Health and Care Worker visa 2026: which jobs still qualify, and which have closed

Doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, pharmacists, allied health professionals, psychologists and social workers can still apply for the Health and Care Worker visa from overseas, if an approved NHS, NHS-supplier or adult social care employer sponsors them. Care workers and senior care workers can no longer apply from outside the UK: that closed on 22 July 2025, and only in-country applications remain. Healthcare assistants can still be sponsored for now, but only while their code sits on the Immigration Salary List, which under current rules requires a certificate of sponsorship issued before 31 December 2026. All of this was checked on gov.uk on 23 October 2026.

This is general information, not immigration advice. For your own application, check gov.uk, your employer's international recruitment team, or a regulated adviser from the Immigration Advice Authority register.

What is the Health and Care Worker visa?

It is a version of the Skilled Worker visa for eligible health and care jobs. The Home Office fees table lists it as "Skilled Worker - Health and Care Visa". Gov.uk's Health and Care Worker visa page sets out what is different: a cheaper application fee, no immigration health surcharge for you or your family, and a decision usually within 3 weeks if you apply from outside the UK. Like the Skilled Worker visa, it can last up to 5 years before you extend it, and it can lead to settlement.

Which jobs qualify for a new Health and Care Worker visa?

Gov.uk's Your job page lists these occupation codes:

Group	Occupation codes
Doctors	2211 generalist medical practitioners, 2212 specialist medical practitioners
Nurses and midwives	2231 midwifery nurses, 2232 community nurses, 2233 specialist nurses, 2234 nurse practitioners, 2235 mental health nurses, 2236 children's nurses, 2237 other registered nursing professionals
Allied health and therapy	2221 physiotherapists, 2222 occupational therapists, 2223 speech and language therapists, 2224 psychotherapists and CBT therapists, 2225 clinical psychologists, 2226 other psychologists, 2229 other therapy professionals
Pharmacy, dental and other health professionals	2251 pharmacists, 2252 optometrists, 2253 dental practitioners, 2254 medical radiographers, 2255 paramedics, 2256 podiatrists, 2259 other health professionals
Science and technical	2113 biochemists and biomedical scientists, 2114 physical scientists, 3111 laboratory technicians, 3212 pharmaceutical technicians
Management and social work	1171 health services managers and directors, 1232 residential, day and domiciliary care managers, 2461 social workers
Support	6131 nursing auxiliaries and assistants

You need the code your employer will use. If you have an offer, ask for it. Gov.uk points to the CASCOT tool for looking up job titles, and warns that similar jobs can have different codes, for example dentists and dental hygiene therapists.

What about healthcare assistants?

Code 6131 (nursing auxiliaries and assistants, which covers healthcare assistants and healthcare support workers) is listed as "medium skilled". It is open to new applicants because it is on the Immigration Salary List. Two conditions in the rules matter:

the role must be "in environments where registered nurse or other registered healthcare professional roles also exist"
the list's removal date for 6131 is 31 December 2026, and an occupation only counts as listed where the certificate of sponsorship was issued before that date

As of 23 October 2026 we found no rule change on gov.uk extending that date. Because 6131 is medium skilled, new healthcare assistants also cannot bring a partner as a dependant unless they meet the 22 July 2025 continuous-employment rule. The same 31 December 2026 date applies to 1232 care managers, 3111 laboratory technicians (on the list only with 3 or more years' experience) and 3212 pharmaceutical technicians.

Which jobs can you only do if you are already in the UK?

Gov.uk lists two groups:

Care workers (6135) and senior care workers (6136): only for extending, updating or switching. Paragraph SW 6.1B of Appendix Skilled Worker says someone switching in must have worked legally for the sponsor in the role for at least three months up to the date the certificate is issued, and must apply before 22 July 2028. People already sponsored in these codes can move between licensed care employers.
Six other medium-skilled health codes: 1231 health care practice managers, 3211 dispensing opticians, 3213 medical and dental technicians, 3219 health associate professionals not elsewhere classified, 6132 ambulance staff (excluding paramedics) and 6133 dental nurses. These are only open if you got your certificate of sponsorship before 22 July 2025 and have held Health and Care Worker or Skilled Worker visas continuously since.

In England, a care worker's employer must also be registered with the Care Quality Commission.

What salary do you need?

There are two systems, depending on the code.

Your job	Minimum salary
Most eligible health jobs (nurses, doctors, allied health, social workers, healthcare assistants)	£25,000, or the national pay scale rate for the job's band if higher
1171, 1231, 1232, 2113, 2114, 3111, 3211, 3212, 6135, 6136	£31,300, or the "lower going rate" for the code if higher

The national pay scale rates come from gov.uk's national pay scales for eligible healthcare jobs, by NHS Agenda for Change band and UK nation, and apply in private and public sector jobs alike. Appendix Skilled Occupations says band 1 and band 2 jobs cannot be sponsored. Ask your employer which band your role is. For the codes in the second row, gov.uk says lower rates (from £25,000) can apply to new entrants, people with a relevant PhD and some postdoctoral roles.

How much does it cost?

From gov.uk's Health and Care Worker costs page, which matches the Home Office fees table from 8 October 2026:

£324 per person for a visa of up to 3 years, or £628 for longer, the same from inside or outside the UK
no immigration health surcharge for you, your partner or your children
£1,270 in savings to support yourself, unless you have been in the UK on a valid visa for 12 months or your employer certifies maintenance

The employer pays the certificate of sponsorship fee and any Immigration Skills Charge. Home Office sponsor guidance says it must not pass either cost on to you.

What level of English do you need?

Gov.uk says new applicants and people switching from a different visa need level B2. If you had this visa before 8 January 2026 and are extending or updating it, B1 applies and you do not need to prove it again. Gov.uk's Skilled Worker guidance adds that doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives do not need to prove their English if they have already passed an English assessment accepted by their professional regulator.

How do you find a sponsoring employer?

Start from employers that already hold a licence. Our daily copy of the Home Office register, as of 23 October 2026, lists 751 health and medical employers in London alone on our London health sponsors page, with more in Manchester, Leeds and Glasgow. You can check any single name with our sponsor licence check. Then confirm with the employer that the specific vacancy is sponsored.

Can the Health and Care Worker visa lead to settlement?

Yes, under the rules in force today, after 5 years if you meet the other requirements. The government has proposed changes. Its November 2025 announcement said NHS doctors and nurses would be able to settle after 5 years, and that lower-paid workers who came on health and social care visas between 2022 and 2024 would face a 15-year baseline. Those are proposals from the earned settlement consultation, which closed on 13 February 2026. As of 23 October 2026 we found no rule change on gov.uk implementing them.

Sources: every gov.uk page linked in this article was checked on 23 October 2026. Register figures come from our copy synced that morning.

Frequently asked questions

Which jobs are eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa in 2026? Gov.uk lists 31 occupation codes for new applicants, including doctors, all registered nursing and midwifery codes, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, pharmacists, radiographers, paramedics, social workers, biomedical scientists, care managers and healthcare assistants.

Can care workers still get a Health and Care Worker visa from overseas? No. Since 22 July 2025, care worker and senior care worker applications must be made from inside the UK. Switching in needs at least three months' legal work for the sponsor in the role and an application before 22 July 2028.

Can healthcare assistants be sponsored in 2026? Yes, under code 6131, which is on the Immigration Salary List, provided the role is in a setting where registered nurses or other registered health professionals also work. Under current rules the certificate of sponsorship must be issued before 31 December 2026.

What is the minimum salary for the Health and Care Worker visa? For most eligible health jobs, £25,000 or the national pay scale rate for the job's NHS band, whichever is higher. For some management, scientific and care codes it is £31,300 or the lower going rate, whichever is higher.

Do I pay the immigration health surcharge on a Health and Care Worker visa? No. Gov.uk says Health and Care Worker visa holders, and their partners and children, do not pay the healthcare surcharge.

Can I bring my family on a Health and Care Worker visa? If your job is higher skilled, such as a registered nurse or doctor, yes. Care workers, healthcare assistants and other medium-skilled roles face cut-off dates of 11 March 2024 and 22 July 2025 for bringing partners and most children.