The Health and Care Worker visa is a dedicated route for medical professionals to join the UK workforce in healthcare settings. Here’s a breakdown of the eligibility requirements:

• Occupation: You must be a qualified doctor, nurse, healthcare professional, or adult social care worker.
• Eligible Role: The job offer must be within the healthcare or social care sector.
• Approved Sponsor: Your employer needs to be a Home Office-approved UK organization, such as the NHS, an NHS supplier, or an adult social care provider.
• Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): You’ll require a CoS issued by your employer, containing details of your offered position.
• Minimum Salary: The minimum salary depends on your specific healthcare profession.

The Health and Care Worker visa offers several advantages to attract medical professionals to the UK:

• Fast-Tracked Processing: Your visa application will be prioritized by a dedicated team within UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), expediting your entry to the UK.
• Reduced Fees: Compared to the standard Skilled Worker visa, you’ll benefit from lower visa application fees.
• No Immigration Health Surcharge: You’ll be exempt from paying the Immigration Health Surcharge, which is a mandatory fee typically associated with other UK visa applications.

Family members
In a policy change announced in December 2023, effective March 11, 2024, applicants for the Health and Care Worker visa can no longer bring their family members (partners and children) as dependants on their visa.
This is a significant change for those considering this visa route. Previously, eligible dependants could join the primary visa holder, but this option is no longer available for new applicants.

If you applied for a Health and Care Worker visa before March 11, 2024:
The good news is that this change doesn’t apply to existing visa holders. If you were already sponsored under this route before the policy change, you can still bring your dependants to the UK, or they can join you later if they meet the eligibility criteria

Settlement
The Health and Care Worker visa provides a pathway to permanent residence in the UK. Here’s a breakdown of the key requirements for applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after holding this visa:

• Five-Year Residence: You must have lived and worked in the UK for a continuous period of at least five years before applying for ILR.
• Limited Absences: Your absences from the UK cannot exceed 180 days in any consecutive 12-month period during those five years.
• Employer Sponsorship: You’ll still need to be sponsored by your employer at the time of your ILR application.
• Salary Threshold: You must continue to meet the minimum salary requirement for your specific healthcare profession.
• Life in the UK Test: Passing this test demonstrates your understanding of British life and customs.
• English Language: You’ll need to maintain the required level of English language proficiency.
• General Grounds for Refusal: Your application shouldn’t fall under any reasons for rejection outlined in the immigration regulations.

Please contact us at contact@aaraflawy.co.uk and one of our UK immigration lawyer shall call you back. Alternatively you can call us on 0203 442 0292.