UK Health and Care Worker Visa

  • October 4, 2022
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UK Health and Care Worker Visa

Recently, the UK government has added a UK Health and Care Worker Visa to their shortage occupation list. They need many care workers to do eligible jobs with the NHS, adult social care, or NHS suppliers.

To have a great career, are you planning to migrate to the UK? A safe job with a handsome salary is always a matter of pleasure. What if it paves you a way to get a permanent settlement with your family?

The UK government offers all these benefits by their Health and care worker visa. Recently, the British government announced a few jobs in their shortage occupation list, such as social care workers, care assistants, and home care workers, which fall under one category called care staff. And the application process will be valid for 12 months.

According to the new announcement, the care agency can hire international employees as care workers under the visa sponsorship process. When you qualify as a health care worker in the UK, you will get an advantage of the exemption from the immigration health surcharge.

There are many benefits of the UK Health and Care worker visa, including fast-track entry, less visa fees, and an opportunity for permanent settlement in the UK. Besides, the dedicated team of the UKVI will support the migrants and the dependents in the visa application process.

In the UK, due to many crises like poor workforce planning restrictive immigration policies, the position of the health and care workers needs to be increased. So, the UK government has eased up the immigration rules for immigrants. By applying for the post of care worker, you will get an easy and first-track entry to the UK.

A. Who can get a Health and Care Worker Visa?

The UK Government doesn’t mention any specific qualifications for the health and care worker visa except the English requirements. But yet, the special priority goes to the doctors, qualified nurses, experienced social workers, or the person who has any diploma degree in the health and social care sector. The UK government has replaced the tier 2 worker visa with the skilled worker visa.

If you want to get a visa, you must have English proficiency to communicate work in the UK.

Requirement for a health and care worker visa

For a health and care worker visa, there are some specific requirements to follow. Such as-

  • If you are a doctor, health professional, qualified nurse, paramedic, therapist, and senior social carer, you will be eligible for the post.
  • You need to be paid a minimum salary appropriate for the occupation. In short, you should meet the salary requirements according to the post.
  • The applicants must be experienced working for any health and social care association. Or, if you have a diploma course in social and health care, you will get the privilege.
  • Work experience from a health and care agency approved by the Home office.
  • The candidate must have an eligible job to get the visa.
  • According to the standard occupational classification (SOC) system code, you will be paid a salary by your job position.
  • You must have a secured and confirmed job offer from an approved UK employer to attain the Health and care worker visa.
  • If you are from a listed country that demands a tuberculosis test, you need a test report.
  • You must need a criminal record certificate.

B. You must have the job offer from-

The National Health Service. (NHS)

2. An organisation that provides adult social care.

3. An association related to the NHS provides medical service to it.

4. The UK employer who offers you the job of a care worker should have a valid certificate of sponsorship.

C. Salary Requirement for the UK Health and Care Visa

The minimum salary you will need to be paid is £20,480 for a care worker. If you are offered a higher salary than the going rate, you must match the higher figure to the going rate.

D. Requirements of English Proficiency

You need a minimum English proficiency to get the Health and Care Worker Visa. The requirement is at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference(CEFR) for Languages ability. Or you need an IELTS point 4 with no band less than 4. On the other hand, if you are related to any healthcare profession, you can also provide your OET score, which must be a minimum C grade.

You can prove your English knowledge by-

Passing a SELT from an approved provider.

Having an academic degree that is in English.

E. Information to remember to process visa

To obtain a visa, the following information you need to remember.

An applicant must have at least £1270 for 28 days in the bank account. It would be better to keep it for more than 30 days.

Your sponsor can provide you with financial and housing help in the UK if needed.

But remember, anyone from the UK cannot be your sponsor. To qualify as a sponsor, he must be related to the NHS or work in the NHS. Besides, he must be a government-approved licensed sponsor.

There are some advantages to the health and care worker visa. You need to pay only half of the visa fee if your job falls under the care worker category.

In addition, after applying, you don’t need to wait long. People applying for the health and care worker visa will get a faster decision.

You need to collect 70 points per the new UK point-based immigration system to get the visa. If you have a job offer as a skilled worker from an approved employer in the UK and can speak English, you will get 50 points.

The remaining 20 points can be secured if they are due to be paid a minimum of £20,480 per year.

The occupation code for the care workers and home carers job is 6145, which has its going rate. The UK government will take health and care workers into six categories: care assistant, care worker, carer, home care assistant, home care, and support worker.

F.Health and Care worker visa duration-

You may be sponsored for the 3 years or 5 years visa depending on the length of the sponsorship. You have to submit the exact application fee according to the duration of the visa. If you get a three-year visa, you need to pay £232. Moreover, if your visa duration is up to 5 years, you must pay £464.

After staying for 5 years in the UK, you will be eligible to apply for permanent settlement in the UK, also known as Indefinite leave to remain. After 5 years, if you change the job or your visa expires, you will need to extend or update your visa.

G. The duration of visa processing

You need to apply for the visa application three months before the start date of the UK as a health and care worker.

In visa processing, you need to provide all the scan documents of your identity. After that, within 3 weeks, you will get a decision on a health and care worker visa. You need to provide all the scan copies of the required documents to process a visa.

H. Exemption From health surcharge

The UK government exempts the people who get the health and care worker visa from the health surcharge. Besides, the dependents of the care worker also take the benefits of it.

I. Approved and Prohibited works of a care worker

Some approved and prohibited works for the care worker decided by the UK government. Let’s explain it.

Approved work

When you have permission to stay in the UK under the Health and care worker visa category, you will get the approval to do certain things there. Such as-

  • To do an eligible job.
  • In certain situations, you can take additional work.
  • You can study there.
  • Allowed to do voluntary work.
  • You can bring your dependents if they are eligible.
  • You can travel outside of the UK and return.
  • You can apply for a permanent settlement or Indefinite Leave to Remain.
Prohibited work

As an immigrant, when you enter the UK, there are some restrictions you should follow. You cannot apply for state pension, public funds, or benefits as a skilled worker. Moreover, you cannot change your job or employer unless you update your visa.

 

J.Visa application fees

For a three years visa, your application fee will cost £232. On the other hand, if your visa is for more than 3 years, it will cost up to £464. In terms of dependents, the fees will be different. If you take a spouse with you, it may require an extra £285. On the other hand, you have to pay an extra £315 for the first child and £200 for an additional child.

K. How to find a sponsor?

To achieve a health and care worker visa, you need to manage a sponsor. Without a valid A category sponsorship, you cannot achieve a health and care worker visa. You need a valid certificate of sponsorship from a government-approved employer in the UK. In the certificate of sponsorship, there needs an explanation from the sponsor providing details about your qualifications on the health and care worker visa.

To find a valid sponsorship, you can go through these websites.

Linked In– Linked In is one of the best platforms where many British employers are available. So give you priority to Linked in. Make a profile there and connect to them. You will find many jobs there offered by them.

Make a standard British CV–  At first, properly know how a standard British CV looks. After that, by following the British standard rule, make a cv.

Totaljobs– A well-known job site is Totaljobs, where you will get many announcements of the UK jobs. Make your profile there. By creating a profile, you can search for many jobs in health and care.

Besides, if any of your friends and family are living in the UK, you can take their help to find the sponsorship.

L. Easy route to settle in the UK

As the recruitment of the caregiver visa is in the UK’s shortage occupation list, it can be your easy route to settle in the UK.

M. What will be the job responsibilities?

Personal Care- you need to assist in personal hygiene like washing or using the toilet.

Support with eating and drinking- you need to ensure a healthy and nutritious diet in the correct quantities to the patient and encourage them to be healthy.

Assist in mobility- to assist them in standing, walking, lying, or any physical activity they need.

Domestic duties- you may clean dishes, empty the bins, wash or record keeping of your medication, exercise, sleep, eating, and so on.

N. Documents that you need for the UK health and care visa
  • Evidence of personal savings or the bank statement.
  • Proof of your relationship with the dependents.
  • TB test report.
  • Criminal record certificate
  •  If you are outside of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, then you will need a blank page in your passport.
  • If you have stayed in more than one country, you need to prove a certificate depending on your age.
O. Eligibility to work as a carer

You need to have either an NVQ level 3 in social and health care or any nursing degree or diploma in health and social care to make your dream come true. You need minimum experience.

P. AIMS Academy has started up a new Diploma in Health and Social Care

If you are not from a health and care-related sector but willing to go to the UK on a health and care worker visa, AIMS academy welcomes you to get a health and social care diploma from them.

AIMS Academy has launched its OTHM level 3 foundation diploma in Health and Social Care for your betterment.

It is an appropriate course to create a fantastic career in the UK under a health and care visa. By doing this course, you will be well trained and eligible to be a care assistant in the UK. You will learn the responsibilities, person-centered approaches, effective communication, and information handling in health and social care.

So, if you want to get a Health and care worker visa, this diploma course from the AIMS academy will be an excellent opportunity for you.

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