Skip to main content
Pathway from India · Information guide

HCPC Registration from India: Physiotherapists & Radiographers

Indian-qualified physiotherapists and radiographers who want to work in the UK must join the HCPC Register through its international application route, which assesses whether their education and experience meet UK standards of proficiency — this page explains that route as general information, not a job offer.

India is the single largest source of internationally-educated health professionals to the UK and is not on the WHO 2023 Health Workforce Support and Safeguards List or the UK Code of Practice red/amber list. That means an Indian-qualified professional can explore and pursue UK registration on their own initiative without the ethical-recruitment restrictions that apply to red-list countries.

Your qualification at home

In India, physiotherapy and allied health regulation is developing under the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Act 2021. Your Indian qualification and registration are the starting evidence for an HCPC international application, but UK registration is a separate assessment against UK standards.

English-language evidence

Many Indian degree programmes are taught and assessed in English. The HCPC still requires formal evidence — usually IELTS Academic 7.0 (no section below 6.5) or OET Grade B — unless you meet a specific exemption set out on the HCPC website.

The pathway, step by step

The HCPC route is the same wherever you trained. Full detail is on the international application guide.

  1. 1

    Confirm your profession is HCPC-regulated

    Physiotherapists and radiographers (diagnostic and therapeutic) are among the 15 professions the HCPC regulates. Check that your exact profession and title are on the HCPC list before you begin.

  2. 2

    Gather your qualification and experience evidence

    You will need certified proof of your professional qualification, a detailed breakdown of your training (curriculum, hours, clinical placements) and evidence of your professional experience. The HCPC compares this against the UK standards of proficiency for your profession.

  3. 3

    Meet the English-language requirement

    Provide evidence of English proficiency — the HCPC accepts IELTS Academic 7.0 (no section below 6.5) or OET Grade B. Some applicants are exempt where they trained and practised in English; the HCPC website sets out who qualifies.

  4. 4

    Submit your international application and pay the fee

    Complete the HCPC international application and pay the international application (scrutiny) fee. The HCPC then assesses whether your education and experience meet UK standards. Confirm the current fee on the HCPC fees page before you apply.

  5. 5

    Respond to any assessment outcome

    The HCPC may approve your application, or ask for more information, or require you to address a shortfall (for example through further study or supervised practice) before it can register you. Follow the decision letter carefully.

  6. 6

    Join the Register and arrange the right to work

    Once registered you may use the protected title and practise. Working in the UK also requires the right to work — many applicants use the Health and Care Worker visa, which needs a job offer from a Home Office-licensed sponsor. HCPC registration and immigration are separate processes.

How people apply for roles

Because India is not on the WHO 2023 safeguards list or the UK red/amber list, a Indian-qualified professional can explore and apply for UK roles on their own initiative. In practice that means, once you are HCPC-registered (or eligible) and have the right to work, you apply directly to advertised NHS or private vacancies with the employer. GeraClinic does not place, sponsor or match candidates — it simply explains the pathway. Always confirm the current red/amber list on the NHS Employers website (as of July 2026), as it is revised periodically.

Frequently asked questions — from India

Can an Indian-qualified physiotherapist work in the UK?+

Yes, after joining the HCPC Register through the international application route and securing the right to work. The HCPC assesses whether your Indian training and experience meet UK standards of proficiency for physiotherapists.

Does GeraClinic recruit physiotherapists or radiographers from India into the NHS?+

No. GeraClinic does not recruit, sponsor, place or supply staff to the NHS from India or anywhere else, and charges no placement fees. This page is general educational information for people who independently want to understand the UK pathway.

Is India on the UK ethical-recruitment red list?+

No. India is not on the WHO 2023 Safeguards List or the UK red/amber list. Individuals from India may explore and apply for UK roles directly and on their own initiative. Always confirm the current list on the NHS Employers website, as it is revised periodically.

What will an Indian-qualified radiographer earn in the NHS?+

The same national NHS Agenda for Change pay applies regardless of where you trained. A newly registered radiographer typically starts on Band 5 (about £29,970–£36,483 full-time in 2024/25 in England), rising with specialism and experience.

Explore the rest of this guide

HCPC registration overviewPhysiotherapist pathwayRadiographer pathwayThe international application, step by stepEthical recruitment & the red listPathway from the Philippines

Related on the wider Gera network: allied-health roles on GeraClinic and healthcare jobs on GeraJobs. Applying to any specific vacancy is always done directly with the advertising employer.

Sources & further reading

These are the primary, official sources for everything on this page. Where figures appear, confirm the current value at the source before relying on it.