What is the UK Health And Care Visa?
The Health and Care visa was created to provide a fast-track for overseas nationals with medical and care skills to come to the UK to work in an eligible role within the NHS and private sector such as Nursing Homes, care homes. Successful applications can live and work in the UK for a period of five years and extend their visa as many times as they wish. After five years, migrant workers with a Health and Care visa will also have the option to apply for permanent settlement (referred to as indefinite leave to remain). There are considerable advantages of permanent residence, including the ability to switch employers, claim benefits, and there is no requirement to apply for further visas.
Senior Care Workers are on the Shortage Occupation List
A migrant Senior Care Worker annual salary of at least £20,480 This is a significant saving on the minimum salary threshold for jobs not on the Shortage Occupation List, which is usually set at £25,600.
The full explanation:
Among the most important of the sponsor licence requirements is that the migrant worker’s annual salary be the higher of either:
- £25,600, known as the general minimum threshold; or
- the going rate for the job category.
Let’s apply this to Senior Care Workers. Going rates are listed at Appendix Skilled Occupations, which tells that the going rate for Senior Care Workers is £16,900. This is lower than the general minimum threshold, so ordinarily, sponsor need to be paying Senior Care Worker the general minimum threshold of £25,600, unless they were a new entrant.
Here’s where the Shortage Occupation List comes in. When a job is on that list, the general minimum threshold drops to £20,480 and the going rate is reduced by 20%. So, thanks to the Shortage Occupation List, now need to pay a migrant Senior Care Worker the higher of either:
- £20,480, the reduced general minimum threshold; or
- 80% of the going rate for the job category.
We know that the going rate for Senior Care Workers is £16,900, and 80% of that is £13,520. This is still lower than the reduced general minimum threshold, the employer needs to pay thier migrant Senior Care Worker an annual salary of at least £20,480.
A quick note on new entrants:
There are various ways to meet the definition of a ‘new entrant’, but the most common is where the person is aged under 26 at the time they apply for their Skilled Worker visa, or they are a recent graduate. Sponsors must pay new entrants the higher of either:
- £20,480, the reduced general minimum threshold; or
- 70% of the going rate for the job category.
£20,480 is higher than 70% of the going rate for Senior Care Workers, so this won’t affect the sponsors of Senior Care Workers too much.
How Much Does A UK Health And Safety Visa Cost?
The application fee for a health and care visa is currently set at £232 per person for a visa of up to three years and £464 per person for a visa of more than three years.
Duration of a Health and Care Worker Visa
If your application for a Health and Care Worker Visa is approved you will be granted entry clearance or permission to stay for a period ending 14 days after the end date of your Certificate of Sponsorship (which may be up to a maximum of 5 years after the start date of your Certificate of Sponsorship). Your certificate of sponsorship will state for how long your employer is sponsoring you.
Who is eligible?
Doctors, nurses, health professionals and senior-level adult social workers are eligible for the visa. Eligibility is dependent on sponsorship from an employer with a valid Tier 2 sponsor licence. A person who fulfils the criteria of the job role will be issued with a certificate of sponsorship.
An application for a Tier 2 health and care visa can be made up to three months prior to the start date of your employment in the UK. The health and care visa is a ‘fast track’ immigration route, with decisions made on applications within three weeks of submitting biometric information.