UK Health & Care Worker visa — am I eligible?
Answer five real questions to see instantly whether this route fits you — with the single reason that decides it. Then get your full personalised checklist, fee schedule and timeline. Free, honest, information only.
The UK Health and Care Worker visa lets qualified doctors, nurses, other health professionals and adult social care workers work in the UK for a licensed employer. It is a subcategory of the Skilled Worker visa, decided by the UK Home Office. To qualify you need a job in an eligible occupation, a confirmed job offer with a Certificate of Sponsorship from an employer that holds a Home Office sponsor licence, a salary at least equal to the general salary floor for the route or your occupation’s published going rate (whichever is higher), knowledge of English at level B1 (CEFR), and — unless your sponsor certifies your maintenance — savings of £1,270 held for 28 days. Two things make this route stand out: a reduced application fee, and a full exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge (about £1,035 per person per year on most other visas) for you and your dependants. All figures here are indicative snapshots as of July 2026 — always confirm the current figure on GOV.UK.
Check your eligibility
The five core requirements at a glance
| Requirement | What it means (indicative) |
|---|---|
| Eligible occupation | Your job must be on the eligible health & care occupation list (SOC 2020 codes). |
| Licensed sponsor | A job offer with a Certificate of Sponsorship from an NHS body, an organisation providing services to the NHS, or a CQC-registered adult social care provider that holds a sponsor licence. |
| Salary | At least the general salary floor (indicatively £31,300/yr or £16.05/hr) or your occupation’s going rate — whichever is higher. Roles paid on a national pay scale (most NHS clinical roles) instead use a lower £25,000 floor — see the shortage occupation checker for the per-role figure. |
| English | Knowledge of English at level B1 (CEFR) — via an approved test, an English-taught degree, or a qualifying nationality. |
| Maintenance funds | £1,270 held for 28 days, unless your sponsor certifies maintenance or you’ve been in the UK 12+ months. |
Sources: GOV.UK Health and Care Worker visa — your job, knowledge of English, money you need, and the Immigration Health Surcharge pages. Indicative snapshots as of July 2026; confirm current figures on GOV.UK.
A note on ethical international recruitment
Gera Services Ltd follows the UK Code of Practice for the International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel (DHSC, March 2023) and the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List 2023. We do not run targeted recruitment funnels aimed at nationals of red-list or amber-list countries (such as Nigeria, Ghana, Pakistan and Nepal). Anyone who is lawfully able to do so may always apply directly, of their own accord, to a vacancy that a UK employer is advertising. This tool provides general information about the published visa rules only.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK Health and Care Worker visa?
The Health and Care Worker visa is a subcategory of the UK Skilled Worker visa for qualified doctors, nurses, other health professionals and adult social care workers who have a job offer from a licensed UK sponsor in an eligible occupation. Compared with the standard Skilled Worker visa it has a reduced application fee and — importantly — an exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge for the visa holder and their dependants. It is decided by the UK Home Office.
What are the main requirements?
You need: (1) a job in an eligible health or social care occupation; (2) a confirmed job offer with a Certificate of Sponsorship from a UK employer that holds a Home Office sponsor licence; (3) a salary at least equal to the general salary floor for the route or your occupation’s published going rate, whichever is higher; (4) knowledge of English at level B1 (CEFR); and (5) enough money to support yourself — £1,270 held for 28 days — unless your sponsor certifies your maintenance or you have already been in the UK for 12 months.
Do I need a job offer before I apply?
Yes. A confirmed job offer with a Certificate of Sponsorship from a licensed UK sponsor is the gateway requirement — you cannot apply for this visa without one. The Certificate of Sponsorship is a single-use reference number your employer assigns to you once they have offered you the role.
How much does it cost, and is the health surcharge really waived?
The application fee is set below the standard Skilled Worker fee (indicatively around £284 for a grant of up to three years and £551 for longer, per person, as of the 4 April 2024 rules — confirm the current figure on GOV.UK). The Immigration Health Surcharge, which is roughly £1,035 per person per year on most other visas, is waived entirely for Health and Care Worker visa holders and their dependants. You should still budget for your English test, any TB test or criminal record certificate, and each dependant’s separate application fee.
What level of English do I need?
You must prove knowledge of English at level B1 on the Common European Framework (CEFR) across reading, writing, speaking and listening. You can meet this with an approved Secure English Language Test such as IELTS for UKVI or OET, a degree that was taught in English (with an Ecctis statement if it was awarded outside the UK), or by being a national of a majority-English-speaking country. Note that your professional regulator (for example the GMC or NMC) may require a higher English score than the visa itself.
Can I bring my family?
Yes — your partner and children can usually apply as your dependants. Each dependant makes a separate application and pays their own application fee, and each is also exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge on this route. You may need to show additional maintenance funds for them unless your sponsor certifies maintenance. Dependant rules for some social-care roles changed in 2024, so check the current position on GOV.UK.
Is GeraClinic a recruitment agency or an immigration adviser?
No. GeraClinic and Gera Services Ltd are neither a recruitment agency nor a regulated immigration adviser. We do not place you in a job, do not match you to specific vacancies, never charge a health worker a placement fee, and do not decide or submit visa applications. This tool gives free, general information about the published Home Office rules so you can understand the route and apply directly yourself.
Related guides & tools
UK registration checklist
The GMC, NMC, GPhC, GDC or HCPC pathway for your profession — every stage, fee and document.
For doctors
The UK doctor pathway and remote telemedicine work.
For nurses (NMC)
The NMC Test of Competence pathway — English, CBT and OSCE.
All health tools
Free calculators and reference tools from GeraClinic.
Important — please read
This tool provides general information about the UK Health and Care Worker visa route and is not immigration or legal advice. Immigration rules are set and decided solely by the UK Home Office and can change at any time — always confirm the current requirements and figures on GOV.UK before you rely on them. Gera Services Ltd is not a law firm, is not regulated to give immigration advice, and is not a recruitment agency: we do not decide applications, do not place anyone in a job, and never charge a health worker a placement fee. You apply directly to the Home Office, and directly to employers, on your own account. All fees shown are indicative snapshots with a named GOV.UK source and an “as of” date.