Health and Care Worker Visa
The Health and Care Worker visa is a new category introduced in August 2020 that allows medical professionals to apply for a streamlined and less expensive visa application process. It permits qualified doctors, nurses, and adult social care professionals to work for the National Health Service (NHS), an NHS supplier, or in the adult social care sector for up to 5 years at a time.
The Health and Care Worker Visa simplifies the process for qualified healthcare professionals worldwide to gain sponsored employment in their specialised fields. It also minimises application fees and eliminates the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) fee for applicants and their dependants.
Most non-UK residents seeking work in the UK as healthcare professionals will need to apply for a Health and Care Worker Visa.
The Health and Care Worker visa is effectively a specialist sub-category of the Skilled Worker visa, offering applicants many benefits over the primary Skilled Worker visa. The application fee for the Health and Care Worker visa is considerably lower than the Skilled Worker visa, and the Immigration Health Surcharge is waived for applicants to the Health and Care Worker visa. In contrast, applicants for the Skilled Worker visa are liable for a charge of £624 per year for the duration of the visa.
HEALTH AND CARE WORKER VISA REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible for the Health and Care Worker Visa, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:
• You must be a qualified healthcare professional
• You must have a job offer for an eligible role
• Your job must be with an employer who is registered as an official sponsor by the Home Office - this must be the National Health Service (NHS), an NHS supplier, or an employer in the adult social care sector
• Your employer must provide you with an official occupation code in line with your role and duties in the job
• Your job must pay you the minimum salary or 'going rate' for your occupation type; this is generally at least £20,480
• You must speak English at a minimum B1 Level as identified by the Common European Framework of Languages
• You must have enough money to support yourself without relying on public funds or benefits - this will be at least £1,270; you do not need to provide this if your employer has indicated on your Certificate of Sponsorship that they will support you financially
• You must provide a criminal record certificate unless you work as a biological scientist, biochemist, or physical scientist
• You must provide an up-to-date tuberculosis certificate if required to do so by the Home Office
Most immigration applications have strict factual and evidential requirements that are not necessarily straightforward to comprehend or satisfy. LS Legal Solicitors are well versed and highly experienced in providing advice and assistance on immigration applications. We appreciate that many of the requirements may seem overly complex and onerous. However, we guarantee to make your experience as smooth and stress-free as possible.
For the quickest response, please WhatsApp or call us on +44 (0) 75 3595 9450. You can also contact us via email at info@LSLegaLUK.com or use the contact form to discuss your requirements further or arrange an appointment with one of our experts.
