Health Care Worker Visa UK
Those from Pakistan who work in the health and care sector and have secured an employment offer in the UK can seek to apply for a Health and Care Worker Visa in the country. This visa is exclusively for those working in eligible roles in Health and Care, such as NHS workers.
However, the application process can be complex, so applicants should seek assistance from an immigration lawyer to assist with their application. Here at Total Law, we can help with your application. Just give us a call at +44 (0)333 305 9375 or message us online, to get started.
Health And Care Worker Visa Overview
The UK Health and Care Worker Visa is a visa for overseas nationals who have skills in medicine and care to travel to the UK to work in an eligible role. Eligible roles could be with NHS suppliers, the NHS, and the adult care sector doing work such as senior care.
Successful applicants can work and live in the UK for up to five years and can then extend their visa as many times as they want. After five years of working in the UK on this visa, applicants can have the opportunity to settle in the UK via ILR (indefinite leave to remain). There are many advantages to obtaining permanent residence, including the ability to claim benefits, switch employers, and not have to apply for any further visas.
The UK’s NHS is the 5th largest employer in the world, with 1.9 million people on staff. There is always a requirement for more clinical staff at many levels overseas. It is also believed that overseas workers make up 14% of the entire workforce in the NHS, as well as an average of 100,000 vacancies.
The UK’s Health and Care Worker Visa is the best choice for professionals who work in the health and care sector across the world and wish to find employment in the UK.
Page Contents
- Health And Care Worker Visa Overview
- Eligibility Requirements For Health Care Worker Visa UK
- Your Job Role Requirements
- Knowledge Of English Requirements
- Processing Time & Fee For Health Care Worker Visa
- How To Apply For Health Care Worker Visa?
- How Long Can You Stay In UK Under Health Care Worker Visa?
- Can You Extend Your Health Care Worker Visa?
- How Can Total Law Help?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Eligibility Requirements For Health Care Worker Visa UK
To be able to obtain a Health and Care Worker Visa, Pakistani applicants will need to satisfy the UK eligibility requirements set by UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration). These requirements are as follows:
- The applicant is over the age of 18.
- The applicant is a qualified nurse, doctor, adult social care professional, or health professional.
- The applicant will be working in an eligible health or social care job, falling on the list of approved occupation codes.
- The applicant will work for a UK health and care sector employer who has been Home Office-approved.
- The applicant has a valid CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) from their employer that contains information about the role that they have been offered.
- The applicant is competent in the English language at a level of at least a B1 CEFR, which is equivalent to an IELTS 4.0.
- The applicant will be paid a minimum salary or whatever the ‘going rate’ is for the type of work that they will be doing. They will receive whichever of these two options is higher.
- The applicant has enough money to support themselves without relying on public funds.
- The applicant has provided a relevant criminal record certificate, especially if they will be working with vulnerable people.
- A valid TB certificate. There are TB testing centres in the following locations for Pakistani citizens:
- Islamabad: Aziz Medical Centre, Dr.Arshad Health Associates, IOM Migration Health Assessment Centre.
- Lahore: Aziz Medical Centre, IOM Migration Health Assessment Centre.
- Karachi: Dr. Ashad Health Associates, IOM Migration Health Assessment Centre.
- Mirpur: IOM Migration Health Assessment Centre.
Your Job Role Requirements
There are three specific requirements that your job role will need to meet. Firstly, your job role must be with an approved sponsor who has supplied a valid certificate of sponsorship. Secondly, your job must fall under one of the relevant Health and Care Worker Visa occupational codes, and finally, your job role must meet the salary requirements.
Occupational Codes
The Health and Care Worker Visa occupational codes that meet the eligibility criteria for this visa include (but are not limited to) the following:
- 1181: Health services & public health managers & directors
- 1242: Residential, domiciliary, and daycare managers & 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, such as occupational health advisors and audiologists
- 2221: Physiotherapists
- 2222: Occupational therapists
- 2223: Speech and language therapists
- 2229: Therapy professionals not elsewhere classified, such as psychotherapists
- 2231: Nurses
- 2232: Midwives
- 2442: Social workers
- 3111: Laboratory technicians
- 3213: Paramedics
- 3216: Dispensing opticians
- 3217: pharmaceutical technicians
- 3218: Dental & medical technicians
- 3219: Health associate professionals that are not elsewhere classified
- 6141: Nursing auxiliaries & assistants
- 6143: Dental nurses
- 6145: Home carers and care workers
- 6146: Senior care workers
Certificate Of Sponsorship
A valid certificate of sponsorship is required to obtain this visa. It is an electronic record rather than a physical document. A certificate of sponsorship must be issued from an employer who is Home Office-authorised to sponsor migrants for this type of visa route.
A typical employer in this category would be the NHS (National Health Service), an organisation that provides medical services to the NHS, or otherwise an organisation that provides adult social care. If an employer is not already approved, they can apply to obtain a Sponsor Licence if they are eligible to do so.
Employers must ensure they form the Certificate of Sponsorship correctly and set out how the employee meets the eligibility requirements for this job role and this visa. If an employer is commissioned by the NHS, it may be required for them to disclose any contractual agreements.
Certificates of sponsorship cannot have been issued any more than 3 months before the date the visa application is made.
The certificate of sponsorship from the UK employer must include information such as:
- The applicant’s name, salary, and job title
- A start date that is no more than 3 months after the date the application is made
- Confirmation that this CoS has not been previously used in another application that was refused or granted and has not been withdrawn by the sponsor or even cancelled by the Home Office.
Salary Requirements
The general salary requirement for a Health and Care Worker Visa in the UK is typically £23,200. However, if the ‘going rate’ for your job is over £23,200, then the worker needs to be paid at the going rate. Each occupation code will have its own going rate per year. This rate will depend on the job.
Different Salary Requirements
The occupation codes that need to meet different salary requirements include:
- 1171: health services and public health managers and directors
- 1231: health care practice managers
- 1232: residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors
- 2113: biochemists and biomedical scientists
- 2114: physical scientists
- 3111: laboratory technicians
- 3211: dispensing opticians
- 3212: pharmaceutical technicians
- 6135: care workers and home carers
- 6136: senior care workers
If you work in any of these professions, you will need to be paid at least £29,000 per year, or the lower ‘going rate’ for your job, whichever is higher.
Also note that you may
Knowledge Of English Requirements
Applicants will also need to prove they know English when they apply. The only time when this is not required is if the applicant has already done so in a previous successful visa application.
The applicant must prove that they can read, speak, write, and understand English to a B1 level on the CEFR scale. This can be done in the following ways:
- Having a GCSE, A-level, Scottish National Qualification (level 4 or 5), Advanced Higher, or Scottish Higher in English, or having gained study at a school in the UK that was started under the age of 18
- Passing a SELT (Secure English Language Test) by an approved provider
- Having a degree-level academic qualification that was taught in English. If the applicant studied abroad, however, they will need to apply via ECCTIS for confirmation that the qualification is equivalent to a UK Bachelor, Master, or PhD
Unless you are exempt for another reason, citizens of Pakistan will be required to pass the English language requirement for their visa.
Processing Time & Fee For Health Care Worker Visa
Most Health and Care Worker visas will obtain a decision on the application within 3 weeks; however, if interviews are required or any additional information is needed, the decision may take longer.
This visa also comes with reduced application fees where the employer notes that the applicant meets the eligibility criteria.
If a certificate of sponsorship is issued for the applicant to stay in the UK for 3 or fewer years, the fee will be £304.
If a certificate of sponsorship is issued for the applicant to stay in the UK for 3 or more years, the fee will be £590.
These applicants and their dependents are also exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge fee.
How To Apply For Health Care Worker Visa?
Overview
To apply for a UK Health and Care Worker visa, applicants will first need to be given a Certificate of Sponsorship by their sponsoring employer. This will be given as a unique reference number that can be used to apply online via the UK Home Office site.
Once the application is complete with all relevant information, the next stage of the application will be to pay appropriate fees. Additionally, the applicant will need to provide additional documentation that will support their application.
Upon receipt of the application, the Home Office will then assess the application, and a biometrics appointment will be required. This could be done by:
- Booking a biometrics appointment via one of the following Visa Application Centre locations in Pakistan:
- Islamabad
- Karachi
- Lahore
- Mirpur
- Enrolling your biometrics via the UK Visas and Immigration ID app.
Supporting Documents
The applicant will need to provide the following supporting documents with their application:
- A valid passport or travel document
- Any expired passports or travel documents
- The CoS reference number from your sponsor
- The name and sponsor licence reference number of the employer
- Details of the job, including SOC code, salary, and job title
- A statement from your bank showing proof of savings, unless you are being supported by your sponsor
- Proof of English language knowledge
- TB test results
- Criminal record certificate
- Proof of any dependent relationships if dependents are coming with you.
How Long Can You Stay In UK Under Health Care Worker Visa?
The Health and Care Worker Visa allows applicants to stay in the UK for as long as the sponsor is sponsoring the applicant, which can be up to 5 years. The duration depends on the employer and how long they are willing to sponsor the applicant.
The maximum time, with extension, is unlimited and applicants can be granted up to 5 years at a time.
Can You Extend Your Health Care Worker Visa?
It is possible to extend your Health and Care Worker Visa if you still meet the salary requirements and have the same job as when you applied, you are still working for the same employer who issued the current CoS, and your job still has the same occupation code.
How Can Total Law Help?
Health and Care Worker Visas are part of the route for a Skilled Worker Visa, and you can apply for this visa if you have a job offer in one of the relevant fields with an approved employer. If you are applying to work in the UK under the Health and Care Worker Visa, you will need to ensure you are prepared for your application.
Those who are eligible for the Health and Care Worker Visa and wish to apply for the visa should contact a member of our team at Total Law. We can help you prepare your application and guide you through the application process. Just call us at +44 (0)333 305 9375 or message us online to apply for the Health and Care visa.
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