Health and Care Worker Visa Application

Health and Care Worker Visa Application

Navigating the path to work in the UK’s healthcare sector is made simpler with the Health and Care Worker Visa. Tailored for qualified doctors, nurses, and other dedicated health and adult social care professionals, this visa paves the way for them to serve in vital roles within the NHS, its suppliers, or in adult social care. Not only does this visa provide an opportunity to contribute to the UK’s esteemed health system, but it also offers a pathway to UK settlement after just 5 years. Moreover, those applying can ensure their journey includes their dependent partners and children, making it a comprehensive choice for those seeking both professional growth and family stability in the UK.

What is the health care visa?

The Health and Care Visa invites skilled overseas workers, such as doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, to work in eligible roles for licensed UK employers, aiding in filling critical gaps in the healthcare and adult social care sectors. This visa, responding to the UK’s healthcare skills shortage, provides a compelling pathway for foreign healthcare professionals and their close family members to work, and potentially settle, in the UK.

Applicants can work up to five years in the UK, with the flexibility to extend their visa indefinitely if eligibility is maintained. After five years, visa holders can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), freeing them from UK immigration control and allowing job changes without additional visa applications.

Who can apply for the health and care visa?

To obtain the “Indefinite Leave to Remain” status as a Health and Care Worker in the UK, you must follow certain rules set by UK Visas and Immigration. Part of these rules relate to occupation codes which classify job roles. Understanding these codes is important as they are linked to your eligibility. Below, we’ve simplified the rules and highlighted the key steps and requirements for both the settlement criteria and Health and Care Worker Visa to guide you through this process:

Eligibility Criteria:

• You should apply using the skilled worker route.
• A job offer in a role specified within certain Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes is required.
• Each occupation is identified by a 4-digit SOC code, available from your employer.
• The available roles can change, with current examples provided below.

Occupation codes:

Here is the list of 4-digit SOC codes along with their corresponding eligible job roles in text format:

• 1181: Health services and public health managers and directors
• 1242: Residential, day, and domiciliary care managers and proprietors
• 2112: Biological scientists and biochemists
• 2113: Physical scientists
• 2211: Medical practitioners
• 2212: Psychologists
• 2213: Pharmacists
• 2214: Ophthalmic opticians
• 2215: Dental practitioners
• 2217: Medical radiographers
• 2218: Podiatrists
• 2219: Health professionals not elsewhere classified (e.g., audiologists and occupational health advisers)
• 2221: Physiotherapists
• 2222: Occupational therapists
• 2223: Speech and language therapists
• 2229: Therapy professionals not elsewhere classified (e.g., osteopaths and psychotherapists)
• 2231: Nurses
• 2232: Midwives
• 2442: Social workers
• 3111: Laboratory technicians
• 3213: Paramedics
• 3216: Dispensing opticians
• 3217: Pharmaceutical technicians
• 3218: Medical and dental technicians
• 3219: Health associate professionals not elsewhere classified
• 6141: Nursing auxiliaries and assistants
• 6143: Dental nurses
• 6145: Care workers and home carers
• 6146: Senior care workers

Additional Requirements:

• Employment must be offered by a licensed sponsor, such as NHS entities, medical service providers to the NHS, or adult social care organisations.
• Sponsors might be affiliated with various industry bodies, some of which are listed below.

Additional Requirements:

• General Chiropractic Council
• General Dental Council
• General Medical Council
• General Optical Council
• General Osteopathic Council
• General Pharmaceutical Council
• Health and Care Professions Council
• Northern Ireland Social Care Council
• Nursing and Midwifery Council
• Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland
• Scottish Social Services Council
• Social Care Wales

Note: If your sponsor is a private healthcare service provider that is commissioned by the NHS, you may need to provide an explanation and potentially documentary evidence of the contractual arrangements with the NHS to validate your eligibility for a Health and Care Worker Visa.

Understanding the Salary Threshold Requirement

General Salary Requirement: Employers under the Health and Care Worker route generally need to offer at least £20,480 per year or the ‘going rate’ for the position, choosing the higher amount. Every occupation code has a unique annual ‘going rate,’ and NHS roles may have varied pay bands depending on location: England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland:

Special Salary Requirement: Some occupation codes have distinct salary requirements, outlined below:

• Occupation Code 1181: Job Role – Health services and public health managers and directors.
  • Typical Pay – £25,600 or £10.10/hr.
• Occupation Code 1242: Job Role – Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors.
  • Typical Pay – £25,600 or £10.10/hr.
• Occupation Code 2112: Job Role – Biological scientists and biochemists.
  • Typical Pay £25,600 or £10.10/hr.
• Occupation Code 2113: Job Role – Physical scientists.
  • Typical Pay – £25,600 or £10.10/hr.
• Occupation Code 3111: Job Role – Laboratory technicians.
  • Typical Pay – £25,600 or £10.10/hr.
• Occupation Code 3216: Job Role – Dispensing opticians.
  • Typical Pay – £25,600 or £10.10/hr.
• Occupation Code 3217: Job Role – Pharmaceutical technicians.
  • Typical Pay – £25,600 or £10.10/hr.
• Occupation Code 6145: Job Role – Care workers and home carers.
  • Typical Pay – £25,600 or £10.10/hr.
• Occupation Code 6146: Job Role – Senior care workers.
  • Typical Pay – £25,600 or £10.10/hr.

The standard is usually £25,600 per year or £10.10 per hour, but if the ‘going rate’ is higher, it becomes the minimum. Exceptions to Salary Requirement: Your pay may be below £25,600 or the job’s ‘going rate’ (while not less than £10.10 per hour) under certain circumstances:

• 80% of the going rate for shortage occupations with a salary of at least £20,480 annually.
• 70% of the going rate if under 26 or in professional training, with a minimum salary of £20,480 annually.
• 80% of the going rate with a relevant STEM PhD and a minimum salary of £20,480 annually.
• 90% of the going rate with a non-STEM PhD and a minimum salary of £23,040 annually.
• 70% of the going rate for postdoctoral positions with a minimum salary of £20,480 annually.

Always validate the accurate salary requirements and possible exceptions pertinent to your occupation code and scenario when exploring a role under the Health and Care Worker route.

Understanding the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) Requirement

To acquire a Health and Care Worker Visa, obtaining a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is crucial. This pivotal step in your journey to work in the UK’s health and care sector ensures that your employment and employer are validated by the UK Home Office. The CoS, while acting as an affirmation of your forthcoming employment, also navigates through the legitimacy of your role and employer. It’s vital to thoroughly comprehend its requirements and the steps involved in its procurement, ensuring a smooth and successful visa application process. Let’s delve into the key aspects of the CoS:

• What is CoS? A CoS is an electronic record, not a physical document, necessary for your visa application.
• Who Issues the CoS? Your CoS should be issued by an employer authorised by the Home Office to sponsor your job under the Health and Care Worker route. This employer could typically be the NHS, an entity providing medical services to the NHS, or an organisation providing adult social care. If an employer isn’t approved, they can apply for a Sponsor Licence if they qualify.
• Validity of the CoS: Your CoS must be issued no more than 3 months before your visa application.
• Mandatory Information: The CoS must contain specific information, such as:
  • Your name, job, and salary details.
  • A start date that falls within 3 months after your visa application date.
  • Assurance that the CoS has not been used in any previous application (whether granted, refused, withdrawn by the sponsor, or cancelled by the Home Office).
• Additional Employer Requirements: Employers must provide a brief explanation in the CoS, explaining how you, the employee, meet the Health and Care Visa eligibility requirement. If the employer provides services commissioned by the NHS, they might need to disclose evidence of their contractual arrangements with the NHS.

Ensuring your employer has provided an accurately detailed CoS and understanding its pivotal role in your visa application can significantly ease the application process. Always double-check the information and timeline to enhance the likelihood of application success.

Duration of a Health and Care Worker Visa

Upon approval of a Health and Care Worker Visa, applicants are granted permission to stay for a period ending 14 days after the expiry of their Certificate of Sponsorship, up to a maximum of 5 years from its start date. The duration for which your employer is sponsoring you will be specified in the certificate.

To extend your visa, you should still meet the salary requirements and fulfil one of the following: retain the same job, work in the same occupation code, or be sponsored by the same employer as when you initially received permission to stay or enter the UK.

Distinct from the former Tier 2 (General) route, which limited applicants to a maximum of six years, the Health and Care Worker route has no restriction on the length of stay, and extensions may be granted up to 5 years at a time, ensuring continuity in your professional journey within the UK healthcare sector.

Settling and Working in the UK as a Health and Care Worker

To get the “Indefinite Leave to Remain” status as a Health and Care Worker, you need to follow some rules set by UK Visas and Immigration. Below, we’ve made these rules easy to understand:

Settlement Criteria:

• 5 Years of UK Residence: Continuously live in the UK for 5 years.
• Visa Types: Your 5-year residence should be under specific visa categories like Health and Care Worker, Global Talent, Innovator, etc.
• Travel Limit: Limit international travel to under 180 days per year during the 5-year period.
• Life in the UK Test: Successfully pass this test (exemption for those 65 or over).
• Sponsorship: Maintain a Home Office-approved sponsor who requires your work indefinitely.
• Salary Requirements: Ensure your salary meets/exceeds the general threshold or going rate.

Health and Care Worker Visa Requirements:

• Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): Obtain a valid CoS from a UK licensed sponsor.
• Qualifying Job Offer: Ensure it meets the relevant salary threshold.
• Personal Savings: Possess adequate savings to support yourself initially in the UK (if applicable).
• English Proficiency: Demonstrate a good working knowledge of English.
• Travel Documentation: Show ability to travel and provide a 5-year travel history.
• Tuberculosis Test: Provide valid results if coming from a specified country.
• Criminal Record Certificate: Needed if you’ve lived in a country for 12+ months in the last 10 years and will work with vulnerable individuals.

Your prospective employer should confirm your eligibility for the Health and Care Worker visa, assisting you in accurately completing the visa application form. They should also explain how you meet the visa role requirement in the CoS’s note field for your new position.

Remember to adhere to these requirements, keep thorough records, and stay informed about any changes in the visa policies to ensure a smooth application process for both your visa and settlement.

Conditions for staying with a Health and Care Worker Visa

Upon acquiring the Health and Care Worker Visa, you are granted the authorization to work in the specific job for which you’ve been sponsored. Additionally, you have the liberty to engage in supplementary employment, provided you maintain your sponsored job and the extra work aligns with the same occupation code or is a part-time engagement with less than 20 paid hours weekly.

However, certain limitations apply:

As a holder of the Health and Care Worker Visa:

• You are authorised to work in the job for which you have been sponsored.
• You may take up supplementary employment, given you continue in your sponsored job, and the additional work is either in the same occupation code or is a part-time role of less than 20 paid hours per week.

However, there are some restrictions:

• You cannot apply for most benefits or the State Pension.
• Changing jobs or employers without updating your visa is not allowed.

Changing Jobs or Employers:

If you wish to change your job and the new job is with a different employer; if your job changes to a different occupation code and you are not in a graduate training program; or if you switch from a job on the shortage occupation list to one that is not on the list, you must apply to update your Health and Care Worker visa.

Working More or in a Different Role:

Similarly, if you will be working over 20 hours a week or moving to a job in a different occupation code, an update to your visa is necessary. This involves obtaining a new certificate of sponsorship from your secondary employer and submitting a letter explaining why you wish to alter your current stay permissions.

Note: Always ensure to adhere to the conditions of your visa to maintain its validity and consider seeking professional guidance for navigating through visa updates or changes.

Financial Maintenance Requirement

To ensure a smooth process while applying for the Health and Care Worker Visa, it’s essential to prove that you can support yourself financially in the UK. After establishing your financial capability, below we have outlined the basic financial maintenance requirements for this visa:

• Minimum Funds: You should have at least £1,270 in cash funds unless exemptions apply.
• Holding Period: Ensure you’ve held the money for at least 28 consecutive days, and this period should end no more than 31 days before you apply for your visa.

Exemptions from Showing Funds:

• If You’re Already in the UK: You don’t need to show funds if you’re applying to stay and have been in the UK with permission for 12 months or more at the time of application.
• Employer Coverage: If your employer can cover your costs (at least £1,270) for your first month in the UK, you are exempt. This should be confirmed on your Certificate of Sponsorship under the ‘Sponsor certifies maintenance’ section.

It’s crucial to ensure your financial standing aligns with the requirements or exemptions to facilitate a smooth visa application process, and consider keeping all relevant financial documents orderly and accessible.

Criminal Record Certificate: What You Need to Know

Applying from outside the UK? You’ll usually need a criminal record certificate. Here’s what’s needed based on your age and job:

• Specific Jobs: If you’ll work as a biological scientist/biochemist (code 2112) or physical scientist (code 2113), you don’t need to provide this certificate.
• Under 28 Years Old: Submit criminal record certificates for any country you lived in for at least 12 months since turning 18.
• 28 Years Old or Above: You’ll need certificates from all countries you lived in for the last 10 years.

Simply, gather certificates from relevant countries according to your age and keep them ready for your application.

How to apply for the Health and Care visa?

You can initiate the application for a Health and Care Worker Visa via the gov.uk website, specifically through the Skilled Worker route online. During the application, you’ll encounter a question asking if you are applying for a Health and Care Worker Visa; make sure to select ‘yes’.

Identity verification is a crucial part of your application. This can be done in two different ways: either by utilising the UK Immigration: ID Check app to scan your identity document or by attending an appointment at a local visa application centre where your photograph and fingerprints, known as biometric information, will be collected.

Once the application form is filled out, you’ll need to submit it along with your identity verification and any other necessary supporting documents. Paying the application fee is the final step in completing your application.

You have the option to start this process up to three months before your planned work start date in the UK. After submission, the decision on your application usually arrives within three weeks. For a smoother process, ensure all provided information is accurate and all required documents are submitted promptly.

How can I get in contact?