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UK Health and Care Worker Visa: Jobs, Sponsorship and Family
Information checked: 11 November 2026. For Indian applicants, the UK Health and Care Worker visa depends on the actual occupation and sponsored job. It remains available for eligible health professions, but new overseas care-worker and senior-care-worker applications closed on 22 July 2025. Treating every hospital or care-home vacancy as an available visa route can lead to expensive mistakes.
Who can apply for the Health and Care Worker visa?
You need a qualifying health or care role with an approved UK employer, a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), the applicable salary and English evidence. The sponsor must fall within the eligible health and care employer arrangements, such as the NHS, an organisation providing medical services to the NHS or an adult social care organisation.
The four-digit occupation code must match your duties. A similar job title, an employer's sponsor licence or a recruitment advertisement alone does not establish eligibility. The CoS is an electronic sponsorship record, rather than a paper job guarantee.
Health professionals and care workers face different rules
| Role or situation | Current position |
|---|---|
| Doctors and registered nurses | Eligible medical and registered nursing codes remain listed. Sponsorship, salary, English and professional requirements still apply. |
| Other listed health professions | Examples include physiotherapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists and medical radiographers. Match the precise occupation code. |
| Care workers (6135) and senior care workers (6136) applying from abroad | New overseas applications closed on 22 July 2025. |
| Eligible care workers already in the UK | Conditional extension, update or switching provisions remain. Switching from another visa requires at least three months of legal work in the job for the sponsor. |
For many regulated health professions, the relevant UK registration is also necessary before starting professional work. Visa eligibility and professional registration are separate checks. A sponsor cannot remove a regulator's qualification or registration requirements.
Salary: assess the occupation before the headline figure
GOV.UK states that applicants usually need at least £25,000, with the applicable going rate where higher. This is not a universal qualifying salary. Certain codes, including specified management, science, technician and care roles, have different salary rules. Other eligible healthcare jobs use national pay scales, with pay band and UK location affecting the assessment.
Ask for the occupation code, duties, working hours and guaranteed pay in writing. An offer that only states a total package is not enough to confirm the salary test. Do not confuse a general Skilled Worker salary headline with the particular Health and Care Worker rules.
English evidence for Indian applicants
The current general requirement is CEFR B2 in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Evidence can include an approved Secure English Language Test or a qualifying degree. A non-UK degree taught in English needs the appropriate Ecctis assessment if used for this purpose.
Doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives who have passed an English assessment accepted by their relevant regulated professional body do not need to prove English separately under this provision. Transitional rules also matter: people who held this visa before 8 January 2026 and extend or update it retain the B1 rule without proving English again. Switching from a different visa generally requires B2, while a Skilled Worker switch has a separate no-repeat-proof provision.
Our language preparation page explains coaching support. Choose evidence that meets the specific immigration or professional purpose before booking a test.
Can your partner and children accompany you?
Eligible partners and dependent children may apply. Relationships and child eligibility require evidence, and every family member needs an application. Permission normally ends with the main worker's visa.
Care workers and senior care workers face additional restrictions. One qualifying provision concerns continuous UK employment in those roles and Health and Care Worker or Skilled Worker permission since before 11 March 2024. Other specified exceptions concern UK-born children and particular circumstances for children applying to stay in the UK.
Other medium-skilled jobs have separate restrictions, including a provision for continuous qualifying employment and permission since before 22 July 2025, alongside specified child exceptions. Do not assume that a current visa or an eligible job automatically gives a new partner permission to join.
Fees, funds and documents
The standard visa fee is £324 per person for up to three years or £628 for more than three years. Qualifying applicants and eligible dependants do not pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. Testing, professional registration, translations, travel and optional services are separate costs.
The worker usually needs £1,270 maintenance funds, held for 28 consecutive days with day 28 within 31 days before applying. Exemptions include qualifying UK residence of at least 12 months or sponsor-certified maintenance. Where required, additional family funds are £285 for a partner, £315 for the first child and £200 for each further child, subject to the applicable evidence and exemption rules.
Prepare the passport, CoS reference, job and salary details, occupation code and English evidence. Depending on the circumstances, relationship records, maintenance evidence, tuberculosis testing, criminal-record certificates and certified translations may also be needed. Build the checklist around the actual applicant and role.
Timing and recruitment risks
GOV.UK allows applications up to three months before the CoS employment start date and describes a usual three-week overseas decision after identity and documents are provided. This is an estimate, not a guaranteed travel date. A visa may last up to five years, depending on the grant, and a change of employer or job can require a visa update.
UK-based recruitment agencies cannot charge you for finding work. Separate any optional service fee from a purported payment for a job or sponsorship. Check the employer, duties and contract before paying or resigning. No consultant can guarantee employment, sponsorship, a visa or settlement.
Discuss your UK work-visa plan
Bring your proposed offer, duties, qualifications, registration position, English evidence and family plan for review. Peerless Immigration Services can help organise the immigration questions within its work-permit and employment service scope. Recruitment and visa decisions remain with the employer and authorities.
Call +91-8595010514 or email info@peerlessimmigration.com.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply from India without a sponsored job?
No. You need an eligible job offer from an approved UK health and care employer and a Certificate of Sponsorship before applying. A qualification or CV alone is insufficient.
Can a new care worker apply from India?
New overseas applications for care workers and senior care workers closed on 22 July 2025. The remaining conditional provisions for eligible people already in the UK must not be advertised as a fresh overseas route.
Do Indian nurses and doctors still have a route?
Eligible registered nursing and medical occupations remain listed. The actual role, sponsor, salary, English evidence and relevant professional registration must meet the applicable requirements.
Is £25,000 enough for every role?
No. The occupation determines the applicable salary rules, going rate and any national pay scale. Some occupation codes have different salary requirements. Check the actual duties and code alongside the offer.
Can every Health and Care Worker bring family?
No. Eligible partners and children may apply, but care-worker and other medium-skilled occupations have additional restrictions and specific exceptions. Family eligibility needs a separate assessment.
Do applicants pay the Immigration Health Surcharge?
Qualifying Health and Care Worker applicants and their eligible dependants are exempt. Application fees and any required maintenance funds still apply.
