Personal Immigration

Health & Care Visa

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Health & Care visa

The UK Government introduced a new visa route for heath and care workers starting from 04 August 2020. This category is designed for foreign individuals who wish to enter the UK as medical workers, and the route will be covered under Tier 2 (General) and in Part A of the Tier 2 policy guidance. The qualifying applicants must be qualified doctors, nurses or health professionals who have been trained to a recognised standard. Any other medical professional, for example care home worker, will not qualify for this specific route.

Health & Care visa requirements

The applicants who wish to enter the UK under a Health and Care Visa must satisfy some criteria similar to the current Tier 2 general category:

Be offered a job by an UK-based medical organisation
Provide evidence of having been offered an appropriate salary, which meets the relevant salary threshold
Be able to provide evidence of knowledge of English language
Having sufficient personal savings when arriving in the UK
Be able to demonstrate ability to travel and travel history over the preceding five years
Provide valid tuberculosis test results (if from a listed country)
Provide a criminal record certificate from any country where a migrant has lived for 12 months or more in the last 10 years

Qualifying Employers

Employers that are able to sponsor foreign medical professionals under this new route are limited by the specification on the Tier 2 (General) Guidance that has been updated on 17 July 2020. Below is a list of the qualifying employers for England & Wales (Only):

An NHS Foundation Trust in England, an NHS Trust in England, the Care Quality Commission, Health Education England,
Health Research Authority,
Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority,
Human Tissue Authority, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency,
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence,
NHS Blood and Transplant, NHS Business Services Authority,
NHS Digital (the Health and Social Care Information Centre),
NHS England (the NHS Commissioning Board),
NHS Improvement (Monitor and the NHS Trust Development Authority,
NHS Resolution (the NHS Litigation Authority or Public Health England,
Local Authority or Clinical Commissioning Group;
Local Health Board in Wales,
Health Education & Improvement Wales,
Public Health Wales,
The Welsh Ambulance Service or Velindre NHS Trust.

Qualifying Skilled Occupation Codes

Only specific medical professionals would be able to take advantage of this new visa category. The following are all the Jobs & Relevant Skilled Occupation Codes that are eligible for this visa:

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
2221 – Physiotherapists
2222 – Occupational Therapists
2223 – Speech and Language Therapists
2229 – Therapy professionals not elsewhere classified
2231 – Nurses
2232 – Midwives
2442 – Social Workers
3213 – Paramedics

How can we assist?

Our Immigration lawyers at City Legal have immense experience in assisting skilled workers and their employers across a wide range of industry and sectors in the UK. We are a multi award winning law firm and pride ourselves in being approachable, innovative and always going that extra mile to make sure our clients receive the individual attention they deserve. Our Immigration team maintains a high reputation and is committed to provide clear, transparent and reliable advice to our clients.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the fees for this application?

The Home Office application fee for this particular visa category has not yet been announced; however, it was previously stated as £464.

Will I have to pay Immigration Health Surcharge?

No. The UKVI has announced that foreign workers coming to the UK under Health and Care visa are exempt from paying Immigration Health Surcharge.

How long does it take to process the application?

The Home Office has announced that Health and Care visa applications are to be fast-tracked, aiming to process the majority of application within three weeks of valid submission.

What are the qualifying employers for Scotland & Northern Ireland?

Foreign national who wish to practise in Scotland must be sponsored by:

A Health Board or Special Health Board constituted under section 2 of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978, Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service (established under Section 10 of that Act), Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (known as the Care Inspectorate) established under Section 44 of the Public Services (reform) (Scotland) Act 2010 or Scottish Social Services Council established under section 43 of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001; or A Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service, Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency, Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency, Northern Ireland Practice and Education Committee, Northern Ireland Social care Council, Patient and Client Council, Regional Agency for Public Health and Social Well-Being (the Public Health Agency), Regional Business Services Organisation, Regional Health and Social Care Board or Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority.

Can I bring Dependants under this visa?

Yes. You may bring a dependant as a partner or dependant person when you entering the UK under the Health and Care visa. You may also bring your partner if you are already working in the UK as a qualifying heath worker but you have commenced employment before the announcement of the Heath and Care visa.

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Health & Care Visa

Health & Care visa

Health & Care visa requirements

Qualifying Employers

Qualifying Skilled Occupation Codes

How can we assist?

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the fees for this application?

Will I have to pay Immigration Health Surcharge?

How long does it take to process the application?

What are the qualifying employers for Scotland & Northern Ireland?

Can I bring Dependants under this visa?

PRACTICE AREAS

QUICK LINKS

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ACCREDITATIONS

Health & Care Visa

Health & Care visa

Health & Care visa requirements

Qualifying Employers

Qualifying Skilled Occupation Codes

How can we assist?

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the fees for this application?

Will I have to pay Immigration Health Surcharge?

How long does it take to process the application?

What are the qualifying employers for Scotland & Northern Ireland?

Can I bring Dependants under this visa?

PRACTICE AREAS​

QUICK LINKS​

SIGN UP FOR MORE INSIGHTS

ACCREDITATIONS

PRACTICE AREAS

QUICK LINKS