Apply for Extension of Health and Care Worker Visa UK

: Written by: Arshad Mahmood; Last Updated: 17 April 2026

You can apply for extension or renewal of your Health and Care Worker visa before the expiry of your current Health and Care Worker leave, or if you are changing jobs and being sponsored by a different Health and Care Worker sponsor. Your prospective Health and Care Worker sponsor will need to assign you a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for you to apply for extension/renewal of your Health and Care Worker visa. You cannot apply for a Health and Care Worker visa extension from outside the UK. For the extension of a Health and Care Worker visa, you must be sponsored by the NHS, an NHS supplier or a care home to do an eligible job in the UK. Those applying for the Health and Care visa are exempt from the Immigration Health Charge and pay lower visa application fees.

The Health and Care Worker visa is a Point-Based System (PBS) visa category, and points can be awarded for the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), job skill level, English language, appropriate Salary, PhD-level qualifications, job in an immigration salary list, and the applicant being a new entrant. A total of 70 points is required to be eligible to apply for a Health and Care Worker visa; 50 points from mandatory non-tradable points and the remaining 20 from tradable points.

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Free Immigration Advice For Health and Care Worker Visa

Our specialist team of immigration solicitors can provide one-off, 5-minute free online immigration advice on your UK health and care worker visa application. Ask a question to our specialist team of immigration solicitors for free immigration advice, or book an appointment online for detailed immigration advice and consultation with one of our immigration solicitors concerning your application for a health and care worker visa UK.

Eligibility Requirements For Health and Care Worker Visa Extension

You should meet the following requirements for renewal/extension of your Health and Care Worker visa:

You must have current permission to enter or stay on a Health and Care Worker visa.
You must score 50 points from mandatory non-tradable points.
You must score at least 20 points from tradable points.
You must have funds for maintenance in the UK, or your Health and Care Worker sponsor has certified your maintenance.
You must meet the suitability criteria and not fall for refusal under the general grounds for refusal.

The employer is required to include a brief explanation in the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) that explains how the employee meets the Health and Care Visa eligibility requirements. The employer will also be responsible for informing the applicant that they are eligible for the Health and Care Visa, so the applicant can correctly complete the visa application form. Where an employer is an organisation that provides services commissioned by the NHS, evidence of the contract arrangements with the NHS may need to be provided to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) as proof that applicants are eligible to apply for a Health and Care Visa.

Eligible Occupation Codes for Health and Care Worker Visa

You can apply for a Health and Care Worker visa if your job is in one of the following occupation codes:

1171: health services and public health managers and directors
1232: residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors
2113: biochemists and biomedical scientists
2114: physical scientists
2211: generalist medical practitioners
2212: specialist medical practitioners
2221: physiotherapists
2222: occupational therapists
2223: speech and language therapists
2224: psychotherapists and cognitive behaviour therapists
2225: clinical psychologists
2226: other psychologists
2229: therapy professionals not elsewhere classified
2231: midwifery nurses
2232: registered community nurses
2233: registered specialist nurses
2234: registered nurse practitioners
2235: registered mental health nurses
2236: registered children’s nurses
2237: other registered nursing professionals
2251: pharmacists
2252: optometrists
2253: dental practitioners
2254: medical radiographers
2255: paramedics
2256: podiatrists
2259: other health professionals not elsewhere classified
2461: social workers
3111: laboratory technicians
3212: pharmaceutical technicians
6131: nursing auxiliaries and assistants
6135: Care workers and home carers (in-country applications only)
6136: Senior care workers (in-country applications only)

Approved UK Health and Care Sector Employers

You must have a job offer from an approved UK employer holding a sponsor licence before you apply for a Health and Care Worker visa. Approved employers are also known as sponsors, because they are sponsoring you to come to or stay in the UK. You must have a job offer from:

the NHS
an organisation providing medical services to the NHS
an organisation providing adult social care

If your employer is not currently approved, they can apply for a sponsor licence if they are eligible. Our specialist team of immigration solicitors can help your employer with a sponsor licence application.

Change of Employment Applications

You must make a change of employment application if you wish to change employers. You must have a new Certificate of Sponsorship from your new Health and Care Worker sponsor and you must meet all the points requirements.

You must also make a change of employment application if you are remaining with the same employer, but:

there is a change to your core duties, which means you change jobs to a different Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code other than one related solely to the reclassification from SOC 2000 to SOC 2010; or
under TUPE (or similar) protection, you change jobs and the new job is in the same SOC code, but your new salary is less than the appropriate rate for the new job as shown in the relevant code of practice; or
you are remaining with the same sponsor, but there is a change to your core duties, which means you change jobs from a job which is currently on the shortage occupation list to a job which is not on the shortage occupation list; or
your pay reduces from the level indicated on your current Certificate of Sponsorship, other than changes due to company-wide reductions defined as acceptable in the Sponsor Guidance, or reductions due to maternity, paternity, adoption leave, and/or a period of sick leave that lasted for one month or longer; or
changes to your core duties, which means your job changes within the same SOC code, provided your pay remains above the acceptable rate for the new job.

A change of employment application is not required for other changes to your job. For example, if you remain with the same employer and change jobs to a different role within the same SOC code, your pay increases, or you are moving under TUPE (or similar) protection due to a takeover, merger, de-merger, or any other circumstances in which TUPE is triggered.

Salary Requirements for Health and Care Worker Visas

To succeed in the Skilled Worker visa application, the applicant must score 50 points from mandatory non-tradeable points and at least 20 points from tradeable points.

Mandatory Non-Tradeable Points For Skilled Worker Visa

The applicant must score 50 mandatory non-tradeable points to succeed in an application for a Skilled Worker visa, and the remaining 20 points can be scored from tradeable points. The mandatory non-tradeable points are given in the table below:

Characterstics	Points
Sponsorship	20
Job at an appropriate skill level	20
English language	10

Tradeable Points For Skilled Worker Visa UK

The application process for skilled worker visas asks applicants and sponsors to provide all relevant information that might attract tradeable points. Applicants can score tradeable points in more than one way (although they cannot mix and match different options). To secure a successful skilled worker visa, an applicant must amass 20 tradeable points. These points can be acquired through various options, each offering its own set of criteria for point allocation. However, please note that the applicant can claim 20 points from only one of the available options.

The applicant must be awarded 20 points from one of the options in the table below, and for the purpose of meeting these points:

(a) An applicant can only be awarded points from options A to E, unless they meet the requirements in (b) or (c).

(b) An applicant can only be awarded points from options F to J if:

(i) they are being sponsored for a Health and Care ASHE salary job; or
(ii) the date of application is before 4 April 2030, they were granted permission as a Skilled Worker under the rules in place before 4 April 2024, and they have had continuous permission as a Skilled Worker since then (except that where paragraph 39E applies, that period of overstaying will be disregarded).

(c) An applicant can only be awarded points from option K if they are being sponsored for a job in an appropriate eligible SOC 2020 occupation code listed in Table 3 or Table 3a of Appendix Skilled Occupations.

Salary Requirements Under Options A to E

The salary requirements for skilled worker visa under options A to E changed from 22 July 2025. Various options to score 20 tradeable points for meeting the salary requirement as per the new skilled worker visa rules, effective from 22 July 2025, for a skilled worker visa UK are as follows:

Meeting Salary Requirements Under Option A

The applicant can score 20 tradeable points under Option A in accordance with the requirements of paragraph SW8.1 of Appendix Skilled Worker of the Immigration Rules, the applicant’s salary equals or exceeds both:

£41,700 per year; and
The going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code, as set out in Table 1 or Table 1a of Appendix Skilled Occupations of the Immigration Rules.

Option B (PhD in a Subject Relevant To The Job)

The applicant can score 20 tradeable points under Option B as per the requirements of paragraphs SW9.1 to SW9.4 of Appendix Skilled Worker of the Immigration Rules if the applicant has a PhD in a subject relevant to the job and their salary equals or exceeds both:

£37,500 per year; and
90% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code as set out in Table 1 or Table 1a of Appendix Skilled Occupations of the Immigration Rules.

Option C (PhD in a STEM Subject Relevant To The Job)

The applicant can score 20 tradeable points under Option C according to the requirements of paragraphs SW10.1 to SW10.3 of Appendix Skilled Worker of the Immigration Rules if the applicant has a PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job and their salary equals or exceeds both:

£33,400 per year; and
80% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code as set out in Table 1 or Table 1a of Appendix Skilled Occupations of the Immigration Rules.

Option D (Job On The Immigration Salary List)

The applicant can score 20 tradeable points under Option D in accordance with the requirements of SW11.1 to SW11.3 of Appendix Skilled Worker of the Immigration Rules if the applicant is being sponsored for a job on the Immigration Salary List and their salary equals or exceeds both:

£33,4000 per year; and
The going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code as set out in Table 1 or Table 1a of Appendix Skilled Occupations of the Immigration Rules.

Option E (New Entrant)

The applicant can score 20 tradeable points under Option E as per the requirements of SW12.1 to 12.3 of Appendix Skilled Worker of the Immigration Rules if the applicant is a new entrant at the start of their career and their salary equals or exceeds both:

£33,400 per year and
70% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code as set out in Table 1 or Table 1a of Appendix Skilled Occupations of the Immigration Rules.

Salary Requirements Under Options F to J

An applicant for a skilled worker visa can only be awarded 20 points from options F to J if:

They are being sponsored for a Health and Care ASHE salary job; or
The date of application is before 4 April 2030, they were granted permission as a Skilled Worker under the rules in place before 4 April 2024, and they have had continuous permission as a Skilled Worker since then (except that where paragraph 39E applies, that period of overstaying will be disregarded).

The salary requirements for skilled worker visa under options F to J changed from 22 July 2025. Various options to score 20 tradeable points for meeting the salary requirement as per the new skilled worker visa rules, effective from 22 July 2025, for a skilled worker visa UK are as follows:

Meeting Salary Requirement With Option F

The applicant applying for a skilled worker visa can score 20 tradeable points under Option F as per the requirements of SW8.1 of Appendix Skilled Worker of the Immigration Rules if the applicant’s salary equals or exceeds both:

£31,300 per year; and
The going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code as set out in Table 2, Table 2aa or Table 2a of Appendix Skilled Occupations of the Immigration Rules.

Option G (PhD in a Subject Relevant To The Job)

The applicant applying for a skilled worker visa can score 20 tradeable points under Option G in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs SW9.1 to 9.4 of Appendix Skilled Worker of the Immigration Rules if the applicant has a PhD in a subject relevant to the job and their salary equals or exceeds both:

£28,200 per year; and
90% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code as set out in Table 2, Table 2aa or Table 2a of Appendix Skilled Occupations of the Immigration Rules.

Option H (PhD in a STEM Subject Relevant To The Job)

The applicant applying for a skilled worker visa can score 20 points under Option H in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs SW9.1 to 9.4 of Appendix Skilled Worker of the Immigration Rules if the applicant has a PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job and their salary equals or exceeds both:

£25,000 per year; and
80% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code as set out in Table 2, Table 2aa or Table 2a of Appendix Skilled Occupations of the Immigration Rules.

Option I (Job On The Immigration Salary List)

The applicant applying for a skilled worker visa can score 20 tradeable points under Option I in accordance with the requirements of SW11.1 to SW11.3 of Appendix Skilled Worker of the Immigration Rules if the applicant is being sponsored for a job on the Immigration Salary List and their salary equals or exceeds both:

£25,000 per year; and
the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code as set out in Table 2, Table 2aa or Table 2a of Appendix Skilled Occupations of the Immigration Rules.

Option J (New Entrant)

The applicant applying for a skilled worker visa can score 20 tradeable points under Option E as per the requirements of SW12.1 to 12.3 of Appendix Skilled Worker of the Immigration Rules if the applicant is a new entrant at the start of their career and their salary equals or exceeds both:

£25,000 per year and
70% of the going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code as set out in Table 2, Table 2aa or Table 2a of Appendix Skilled Occupations of the Immigration Rules.

Option K (Job in a Listed Health or Education Occupation)

Some health and education occupation codes are listed in Table 3 of Appendix Skilled Occupations. The going rates for these occupations are taken from national pay scales, and no discounts to the going rates are available. If an applicant is being sponsored in an occupation code in Table 3, they can only score tradeable points based on option K.

The applicant applying for a skilled worker visa UK can score 20 tradeable points under Option K in accordance with requirements of SW13.1 to 13.3 of Appendix Skilled Worker of the Immigration Rules if the applicant is being sponsored for a job in a listed health or education occupation and their salary equals or exceeds both:

£25,000 per year; and
The going rate for the SOC 2020 occupation code as set out in Table 3, 3a, 4 or 5 of Appendix Skilled Occupations of the Immigration Rules.

Financial Requirement (Mandatory) For A Skilled Worker

If the applicant is applying for permission to stay and has been in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer on the date of application, they will meet the financial requirement and do not need to show funds.

If the applicant is applying for permission to stay and has been in the UK for less than 12 months on the date of application, either:

the applicant must have funds of at least £1,270 and the the applicant must show that they have held the required funds for a 28-day period and as specified in Appendix Finance; or
the applicant’s A-rated sponsor must certify that they will, if necessary, maintain and accommodate the applicant up to the end of the first month of their employment, to an amount of at least £1,270.

Period and Conditions of Grant For Health and Care Worker Visa

The applicant will be granted leave to remain as a Health and Care Worker until 14 days after the end date of their certificate of sponsorship (which may be up to a maximum of 5 years after the start date of their certificate of sponsorship).

The grant will be subject to all the following conditions:

no access to public funds; and
work is permitted only in the job the applicant is being sponsored for; and
supplementary employment is permitted, providing the person continues to work in the job for which they are being sponsored; and
voluntary work is permitted; and
working out a contractual notice period is permitted, for a job the applicant was lawfully working in on the date of application; and
study is permitted, subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS.

Priority & Priority Service

Our specialist team of immigration solicitors can provide a fast-track visa service to get you a decision on your application faster through the Priority Service or Super Priority Service. This way, you will get a decision on your application faster and will not have to wait months (sometimes years).

Our fast track immigration solicitors can prepare your application faster and submit your application under the Priority Service or Super Priority Service to get you faster decision on your application.

As specialist immigration solicitors in London, we are registered with the Home Office, UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI), to provide Priority Service or Super Priority Service for your application, which means a decision on your application will be made by UKVI faster. An application submitted through Priority Service is normally decided within 5 working days, and an application submitted through Super Priority Service is normally decided within 24 hours (usually by the end of the next working day).

How Can We Help With the Extension of a Health and Care Worker Visa?

Our specialist team of health and care worker visa solicitors can provide expert immigration advice and legal representation for your health and care worker visa extension application on a fixed-fee basis. Our health and care worker visa solicitors can legally represent you in your application for a health and care worker visa and carry out all the work on your application until the decision by the Home Office UKVI on your health and care worker visa application. The immigration casework to be carried out by our immigration solicitors about your application for a health and care worker visa will entail the following:

Advice on requirements: Our health and care worker visa solicitors will advise you on the requirements you must meet for your health and care worker visa extension application to be successful.

Documentary advice: Our health and care worker visa solicitors will prepare and email you a comprehensive list of supporting documents to be submitted with your application for a health and care worker visa.

Assessing documents: Our health and care worker visa solicitors will review your documents to ensure that all the documents you provide in support of your application for a health and care worker visa comply with the immigration rules' requirements.

Completing the application form: Our health and care worker visa solicitors will complete the relevant form for your health and care worker visa extension application.

Priority or Super Priority Service: If required, our health and care worker visa solicitors will submit your application online through Priority Service for a decision within 5 working days, or through Super Priority Service for a decision within 24 hours.

Booking an appointment with the application centre: After the online submission of your application for a health and care worker visa, our immigration lawyers will book your appointment with the application centre for you to enrol your biometrics.

Detailed cover letter: Our specialist immigration solicitors will prepare a detailed cover letter in support of your application for a health and care worker visa, explaining all the relevant legal requirements to ensure your application is approved by the Home Office UKVI.

Uploading documents online: Before the biometrics enrolment date, our immigration lawyers will upload all supporting documents online for your application for a health and care worker visa.

Follow-up work: Our immigration lawyers will handle all necessary follow-up until the UKVI Home Office decides on your health and care worker visa extension application.

Specialist Health and Care Worker Visa Solicitors

Our health and care worker visa solicitors are specialists in health and care worker visa extension applications. As one of the best health and care worker visa solicitors, we have an excellent track record of helping clients successfully extend their visas. Our highly experienced and fully qualified health and care worker visa solicitors can provide fast, friendly, reliable, and fixed-fee immigration advice and legal representation for your health and care worker visa extension application.

The high quality of UK visa and immigration legal services provided by our best team of immigration lawyers is self-evident from the 5-star Google Reviews rating by 99% of our clients. Our London-based immigration solicitors are available 7 days a week, 365 days a year, offering unwavering dedication and exceptional legal support for a wide range of UK visa and immigration cases. Our team of highly regarded immigration solicitors brings together more than 6 decades of collective, specialised expertise in successfully handling UK visa and immigration applications.

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