UK Health and Care Worker visa
Who it's for: Qualified doctors, nurses and allied health professionals with a job offer from the NHS, an NHS supplier or another approved health or social care employer.
Information, not immigration advice. This page summarises what the government publishes. Confirm every figure on the official page before you pay or apply.
Last checked 27 Oct 2026
Requirements at a glance
- A job offer in an eligible health occupation at degree level, from an approved employer
- Salary of at least £25,000 and the national pay-scale rate for the job
- Professional registration where the role requires it (for example NMC, GMC or HCPC)
- English at CEFR B2
- Visa fee of £324 for up to 3 years (£628 for longer)
- No Immigration Health Surcharge for the worker or their family
Figures and costs
| Item | Amount | In your currency | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa fee, up to 3 years | £324 check | — | gov.ukOfficial · 27 Oct 2026 |
| Visa fee, more than 3 years | £628 check | — | gov.ukOfficial · 27 Oct 2026 |
| Minimum salary | £25,000 | — | gov.ukOfficial · 27 Oct 2026 |
| NHS Band 3 starting pay | £25,760 check | — | nhsemployers.orgSecondary · 27 Oct 2026 |
| Closed to new overseas care workers since | 22 Jul 2025 | gov.ukOfficial · 27 Oct 2026 | |
| Usual decision time from outside the UK | 3 weeks | gov.ukOfficial · 27 Oct 2026 |
Figures marked check come from secondary sources or could not be confirmed on an official page.
Costs and local steps by country
Costs in your currency, plus what's specific to applying from there, such as the approved TB test clinics.
How the route works
It is a version of the Skilled Worker visa with lower fees, no health surcharge and a faster decision target. The employer assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship; you apply online, prove your identity and take a TB test if you live in a listed country.
Registration
Most regulated roles need registration with a UK body before or soon after you start work: the Nursing and Midwifery Council for nurses, the General Medical Council for doctors and the Health and Care Professions Council for many allied health roles. Registration has its own fees and English requirements.
Common questions
Can care workers still apply from overseas?
No. The route closed to new overseas care workers and senior care workers on 22 July 2025. People already in the UK on the route may have different options; check gov.uk.
Can a recruiter charge me a fee for an NHS job?
Charging workers recruitment fees is against UK law and NHS ethical recruitment rules. If someone asks you to pay for a job or a sponsorship, treat it as a warning sign.
Does my family pay the health surcharge?
No. The worker and their dependants are exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge on this route. Each family member still pays the visa fee.
The full Health and Care Worker visa guide
Step-by-step process, every cost for you and your family, document checklist, money rules, common refusal reasons and official links. The same guide for every buyer, dated.
Other UK routes
Before you pay anyone
- Nobody can guarantee a visa. Only the government of the country you apply to decides.
- UK employers must not charge you for a Certificate of Sponsorship.
- German missions say you don't need an agent to get a visa appointment.
- Check any adviser or recruitment agent on an official register before you pay.