If you are a medical professional, the Health and Care Worker visa allows you to come to or stay in the UK to work in certain jobs in the NHS, with NHS suppliers or in adult social care, for up to five years. After five years you should be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain and British citizenship 12 months after that!
It is an excellent route to take if an option as there is no need to pay the immigration health charge which at £624 per year, is substantial.
To be eligible for a Health and Care Worker visa, you need to have a genuine job offer from a Home Office approved sponsor in a healthcare setting and have the right qualifications and experience to do the job. We can advise on whether you are likely to meet the Home Office’s requirements.
Most health and social care workers can still bring dependents, including your partner and children and we can provide advice on how to do this. They too will be eligible for indefinite leave to remain after five years and British citizenship a year after that. However, individuals sponsored as care workers or senior care workers are not permitted to sponsor dependants, unless they first applied for their visa before 11 March 2024. Individuals already working as care workers or senior care workers before that date will be eligible provided they do not switch into another immigration route.
You will need to meet the English language requirement which can be done in a few ways. The most common ways are being from a majority English-speaking country or holding a certificate from a certified English Language test in reading, writing, speaking and listening at level B1.
You will also need to meet the financial requirement, which is usually £1270, and have enough money to pay for the application. Your sponsor might be able to act as a guarantor on the financial requirement.
If you have a job offer but are unsure as to the next steps you should take or whether you will meet the requirements, contact us! We will be able to help you select the right documents and take the best approach to maximise your chance of a successful application.
We can also work with employees to ensure any potential hires get the best possible advice on meeting the Home Office requirements and can join your team in quick time.
