How much does the Health and Care Worker visa cost?

As of July 2026, the application fee is £284 per person for a visa of up to three years, or £551 per person for more than three years. The fee is the same whether you apply from inside or outside the UK. Crucially, Health and Care Worker visa holders — and their partner and children — are exempt from the immigration health surcharge, which other visa routes must pay.

What salary do I need for the Health and Care Worker visa?

You usually need to be paid at least £25,000 a year, or the "going rate" for your job if that is higher. Many NHS roles are instead paid according to the national pay scale for the occupation (for example the Agenda for Change bands), and some occupations such as managers and care workers have their own salary rules. Always check the current threshold and the going rate for your specific job code on GOV.UK.

Which jobs are eligible?

You must be a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional or adult social care professional and work in an eligible health or social care job for a licensed sponsor. Eligible roles are defined by a list of occupation codes covering doctors, nurses, midwives, therapists, pharmacists, paramedics, biomedical and laboratory staff, social workers and more. Check whether your specific occupation code is on the current list before applying.

How long does it last and can I settle?

The visa can last up to 5 years before you need to extend it, and there is no cap on extensions while you remain eligible. After five years of continuous qualifying residence you may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain (settlement), subject to the requirements in force at the time.

Can my family come with me?

Yes. Your partner and children can usually apply as your dependants, and they are also exempt from the immigration health surcharge under this route. Each dependant pays their own application fee. Check the current dependant rules on GOV.UK, as immigration policy changes.

The UK Health and Care Worker visa, explained

A plain-English, fully-sourced guide to the visa most doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health professionals use to work in the UK: what it costs, the health surcharge exemption, the salary rules, which jobs qualify, how long it lasts, settlement, and the important 2025 change for care workers.

What is the UK Health and Care Worker visa and how does it work?

The Health and Care Worker visa is a branch of the Skilled Worker visa for qualified doctors, nurses, health professionals and adult social care staff with a job offer from a Home Office-licensed sponsor. As of July 2026, it costs £284 per person for up to three years or £551 for more than three years, holders are exempt from the immigration health surcharge, it can last up to 5 years, and after five years it can lead to settlement (indefinite leave to remain).

Source:GOV.UK — Health and Care Worker visa·as of July 2026updated reviewed quarterly (last: 3 July 2026)

The key facts at a glance

UK Health and Care Worker visa — key facts, as of July 2026 (source: GOV.UK)
Item	Detail
Application fee, up to 3 years	£284 per person
Application fee, more than 3 years	£551 per person
Same fee inside or outside the UK	Yes
Immigration health surcharge	Exempt (you and your dependants)
General salary floor	Usually at least £25,000/yr, or the going rate if higher
Maximum length before extending	5 years
Route to settlement	Indefinite leave to remain after 5 years
Family (partner and children)	Can usually come as dependants

Contains public sector information published by UK Home Office and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: GOV.UK — Health and Care Worker visa: how much it costs (July 2026).

Contains public sector information published by UK Home Office and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: GOV.UK — Health and Care Worker visa: your job (July 2026).

How the application works, step by step

1
Qualify and register
Complete the registration your profession requires (for example GMC for doctors, NMC for nurses, GPhC for pharmacists) or be on the pathway to it.
2
Get a job offer from a licensed sponsor
Secure an eligible health or social care job with an employer that holds a Home Office sponsor licence.
3
Receive a certificate of sponsorship
Your sponsor issues a certificate of sponsorship with your job details and salary.
4
Check salary and English
Confirm your pay meets the threshold or going rate and that you can evidence the required English level.
5
Apply and pay the fee
Apply online, pay the application fee (£284 up to three years or £551 over three years) and note the immigration health surcharge is waived.
6
Travel and start work
Once granted, travel to the UK, complete any remaining registration steps (such as an OSCE for nurses) and begin your role.

Important 2025 change: overseas care workers

From 22 July 2025, the care-worker and senior-care-worker roles (occupation codes 6135 and 6136) were effectively closed to new applicants from outside the UK. They are now mainly available to people already in the UK who are switching or extending. This does not change the routes for registered doctors, nurses and pharmacists — but if care work was your intended route, confirm the current position on GOV.UK before spending any money.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the Health and Care Worker visa cost?: As of July 2026, the application fee is £284 per person for a visa of up to three years, or £551 per person for more than three years. The fee is the same whether you apply from inside or outside the UK. Crucially, Health and Care Worker visa holders — and their partner and children — are exempt from the immigration health surcharge, which other visa routes must pay.
What salary do I need for the Health and Care Worker visa?: You usually need to be paid at least £25,000 a year, or the "going rate" for your job if that is higher. Many NHS roles are instead paid according to the national pay scale for the occupation (for example the Agenda for Change bands), and some occupations such as managers and care workers have their own salary rules. Always check the current threshold and the going rate for your specific job code on GOV.UK.
Which jobs are eligible?: You must be a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional or adult social care professional and work in an eligible health or social care job for a licensed sponsor. Eligible roles are defined by a list of occupation codes covering doctors, nurses, midwives, therapists, pharmacists, paramedics, biomedical and laboratory staff, social workers and more. Check whether your specific occupation code is on the current list before applying.
Can care workers still apply from overseas?: This is the most important recent change. From 22 July 2025, the care-worker and senior-care-worker roles (occupation codes 6135 and 6136) were effectively closed to new applicants from outside the UK — they are now mainly available to people already in the UK who are switching or extending, and who held a certificate of sponsorship before that date. Registered doctors, nurses and pharmacists are not affected in the same way, but if you were planning to come as a care worker you must check the current rules first.
How long does it last and can I settle?: The visa can last up to 5 years before you need to extend it, and there is no cap on extensions while you remain eligible. After five years of continuous qualifying residence you may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain (settlement), subject to the requirements in force at the time.
Can my family come with me?: Yes. Your partner and children can usually apply as your dependants, and they are also exempt from the immigration health surcharge under this route. Each dependant pays their own application fee. Check the current dependant rules on GOV.UK, as immigration policy changes.

Work out whether the move adds up for you

Read our honest, sourced pros-and-cons guides for doctors, nurses and pharmacists — the real costs and NHS pay next to the visa rules.

Is it worth moving to the UK?Which roles are on the Immigration Salary List

Not sure which registration you need first? Start with the GMC pathway for doctors, the NMC route for nurses or the OSPAP route for pharmacists.

Country pathway pages

Editorial data review: figures on this page are drawn directly from the official public source cited here and were cross-checked against that source at publication; derived values (percentages, medians, index scores) are computed from those published figures using the stated methodology — nothing is estimated or invented. Last reviewed: 3 July 2026. This page is general information, not medical advice.