The Health and Care Worker visa is for medical professionals who wish to undertake employment in the UK for the National Health Service (NHS).
From 22 July 2025, applications to enter the UK as a care or senior care worker have been closed, effectively ending the Health and Care Worker visa route for overseas care workers. Notably, the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes 6135: care workers and home carers and 6136: senior care workers are no longer eligible codes for entry applications. The route remains intact for other healthcare professionals eligible for sponsorship.
This update comes as a result of worker exploitation within the care sector and alleged abuse of the immigration system. The government is now focusing on reducing the reliance on international recruitment in the adult social care sector.
International workers who are already sponsored to work in the care sector can continue to extend their stay, change sponsors and, when qualified, apply to settle in the UK. These arrangements are known as transitional provisions and aim to mirror the approach being taken for wider Skilled Worker visa holders. Currently, these transitional provisions are said to remain in place until July 2028.
There are a plethora of work immigration options which might suit your needs however, so be sure to consult the experts at Latitude Law before you begin any kind of application - you can fill out our form to get in touch.
Individuals already in the UK as care workers can switch employers and extend their stay as they could previously.
Individuals in the UK on other visa routes can also switch into the Skilled Worker route as care workers, provided that they can demonstrate they have been working legally for their current sponsoring employer for at least 3 months. This can include, for example, students who have done care work within stated hourly restrictions during their course.
The Home Office have made clear that these transitional arrangements will not be in place indefinitely and are to be reviewed at various stages between now and July 2028, when they are expected to conclude.
Care workers and senior care workers already in the UK cannot apply to bring dependants unless they were employed as a care worker or senior care worker in the UK on a Health and Care Worker visa before 11 March 2024 and are still working in that role.
In order to qualify for the Health and Care Worker visa, you must fulfil all of the following criteria:
Each of these requirements represents a certain number of points; you will need 70 points in order to be eligible to make an application. These conditions are strict and it can be difficult to ensure that you meet all of the necessary requirements when making an application, particularly as the criteria listed above are not the only eligibility considerations.
For this reason, it is recommended that you work alongside expert immigration lawyers throughout the process to maximise your chances of succeeding in your visa application.
Who's Who Legal 2024Gary McIndoe of Latitude Law "always considers all options, and makes strong recommendations so our business gets the right outcome".
Applying for a Health and Care Worker Visa in the UK includes the following steps:
Applying for a health and care worker visa is a complicated process, which can be made slower and less likely to succeed depending on the quality of your application. Failed applications also reduce your chance for success further down the line.
As a result, we’d recommend working alongside a specialist UK immigration Law Firm to increase your chance of a successful first time application.
You must show that you have personal savings of at least £1,270, which must have been held for at least 28 days before the date of your application.
However, if your sponsor is an ‘A-rated sponsor’, they can certify your maintenance up to the end of your first month of employment in the UK. If your sponsor certifies maintenance on the CoS, you will not be required to provide any evidence of your finances.
Furthermore, you will not be required to meet the maintenance requirement if you have had permission to stay in the UK for more than 12 months.
As part of the Health and Care Worker visa, you will be required to provide a criminal record certificate (unless your job falls within the categories of biological scientist, biochemist scientist or physical scientist).
If you are under the age of 28, you will need to provide a criminal record certificate from any country in which you have lived for a total of 12 months or more since you turned 18.
If you are aged 28 or over, you will need to provide a criminal record certificate from any country that you have lived in over the last 10 years.
As well as reduced visa application fees and a fast-tracked visa application process, Health and Care visa applicants will be exempt from paying an Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) fee. The reduced visa application fees will also apply to family members of health workers under this visa.
If you need support or advice on any matters relating to a Health and Care Worker visa application, information on how health and care workers on different immigration routes can switch into this route, or insight into how this visa can lead to permanent settlement in the UK, get in touch with us today.
Latitude Law’s specialist firm of immigration lawyers has significant expertise in supporting applications and securing visas for healthcare professionals and care workers to come to the UK.
Contact us today to arrange an initial consultation in relation to a Health and Care Worker visa application. Call 0300 131 6767. Alternatively, fill in our online enquiry form and we will get back to you shortly.
There is no limit on the amount of time you can spend in the UK on a Health and Care worker visa. However, the transitional requirements for care workers and senior care workers, allowing workers currently in the UK to extend their visa and settle, are set to end in July 2028.
You can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK after completing five years in the UK as a Health and Care Worker.
You can apply up to three months before the employment start date recorded on the CoS.
Most Health and Care Workers can be accompanied or joined by their dependent partner or children. However, dependents of care workers and senior care workers (occupation codes 6135 and 6136) are no longer permitted to come to or stay in the UK unless the main worker was granted permission under the Rules in force before 11 March 2024.
If you are in the UK on another immigration route, you are permitted to switch to the Health and Care Worker route if you meet all the relevant immigration requirements and are not in the UK on any of the following routes:
