What is a UK Healthcare Worker Visa and How to Get It in 2024?

The UK healthcare worker visa is a new visa type that was issued in August 2020 and is designed to make visa procedures for healthcare professionals more convenient and cheaper. The UK healthcare worker visa is officially defined as a health and care worker visa. The healthcare worker visa allows qualified doctors, nurses and social workers to work for the UK National Health Service (NHS), an NHS provider or an employer in the adult social care sector for up to 5 years.

For those who want to practice medicine in the UK, the visa they need to take the PLAB exam is subject to the standard visa application, unlike this visa. However, those who will apply for the doctorate must declare a document showing that they are ready to take the exam among their application documents.

The UK healthcare worker visa is a specific immigration route for qualified healthcare professionals; it is used as a way to address the shortage of skilled workers in the healthcare sector in the UK. The UK healthcare and care worker visa provides workers with the right to reside in the UK and, after a certain period of time, to become British citizens.

What are the visa requirements for becoming a healthcare professional in the UK?

Visa requirements for becoming a healthcare professional in the UK are given below.

Be a qualified doctor, nurse or healthcare professional
Working in a valid healthcare or social service job
Have a job offer from, or work for, an employer approved by the UK Home Office
Have a sponsor certificate from the employer stating the scope of work in the job offer
Not receiving a salary below minimum wage
Be able to prove English language proficiency

How to Apply for a UK Visa for Health and Care Workers?

UK visa applications for health and care workers are made online. Healthcare workers must apply for a UK visa from the country of their nationality or from the country where they hold a valid immigration permit. Once the online visa application is complete, the application fee must be paid and an appointment must be made to have biometric information collected at a suitable visa application centre.

Supporting documents can be uploaded to the system online before the visa appointment or, for an additional fee, documents can be scanned by officers during the appointment. During the visa appointment, fingerprints are taken, photographs are taken and supporting documents are checked; the applicant’s passport is submitted for entry permit stamping.

What are the Required Documents for the UK Healthcare Worker Visa?

The documents required for the UK healthcare worker visa are listed below.

Passport: A passport that is valid for at least 3 months after the end of the trip and contains at least 1 blank page, as well as a photocopy of the passport’s photo page and past visas are required.
Biometric photo: Two photographs measuring 35 mm x 45 mm taken within the last 6 months are required.
UK COS Certificate: A copy of a certificate of sponsorship from an approved healthcare employer in the UK is required. The reference number of the sponsor certificate is requested on the application form.
UK healthcare worker visa application form: A fully completed application form in English is required, obtained online from Gov.Uk.
Proof of financial means: If the applicant does not have someone to sponsor them, they must be able to show, via a bank statement, that they have enough savings to support themselves in the UK.
English language proficiency certificate: Academic education documents or language exam results that prove English proficiency at least at B1 level are required.
Criminal record: A criminal record obtained from an authorized institution or via e-government is required.
Population registration copy: In order to prove the kinship with the partner or child applying together with the person, a barcoded, fully certified population registration copy containing the information of all family members obtained from the e-government is required.

All information on the documents required for the UK healthcare worker visa must be accurate and up to date. UK healthcare worker visa applications that do not include a COS document are deemed invalid and will not be evaluated.

How Much Is the UK Healthcare Personnel Visa Fee?

The UK healthcare professional visa fee is £247 per person for visas of up to three years, and £479 per person for visas of longer duration.

Is there an Immigration Health Surcharge for a UK Healthcare Worker Visa?

No, there is no immigration health surcharge for a UK healthcare professional visa. People applying for a UK healthcare professional visa are exempt from paying the immigration health surcharge, saving up to £3,120 per application.

Dependants of a healthcare professional visa applicant are also exempt from the immigration health surcharge.

How Long Does It Take to Get a UK Healthcare Worker Visa?

The UK healthcare worker visa is issued within 3 weeks at the latest; it is possible to request a faster visa result by paying a fee. If the process takes longer than 3 weeks, the Home Office will contact the applicant.

How Long Does It Take to Get a UK Visa for Healthcare Workers?

UK visas for healthcare professionals are granted for 5 years and can be extended at the end of the 5 years if the eligibility conditions are met.

When to Get Residence Permit with a UK Healthcare Worker Visa?

A residence permit with a UK healthcare worker visa can be obtained after holding the visa for 5 years.

What are the requirements for obtaining residence permit as a healthcare worker in the UK?

The conditions for obtaining a residence permit as a healthcare professional in the UK are given below.

The applicant must be a qualified healthcare professional.
The person must have received a valid job offer.
The employer must be registered as an official sponsor with the Home Office. The employer can be the National Health Service (NHS), an NHS supplier or someone in the adult social care sector.
The employer must provide the applicant with an occupational code that will specify the job and duties in which they will be working.
The applicant’s salary must not be below the minimum wage of at least £20,480.
The applicant’s English level must be at least B1.
The applicant must have sufficient savings to support themselves without social assistance. This amount is at least £1,270. If the employer is to provide for the employee, no savings are required.
The applicant must provide a criminal record unless he/she is a biology scientist, biochemist or physics scientist.
Depending on the applicant’s country, they may be required to provide a current tuberculosis vaccination certificate.

Individuals with permanent leave to remain in the UK have the right to work for any employer they choose, to be self-employed and to study at any university without prior permission from the Home Office. Access to public funding and benefits is also possible once permanent leave to settle in the UK has been granted.

Is It Difficult to Get a UK Healthcare Professional Visa?

Obtaining a UK healthcare professional visa is not difficult provided that a job offer is received from a healthcare institution with an approved sponsorship license in the UK and the necessary documents are submitted in full.

Since 4 August 2020, the UK government has been offering a health visa as a way to quickly settle in the UK, with applications such as discounted visa application fees and exemption from the immigration health fee for healthcare professionals who want to settle in the UK.

For UK healthcare worker visa applications made through rsscanadaimmigration.com, sworn translation and online document uploading processes are carried out by expert country consultants.

Frequently Asked Questions

The questions most frequently asked by people wishing to settle in the UK as healthcare professionals are answered below.

What Does a UK Approved Healthcare Employer Mean?

A UK approved healthcare employer is an employer that operates within the UK national healthcare system (NHS). Approved healthcare employers are also known as sponsors because they arrange for employees to come to the UK and reside in the country.

People working in the healthcare sector in the UK must have a job offer from the NHS, an organisation providing healthcare for the NHS or an organisation providing adult social services. If the employer is not currently UK healthcare approved, they can apply for a sponsor licence if they are qualified.

What are the rights of a UK Health and Care Worker Visa?

The rights provided by the UK health and care worker visa are set out below.

It is possible to work in a job that is considered valid.
It is possible to receive university education while working.
A partner and children can be brought to the UK as dependants if they meet the eligibility criteria.
Volunteer work is possible.
It is possible to travel abroad and return to the UK.
After 5 years of residence in the UK, you can apply for permanent residence.

What Happens When Healthcare Workers in the UK Change Jobs?

If a healthcare professional changes their job in the UK, a visa update must be required. A healthcare professional who changes their job must meet the eligibility requirements of their new job and this must be proven with a new certificate of sponsorship. A healthcare professional who needs to renew their visa must register their biometric information, which is fingerprints and a photograph, without paying any fees; further evidence may be required if they have been in the UK for less than 1 year.

Can I Work a Second Job with a UK Healthcare Worker Visa?

It is possible to work a second job with a UK healthcare worker visa. As long as you continue to work in the job for which you have received sponsorship, it is possible to take on additional work with a UK healthcare worker visa and volunteer work can also be done.

It is possible to work a second job for up to 20 hours with a UK healthcare worker visa if the second job has the same occupation code as the first job or if there is a shortage in the workforce. If you will be working more than 20 hours a week or if the second job has a different occupation code, the UK work visa must be updated and sponsorship must be obtained for both jobs.

What are the Health Professions in Demand in the UK?

The most sought-after healthcare professions in the UK are nurses, radiologists, medical technicians and emergency physicians. The UK National Health Service (NHS) is one of the largest employers in the country and provides jobs for over 300 professions. The minimum wage for healthcare professions in the UK starts at £22,000 and goes up to £69,000.

How to Find Out About Health Professions With Employment Shortages in the UK

Healthcare professions with job vacancies in the UK can be found on the lists published by the Home Office. The Home Office publishes a list of areas where it cannot find enough workers with the required skills.

The Home Office website publishes a separate list of occupations with a shortage of workers; this list includes GPs, nurses, midwives, psychiatrists, speech and language therapists, medical radiographers, medical technicians and other social workers. If the occupation sought is listed as one of the UK healthcare professionals with a shortage of workers, the minimum salary required for the visa may be reduced.