to include eligible persons working in the social care sector.

The benefits for such workers are fast-track entry, reduced visa fees and dedicated support to come to the UK with their families.

In addition, people applying for the Health and Care Visa, and their dependent family, will be exempt from paying the Immigration Health Surcharge.

This offer will form part of the Skilled Worker Visa (formerly known as Tier 2 (General) visa) regime for skilled workers.

A. Attributes

You must meet all of the following requirements to be eligible for a Health and Care Worker visa:

• You are a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional or adult social care professional
• your job is eligible for this visa
• you will be working for a UK health and care sector employer that has been approved by the Home Office
• you will be paid the minimum salary or the ‘going rate’ for the type of work you’ll be doing - whichever is higher

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

You will usually need to be paid at least £20,480.

If the ‘going rate’ for your job is higher than £20,480, you will usually need to be paid at least the going rate.

B. English language requirements

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

You do not need to prove your knowledge of English if you are a national of one of the countries where English is an official language.

You also do not need to prove your knowledge of English if you have already passed an English Language assessment that is accepted by the relevant regulated professional body.

C. Maintenance requirements

The applicant will need to score 10 points under this section to obtain a visa. This is possible in the following ways:

• the applicant has already been in the UK for the last 12 months on a valid visa or leave to remain, with the exception of visitor visa; or
• the applicant has at least £1,270 in the personal bank account for consecutive 28 days before applying for himself as the main applicant; or
• the applicant's sponsor provides official confirmation that, if necessary, he will help the immigrant financially, as well as with housing in the first month after employment. Such an application will only be accepted from a sponsor licensed under category A.

Maintenance for Dependants: The applicant will require showing extra £285 for his/her spouse, £315 for the first child and £200 for each additional dependent child, if the applicant intends to bring them with him to the UK. The applicant’s sponsor will also be able to certify the dependants of the prospective employee for maintenance purposes.

Update regarding dependents: From 11 March 2024, it is no longer possible for the holders of Health and Care Worker Visa to bring their dependent family members.

D. Duration of the Health and Care Worker Visa

Your visa can last for up to 5 years before you need to extend it. You will need to apply to extend or update your visa when it expires or if you change jobs or employer.

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’).

E. Work Allowed

Applicants having leave to remain or leave to enter under the Health and Care Worker Visa category would be allowed to do the following:

• 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’)

F. What work is not allowed?

Health and Care Worker Visa holders are not allowed to apply for benefits and public funds, or the State Pension, or change jobs or employer unless you update your visa.

G. Switching Rules

You can apply to change (‘switch’) from another visa to a Health and Care Worker visa if you are already in the UK on a different type of visa, with the exception of staying 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

Administrative Review (Entry clearance, extension and settlement applications)

If the entry clearance, extension or settlement application is refused by the Home Office, the applicant will be given a right to make a request for a review of the decision that must be exercised within 28 days for entry clearance applications or 14 days for extension and settlement applications of the date of service of the decision.

The applicant will only be able to rely on the information/documents already submitted with the application and will not be allowed to provide or submit any fresh evidence with the review request.

It is therefore strongly advised to take professional help while making grounds for making review request.

Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)

After five years of residence in the UK on this visa, the applicant is entitled to apply for the ILR, along with his dependent family members.

To be able to apply for the ILR, the applicant will have to pass the Life in the UK test.

Applicants for the ILR in this visa category must, in addition to the Life in the UK test, pass an English language proficiency test with a score of at least B1 according to the European CEFR scheme.

The people exempt from the above requirements are persons over 65 years of age or who have serious medical contraindications.

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