Do you want to work in the UK as a nurse, doctor, social worker, or other health care worker? The UK Health and Care Visa is the fastest way to make that dream come true, and new applications in 2025–2026 will get even more out of it.
This step-by-step guide tells you what’s good for you, who can apply, and how to do it without an agency.
What’s in It for New Applicants?
As a new applicant for the UK Health and Care Visa, here’s what you’ll get:
- Fast-Track Processing: Your application will be given more weight. Most choices about visas are made in 3 weeks, while it usually takes 8–20 weeks for other visas.
- Reduced Visa Fees: People who are allowed to live with you will pay less than regular Skilled Worker applicants. If your employer says in the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) that you are eligible for a Health and Care Visa, the fee reduction is applied immediately.
- No Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): You don’t have to pay the IHS, which can cost up to £1,035 a year for each person. The same goes for your wife and children.
- Bring Your Family (Important Update): You can bring your partner and children, but not if your visa was granted after March 11, 2024, and you’re applying under SOC code 6135 (Care Workers and Home Carers) or 6136 (Senior Care Workers).
Who Is Eligible?
To get in, you need to:
- Want to get a Skilled Worker visa—
- Have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a UK employer approved by the Home Office
- Be starting a new job in a healthcare or social care job that is listed under a Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code.
Examples of Eligible Roles (SOC Codes):
- 2211: General medical practitioners
- 2235: Mental health nurses
- 2251: Pharmacists
- 2461: Social workers
- 6131: Nursing assistants
- 2254: Medical radiographers
- 2221: Physiotherapists
- 6135: Care workers and home careers (restrictions apply for dependents).
Check Also: UK 2 Year Temporary Work Visa – Check Details
New UK Visa Rules for Care Sector Jobs:
The UK has always been a popular place for healthcare workers to move to, but the rules for immigration are always changing. The government changed the rules for getting a UK visa for jobs in the care industry in 2025. These changes directly affect foreign workers who want to move to the UK to work as nurses, caregivers, or in care homes. These changes are meant to balance the need for more skilled care workers with tighter rules on immigration.
Work Visa Updates for Nurses and Caregivers in UK:
The Health and Care Worker visa is still one of the most important ways for healthcare workers from other countries to work in the United States. In 2025, however, new improvements were made, such as:
- Raised minimum wage levels: Many jobs in the care field now have higher minimum wages than they did in the past, so applicants need to make sure they know the new pay scale.
- Tougher Eligibility Requirements: Applicants must show that they can speak and write English well and pass tighter document checks.
- Sponsorship Compliance: Only licensed companies in the UK can hire foreign nurses and caregivers. This protects workers by following the law.
- Faster Processing for Critical Roles: Because of a lack of staff, nurses, senior aides, and some other medical professionals may benefit from getting their visas faster.
These changes to work visas for nurses and other caregivers in the UK are meant to keep care standards high while still letting skilled workers come in.
Care Home Worker Visa Changes in UK:
Changes to the visas for care home workers in the UK will be another big event in 2025. Because there aren’t enough workers in care homes, the government has changed rules to help bring in skilled foreign workers:
- Visa Sponsorship: Care homes can still hire foreign workers, but they can only do so if they are listed and licensed employers.
- Family and Dependents: There are now some limits on having dependents, especially for people who are just starting out in care work.
- Training and Career Pathways: The government encourages employers to give care home workers training chances so that their careers can grow.
These changes show that the UK is still trying to find a good balance between helping the care business and keeping immigration under control.
Why These Changes Matter:
These changes bring both problems and chances for healthcare workers working in other countries. There is still a high demand for caregivers, nurses, and healthcare assistants in the UK, even though the requirements have become stricter and applicants must prepare more carefully. Employers are still sponsoring skilled people who meet the requirements, especially for jobs that are hard to fill in the United States.
Benefits of UK Health and Care Visa:
- Quick Service for Visas: One of the best things about the Health and Care Visa is that applicants can get choices much faster than with other visa types because they go through priority processing.
- Lower fees for visas and more exemptions: People who apply for this type of visa pay less for their visas and don’t have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). This makes going to the UK a lot cheaper.
- The chance to bring dependents: People with a visa can bring their spouse, partner, or children to the UK with them. This makes it easy for families to move together. People who live with you can also work or go to school in the UK.
- Ways to become a permanent resident: People with a visa can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after living in the UK continuously for five years. This can finally lead to British citizenship.
- Lots of roles that can be filled: The visa covers a wide range of jobs in social and health care, such as nurses, doctors, paramedics, senior care workers, and adult social care workers. This gives people from other countries a lot of options.
- How to get to the NHS: People with a visa can work for the National Health Service (NHS), which is one of the best healthcare systems in the world. This can boost their professional reputation and give them more experience.
- Strong demand for jobs and job security: Because of the constant need for healthcare professionals in the UK, people who come on this visa have stable job possibilities and can expect their careers to grow over time.
New Application Process:
As of now, this step-by-step guide will help you apply for a Health and Care Visa more easily (Ref):
Step 1: Secure a Job Offer: Get hired by a company in the UK that is:
- It was okay with the Home Office, and
- Helping people with their health or social needs (like the NHS, local governments, or CQC-registered organizations)
Step 2: Obtain a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS): When your boss gives you a COS, it has to:
- Make it clear that you are eligible for a Health and Care Visa.
- Type in the job title and SOC code.
- Describe the deal and where the work will be done.
Step 3: Prepare Your Documents: What you’ll need:
- Passport
- CoS number
- Proof of English proficiency
- Tuberculosis (TB) test results (if required)
- Proof of funds (if not exempt)
- Letter from employer (if dependents are applying separately)
Step 4: Apply Online
- Go to: https://www.gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa
- On the Skilled Worker visa form, check the box next to Health and Care Visa to get the perks (lower fees and no IHS).
Step 5: Biometrics Appointment:
- You need to go to your appointment at the visa office to submit your biometrics and supporting documents.
Step 6: Wait for a Decision:
- Once biometrics are done, most applications are handled within three weeks.
Additional Guidance for Employers as Per New Changes for 2026
This is what your supporter has to do:
- Write a short sentence in the COS to explain why the job is eligible for the Health and Care Visa.
- If the main visa holder arrived before August 4, 2020, send a letter or email to dependents who are applying on their own.
The new rules start on July 22, 2025, and applications are accepted all year long. Make sure your support is ready and able to do it.
Important Note About Care Workers (SOC 6135, 6136):
If you want to work as a:
- Care Worker or Home Carer, or
- Senior Care Worker,
If you apply after March 11, 2024, you can’t bring guests unless:
You already had a visa before March 11, 2024, and you’ve held on to it.
You want to have a child born in the UK.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are the latest changes to the UK Health and Care Visa?
The UK raised the minimum salary standards, made it harder to qualify, and made changes to the rules for family members who depend on the person. These changes mostly affect caregivers, nurses, and care workers who are asking for visas with the help of sponsors.
Are care workers still eligible for UK visa sponsorship?
Yes, care workers can still apply, but only through approved employers in the UK. There are also new salary and skill standards set by the Home Office that applicants must meet.
Can I bring my family to the UK under the new visa rules?
The new rules make it harder for people with children to do some entry-level care jobs. For jobs that require more skill, like nurses, family support may still be possible.
