Many Nepalis work in the NHS and UK care sector - this visa route has specific benefits, but rules around care workers and dependants have changed significantly.
The Health and Care Worker visa is a route within the Skilled Worker system designed specifically for people working in eligible health and social care roles. Many Nepalis in the UK work in the NHS and the care sector, and this visa has historically offered advantages over the standard Skilled Worker visa - including lower application fees and an exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge. However, the rules around this route - particularly for care workers and their dependants - have changed significantly in recent years and may change again. Always check the current official guidance before you apply or advise others.
Who the visa is for
The Health and Care Worker visa is available to people who have a job offer in an eligible role with a Home Office licensed sponsor. Eligible roles include doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, and certain adult social care roles. Not every job in a hospital or care home qualifies - the role must appear on the eligible occupations list, and the employer must hold a valid sponsor licence. Confirm both on GOV.UK before assuming you qualify: gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa.
Key benefits - and important caveats
- Reduced visa fees - the application fee is lower than the standard Skilled Worker visa fee, as a guide. The exact amounts change when the Home Office updates its fee schedule, so check the current figures during the online application.
- Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) exemption - eligible Health and Care Worker visa holders (and their dependants) have been exempt from paying the IHS, which represents a significant saving. However, this exemption has been subject to policy changes in the past - verify at the time of your application that the exemption still applies to your role.
- Faster processing - priority services may be available, subject to current processing arrangements.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Before you can apply, your employer must issue you a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). This is a reference number, not a physical certificate, which your employer generates through the Home Office sponsorship management system. Without a valid CoS from a licensed sponsor, you cannot apply for this visa. Your employer is responsible for ensuring they hold a valid Health and Care Worker sponsor licence - check the Home Office register of licensed sponsors if you have any doubt.
Salary and skill level
You must be paid at least the minimum salary threshold for your occupation code, or the “going rate” for that role, whichever is higher. These figures are set by the Home Office and are updated periodically - as a guide, check the current salary requirements for your specific occupation code at gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa rather than relying on figures in community groups or older articles.
Care workers and dependants - recent rule changes
The rules around care workers bringing dependants to the UK have changed considerably. From early 2024, care workers (those in social care roles rather than clinical NHS roles) were largely prevented from bringing dependants on this route. These restrictions have been controversial and have affected many Nepali families. The rules in this area have been subject to further review and may change again - check the very latest position at gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa before you make any decisions about your family’s plans. If you are already in the UK and your dependant’s situation is uncertain, seek advice from an OISC-regulated immigration adviser or solicitor.
Beware of sponsorship scams
Unfortunately, fraudulent operators advertise “sponsorship for sale” - promising a Certificate of Sponsorship or a care job in exchange for large upfront payments. This is illegal. Genuine employers do not charge workers for sponsorship. If someone asks you to pay for a CoS, a job placement, or a visa arrangement, it is almost certainly a scam. You could lose your money, be prevented from working in the UK, and face immigration consequences. Report suspected fraud to gov.uk/report-immigration-crime.
Rules change - always check GOV.UK
This is one of the most actively changing immigration routes in the UK. If you are planning to apply, switch to this route, or bring family members, confirm every detail on the official page: gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa. For complex cases, consult an OISC-regulated immigration adviser.
Health and Care Worker visa भनेको Skilled Worker प्रणालीभित्रको एउटा रुट हो, जुन योग्य स्वास्थ्य र सामाजिक हेरचाह भूमिकामा काम गर्ने मानिसहरूका लागि विशेष रूपमा बनाइएको हो। बेलायतका धेरै नेपाली NHS र केयर क्षेत्रमा काम गर्छन्, र यो भिसाले परम्परागत रूपमा मानक Skilled Worker भिसाभन्दा फाइदा दिँदै आएको छ — कम आवेदन शुल्क र Immigration Health Surcharge बाट छुट सहित। तर, यो रुटका नियम — विशेष गरी केयर वर्कर र उनीहरूका आश्रितका लागि — हालका वर्षमा निकै परिवर्तन भएका छन् र फेरि परिवर्तन हुन सक्छन्। आवेदन दिनुअघि वा अरूलाई सल्लाह दिनुअघि सधैं वर्तमान आधिकारिक मार्गदर्शन जाँच्नुहोस्।
यो भिसा कसका लागि हो
Health and Care Worker visa Home Office लाइसेन्स प्राप्त sponsor सँग योग्य भूमिकामा जागिरको प्रस्ताव भएका मानिसका लागि उपलब्ध छ। योग्य भूमिकामा डाक्टर, नर्स, allied health professional, र केही वयस्क सामाजिक हेरचाह भूमिका पर्छन्। अस्पताल वा केयर होमको हरेक जागिर योग्य हुँदैन — भूमिका योग्य occupations सूचीमा हुनुपर्छ, र रोजगारदातासँग वैध sponsor licence हुनुपर्छ। तपाईं योग्य हुनुहुन्छ भन्ने मान्नुअघि GOV.UK मा दुवै पुष्टि गर्नुहोस्: gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa।
मुख्य फाइदा — र महत्त्वपूर्ण सावधानी
- घटाइएको भिसा शुल्क — मार्गदर्शनका रूपमा, आवेदन शुल्क मानक Skilled Worker भिसा शुल्कभन्दा कम हुन्छ। Home Office ले शुल्क तालिका अद्यावधिक गर्दा ठ्याक्कै रकम परिवर्तन हुने भएकाले, अनलाइन आवेदनको क्रममा वर्तमान रकम जाँच्नुहोस्।
- Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) छुट — योग्य Health and Care Worker visa धारक (र उनीहरूका आश्रित) IHS तिर्नबाट छुट पाउँदै आएका छन्, जुन ठूलो बचत हो। तर, यो छुट विगतमा नीतिगत परिवर्तनको विषय बनेको छ — आवेदन दिने बेला तपाईंको भूमिकालाई छुट अझै लागू हुन्छ कि पुष्टि गर्नुहोस्।
- छिटो प्रशोधन — वर्तमान प्रशोधन व्यवस्थाअनुसार, priority सेवा उपलब्ध हुन सक्छ।
Certificate of Sponsorship
तपाईंले आवेदन दिनुअघि, तपाईंको रोजगारदाताले तपाईंलाई Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) जारी गर्नुपर्छ। यो भौतिक प्रमाणपत्र होइन, एउटा सन्दर्भ नम्बर हो, जुन तपाईंको रोजगारदाताले Home Office को sponsorship management system मार्फत बनाउँछन्। लाइसेन्स प्राप्त sponsor बाट वैध CoS नभई, तपाईं यो भिसाका लागि आवेदन दिन सक्नुहुन्न। आफूसँग वैध Health and Care Worker sponsor licence छ भनेर सुनिश्चित गर्ने जिम्मेवारी तपाईंको रोजगारदाताको हो — कुनै शङ्का भए Home Office को लाइसेन्स प्राप्त sponsor को रजिस्टर जाँच्नुहोस्।
तलब र सीप स्तर
तपाईंलाई आफ्नो occupation code का लागि न्यूनतम तलब सीमा, वा त्यो भूमिकाको “going rate” — जुन बढी हुन्छ — कम्तीमा त्यति तिरिनुपर्छ। यी रकम Home Office ले तोक्छ र समय-समयमा अद्यावधिक गर्छ — मार्गदर्शनका रूपमा, समुदाय समूह वा पुराना लेखका रकममा भर पर्नुको सट्टा आफ्नो विशिष्ट occupation code का लागि वर्तमान तलब आवश्यकता gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa मा जाँच्नुहोस्।
केयर वर्कर र आश्रित — हालका नियम परिवर्तन
केयर वर्करले आश्रित ल्याउने सम्बन्धी नियम निकै परिवर्तन भएका छन्। २०२४ को सुरुदेखि, केयर वर्कर (clinical NHS भूमिकाभन्दा सामाजिक हेरचाह भूमिकामा भएका) लाई यो रुटमा आश्रित ल्याउनबाट प्रायः रोकियो। यी प्रतिबन्ध विवादास्पद रहेका छन् र धेरै नेपाली परिवारलाई असर गरेका छन्। यस क्षेत्रका नियम थप पुनरावलोकनको विषय रहेका छन् र फेरि परिवर्तन हुन सक्छन् — आफ्नो परिवारको योजनाबारे कुनै निर्णय गर्नुअघि gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa मा सबैभन्दा पछिल्लो अवस्था जाँच्नुहोस्। तपाईं पहिले नै बेलायतमा हुनुहुन्छ र तपाईंको आश्रितको अवस्था अनिश्चित छ भने, OISC-नियमन गरिएको इमिग्रेसन सल्लाहकार वा solicitor बाट सल्लाह लिनुहोस्।
Sponsorship ठगीबाट सतर्क रहनुहोस्
दुर्भाग्यवश, ठगहरूले “sponsorship बिक्री” को विज्ञापन गर्छन् — ठूलो अग्रिम भुक्तानीको बदलामा Certificate of Sponsorship वा केयर जागिरको वाचा गर्दै। यो अवैध हो। साँचो रोजगारदाताले worker बाट sponsorship का लागि शुल्क लिँदैनन्। कसैले तपाईंलाई CoS, जागिर placement, वा भिसा व्यवस्थाका लागि तिर्न भन्छ भने, त्यो प्रायः निश्चित रूपमा ठगी हो। तपाईंले आफ्नो पैसा गुमाउन, बेलायतमा काम गर्न नपाउन, र इमिग्रेसन परिणाम भोग्न सक्नुहुन्छ। शङ्कास्पद ठगी gov.uk/report-immigration-crime मा रिपोर्ट गर्नुहोस्।
नियम परिवर्तन हुन्छन् — सधैं GOV.UK जाँच्नुहोस्
यो बेलायतका सबैभन्दा सक्रिय रूपमा परिवर्तन हुने इमिग्रेसन रुटमध्ये एक हो। तपाईं आवेदन दिने, यो रुटमा स्विच गर्ने, वा परिवारका सदस्य ल्याउने योजनामा हुनुहुन्छ भने, हरेक विवरण आधिकारिक पृष्ठमा पुष्टि गर्नुहोस्: gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa। जटिल केसका लागि, OISC-नियमन गरिएको इमिग्रेसन सल्लाहकारसँग परामर्श गर्नुहोस्।
