UK Health and Care Visa 2025: Care Worker Jobs, Nursing, and 2024 Rule Changes
The UK Health and Care visa is a specialised version of the Skilled Worker visa designed to fast-track overseas healthcare workers into the NHS and adult social care sector. It carries reduced application fees and faster processing compared to the standard Skilled Worker visa. However, significant changes were made in 2024 that affect who can bring dependants — making this a crucial guide for anyone considering this pathway.
Browse UK healthcare jobs: Search our job board for visa-sponsored healthcare and care worker positions in the UK.
1. What Is the Health and Care Visa?
The Health and Care visa is a sub-category of the Skilled Worker visa, available to workers in eligible healthcare and social care roles. Its key advantages over the standard Skilled Worker visa include:
- Reduced visa fees: Significantly lower application fees than the standard Skilled Worker visa
- No Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): Health and Care visa holders are exempt from paying the IHS — a saving of £1,035 per year
- Priority processing: Applications are processed faster than standard Skilled Worker applications
- Broader employer eligibility: Covers NHS trusts, NHS-funded bodies, and CQC-regulated social care providers
2. Eligible Roles for the Health and Care Visa
The Health and Care visa covers a specific list of occupations. The main eligible roles include:
NHS and clinical roles
- Registered Nurses (all specialisations)
- Doctors and Surgeons
- Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians
- Radiographers
- Physiotherapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Paramedics
- Health visitors and district nurses
- Midwives
- Social workers
- Medical laboratory technicians
Social care roles (added from February 2022)
- Senior Care Worker (SOC 6146) — The most common sponsored social care role
- Care Worker (SOC 6145) — Subject to restrictions following 2024 changes (see below)
- Home carers, residential care home workers, support workers
Check your exact role: Eligibility depends on your specific SOC code and employer type. The full list is published on GOV.UK — Health and Care Worker visa: eligible jobs.
3. The 2024 Rule Changes: What Changed and Who Is Affected
In March 2024, the UK government introduced significant restrictions on the Health and Care visa that every applicant must understand:
No dependants for care workers (from 11 March 2024)
The most impactful change: care workers and senior care workers applying for a Health and Care visa on or after 11 March 2024 can no longer bring dependants (spouse/partner or children) to the UK.
- This restriction applies to new applicants in SOC codes 6145 (care worker) and 6146 (senior care worker)
- Clinical roles (nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, etc.) are not affected — they can still bring dependants
- Care workers who were already in the UK before 11 March 2024 may be able to extend and retain dependants — check the current immigration rules
Tightened employer eligibility
- From March 2024, social care employers must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to sponsor Health and Care visa workers
- Employers who are not CQC-registered can no longer sponsor social care workers
- This was aimed at tackling immigration abuse by unscrupulous care employers
Important decision: If you are a care worker with a family, the dependant restriction is a major consideration. Some people in this situation choose to apply for a standard Skilled Worker visa instead (if their salary meets the higher threshold) or to pursue other UK visa routes that still permit dependants. Seek advice from a registered immigration adviser before proceeding.
4. Salary Requirements for the Health and Care Visa
Health and Care visa salary thresholds are set at the lower of:
- The going rate for the specific SOC code
- The general threshold for the Health and Care visa (currently £23,200/year, subject to updates)
In practice, typical salaries for Health and Care visa roles:
- Care Worker: £22,000–£28,000/year (many are above the visa minimum)
- Senior Care Worker: £25,000–£32,000/year
- Registered Nurse (Band 5, NHS): £28,407–£34,581/year (Agenda for Change pay scale)
- Registered Nurse (Band 6): £35,392–£42,618/year
- Specialist Nurse: £42,618–£50,000+/year
- NHS Doctor (Foundation): £36,616/year minimum
NHS pay scales: NHS pay is governed by the Agenda for Change (AfC) framework. Your starting pay band depends on your experience and the assessment by the NHS employer. Pay scales are reviewed annually. Check NHS Employers — Agenda for Change for current rates.
5. Nursing Jobs in the UK with Visa Sponsorship 2025
The NHS is the world's largest recruiter of international nurses. In 2023–24 alone, over 20,000 internationally trained nurses joined the NHS. Key facts for 2025:
- The NHS has a target to reduce international recruitment but continues to sponsor thousands of nurses annually due to ongoing shortfalls
- Most NHS trusts have dedicated international recruitment teams and can process Health and Care visa sponsorship efficiently
- The NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) registration is required before starting work — begin this process as early as possible as it can take 3–6 months
- Nurses from the Philippines, India, Nigeria, Ghana, and Zimbabwe are among the most common internationally recruited nationalities
Finding NHS nursing jobs
- NHS Jobs — Official NHS recruitment portal. Many listings explicitly state "visa sponsorship available" or "OSCE support provided"
- Nursing Jobs UK — Specialist nursing recruitment board
- International nursing agencies: Aster Healthcare, Greenstaff Medical, Global Health Staffing — they recruit overseas nurses and manage the full visa process
- VisaJobs.xyz — Curated sponsored healthcare roles in the UK
6. Care Worker Jobs in the UK with Visa Sponsorship
Despite the 2024 dependant restriction, the UK continues to sponsor tens of thousands of overseas care workers annually. The social care sector is chronically understaffed, and CQC-registered providers actively recruit internationally.
Where care workers are needed most
- Residential care homes: For elderly residents, people with learning disabilities, and those with mental health needs
- Domiciliary care agencies: Community-based home care — often the fastest to sponsor due to high turnover
- Supported living providers: For adults with disabilities
- NHS continuing healthcare: Hospital-based care coordination
Finding care worker jobs with sponsorship
- Carehome.co.uk — Dedicated care sector job board. Filter by "visa sponsorship"
- CV-Library — Search "care worker visa sponsorship"
- Reed Care — Large volume of sponsored care roles
- VisaJobs.xyz — Curated sponsored care worker listings
Watch for unscrupulous employers: The UK Home Office has revoked the sponsor licences of hundreds of care providers found to be exploiting overseas workers. Before accepting a job offer from a care company, verify their CQC registration status at CQC — Search for services and confirm they appear on the UK Register of Licensed Sponsors.
7. Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Health and Care visa better than the standard Skilled Worker visa?
For eligible healthcare roles, yes — it is cheaper (no IHS surcharge) and processed faster. The trade-off for care workers is the 2024 restriction on dependants. Clinical professionals (nurses, doctors, therapists) are generally not affected by the dependant restriction.
Can I switch from a Health and Care visa to a standard Skilled Worker visa?
Yes, if you receive a job offer in an eligible role that meets the standard Skilled Worker salary threshold (£38,700). Switching allows you to bring dependants if they could not come on your Health and Care visa.
How long does NMC registration take for overseas nurses?
Overseas nurse NMC registration typically takes 3–6 months. The process involves a document check, English language verification, and in most cases an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) in the UK. Many NHS trusts provide OSCE training and support as part of their international recruitment package.