Health and Care Worker visa
Extend your visa
You can usually apply to extend your Health and Care Worker visa if all of the following are true:
- you have the same job as when you were given your previous permission to enter or stay in the UK
- your job is in the same occupation code as when you were given your previous permission to enter or stay in the UK
- you鈥檙e still working for the employer who gave you your current certificate of sponsorship
- you still meet the salary requirements
You must not travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you get a decision. Your application will be withdrawn if you do.
Your partner and children
Your partner or child鈥檚 visa will not automatically extend if you extend yours. If they do not extend their visa, it will be valid until its original end date.
They can either apply at the same time as you, or at any time before their current visa expires.
If you鈥檙e a care worker or senior care worker, your partner and children may not be able to stay in the UK as your dependants when you extend your visa.
If you have a Tier 2 Health and Care Worker visa
You鈥檒l have a Tier 2 Health and Care Worker visa if either:
- you applied for a Health and Care Worker visa before 1 December 2020
- you had a Tier 2 (General) work visa which you鈥檝e extended as a Health and Care Worker visa
If you have this visa, you may be able to meet different eligibility requirements.
If you got your certificate of sponsorship on or after 24 November 2016
If you apply to extend before 1 December 2026, you will still need to meet the salary requirements, but your salary may also include allowances, such as London weighting. Any allowances must be guaranteed for the length of your stay.
If you鈥檙e a physical scientist
If you were sponsored for your Tier 2 (General) or Health and Care Worker visa before 1 December 2020, the going rate for your job is different.
| Occupation code | Going rate for Health and Care Worker visa | 90% of going rate (for relevant STEM PhD) | 80% of going rate (for relevant non-STEM PhD or immigration salary list occupation) | 70% of going rate (for new entrants) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2114 Physical scientists | 拢29,000 (拢13.94 per hour) | 拢26,100 (拢12.55 per hour) | 拢24,750 (拢11.90 per hour) | 拢24,750 (拢11.90 per hour) |
If you鈥檝e changed job or employer
You鈥檒l need to apply to update your visa instead.
Fees
Check how much it costs for your type of visa.
You鈥檒l need to have your fingerprints and photo (biometric information) taken - there鈥檚 no fee for this.
Proving your identity and providing supporting documents
As part of your application you鈥檒l need to prove your identity. How you do this depends on where you鈥檙e from and the type of passport or resident permit you have.
You鈥檒l either:
- use the 鈥楿K Immigration: ID Check鈥� app to scan your identity document - you鈥檒l also create or sign into your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account
- have your fingerprints and photo (biometric information) taken at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point
You鈥檒l be told what you need to do when you apply.
Apply to extend your Health and Care Worker visa
Apply for a Skilled Worker visa. You鈥檒l be asked if you鈥檙e applying for a Health and Care Worker visa as part of your application - make sure you choose 鈥榶es鈥�.
You must apply online before your current visa expires.
Once you鈥檝e started your application, you can save your form and complete it later.
Continue your application
You can sign back into your application if you鈥檝e saved it.
Find out how to sign in to your account.
How long it takes to get a decision
Once you鈥檝e applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you鈥檒l usually get a decision within 3 weeks.
You鈥檒l be contacted if your application will take longer, for example because:
- your supporting documents need to be verified
- you need to attend an interview
- of your personal circumstances, for example if you have a criminal conviction
You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.
After you apply
If you need to change something in your application after you鈥檝e sent it contact UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
You can ask to cancel your application. You鈥檒l only get your fee refunded if UKVI has not started processing your application.
You鈥檒l get an email or a letter containing the decision on your application. This will explain what you need to do next.