Filipino applicants · United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Health and Care Worker visa for Filipino citizens
Discounted Skilled Worker route for eligible NHS, adult social care, and allied health roles.
This page covers the Health and Care Worker visa specifically for Filipino applicants — including document requirements, consular procedures, and common issues specific to Philippines. The general eligibility criteria apply to everyone.
- Processing time
- 2 weeks – 3 weeks
- Government fees
- £343.20
- Typical duration
- Up to 5 years on initial grant; leads to settlement after 5 years continuous residence.
- Sponsorship required
- Yes
- Leads to permanent residency
- Yes
Bilateral context
- Commonwealth
Consular processing: Manila
Tourist entry vs. this route
Filipino nationals require a visa for any entry into United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Health and Care Worker visa is one of the routes available; tourist entry is a separate application.
Key figures for Filipino applicants
Computed from our continuously re-verified, primary-sourced data. Indicative, not legal advice.
Salary you must earn
£25,000/yr
Skilled Worker — Health and Care Worker / education national pay-scale
Verified 9 April 2025 · GOV.UK — Health and Care Worker →
Government cost
£343.20
Single care-sector applicant, 3-year CoS, no priority
Dependant entry was narrowed for new care-worker and senior-care-worker applications on 11 March 2024. New applicants in those SOC codes generally cannot bring partners or children.
Verified 1 June 2026 · GOV.UK — Health and Care Worker visa: how much it costs →
How long it takes
2 weeks – 3 weeks
The Health and Care Worker visa runs on the same 3-week (about 15 working days) decision track as the Skilled Worker visa when you apply from outside the UK; in-country switches are usually quoted at up to 8 weeks. In practice, straightforward applications backed by a solid sponsor are often decided well inside three weeks.
Verified 1 June 2026 · GOV.UK — Health and Care Worker visa →
Time to permanent residence
Arrival → ILR (5 years) → citizenship (6 years). Faster on Global Talent / Innovator Founder (3 years to ILR).
Leads to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), then British citizenship.
Visa overview
The Health and Care Worker visa is a sub-category of the Skilled Worker route for NHS staff, NHS contractor staff, adult social care workers, and certain health-adjacent roles. It offers reduced application fees, exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge, and faster processing, although dependant rights for care workers were narrowed from March 2024.
Eligibility
Typical criteria
- ✓Job offer from an NHS body, NHS contractor, or a CQC-registered adult social care provider holding a sponsor licence.
- ✓Occupation on the Health and Care Worker visa eligible occupation list.
- ✓Salary meeting the route's threshold for the relevant SOC code.
- ✓English language at CEFR Level B1.
Common blockers
- !Employer not an eligible health or care body under the rules.
- !Occupation outside the route's eligible list — for example, roles ineligible post-March 2024 changes to care visa rules.
- !Care worker roles no longer permit dependants to join from March 2024 onwards, with limited transition exceptions.
Typical evidence
- ·Certificate of Sponsorship.
- ·English-language evidence.
- ·Clinical or professional registration evidence where relevant (e.g. NMC registration for nurses).
- ·Criminal record certificate from countries where the applicant has lived for 12+ months in the past 10 years.
Application pathway
Secure clinical or care job offer
Apply for roles at NHS employers or CQC-registered care providers with sponsor licences.
Pursue professional registration
For nurses: NMC registration including OSCE. For doctors: GMC registration including PLAB or CESR. These run in parallel with visa steps.
Receive Certificate of Sponsorship
The licensed sponsor issues a CoS specific to the Health and Care Worker route.
Apply online and submit biometrics
Complete the online application, pay the reduced fee, and attend biometrics. IHS exemption applies automatically for eligible roles.
Travel and start work
Enter the UK on the issued visa, collect BRP/eVisa, and begin clinical or care work subject to any onboarding checks.
Recent policy changes affecting this route
What changed most recently on this route — each linked to its primary government source.
- 8 April 2026In force 8 April 2026
UK: Skilled Worker English raised to B2, CoS fee £525, Immigration Skills Charge up 32%
A run of Skilled Worker changes from late 2025 into early 2026 raised the language bar, sponsor costs, and tightened salary assessment.
UK Home Office → - 22 July 2025In force 22 July 2025
UK: Skilled Worker threshold to £41,700, skill level to RQF 6, overseas care-worker route closed
The 22 July 2025 Statement of Changes (HC 997) raised the Skilled Worker bar materially and closed overseas care-worker recruitment.
UK Home Office → - 4 April 2024In force 4 April 2024
UK raises Skilled Worker salary thresholds
The Home Office raised the Skilled Worker general salary threshold from GBP 26,200 to GBP 38,700, with parallel increases to going rates and shortage-route adjustments.
UK Home Office →
Other United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland routes covered for Filipino applicants
Not sure United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is right for you? Compare similar routes
Other countries offer work sponsored routes that Filipino nationals also apply to. See how they compare.
Frequently asked questions
Are Filipino citizens eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa?+
Eligibility for the Health and Care Worker visa is set by UK Home Office and is not nationality-restricted beyond the general criteria, though Filipino applicants may also have access to the following bilateral or treaty frameworks: Commonwealth. See the criteria below for the published requirements.
Where do Filipino applicants typically file the Health and Care Worker visa?+
Manila. Specific intake (online portal, biometrics centre, or in-country lodgement) is determined by UK Home Office — confirm the current intake channel on the primary source linked above before filing.
Do Filipino applicants need a tourist visa for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as well?+
Filipino nationals require a visa for any entry into United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Health and Care Worker visa is one of the routes available; tourist entry is a separate application.
How much does the Health and Care Worker visa cost for a Filipino applicant?+
Government fees for the worked example (Single care-sector applicant, 3-year CoS, no priority) total about £343.20. Dependant entry was narrowed for new care-worker and senior-care-worker applications on 11 March 2024. New applicants in those SOC codes generally cannot bring partners or children. Figures from GOV.UK — Health and Care Worker visa: how much it costs, verified 1 June 2026. Treat these as indicative — confirm the current schedule on the official source before budgeting.
What salary do Filipino applicants need for the Health and Care Worker visa?+
The Skilled Worker — Health and Care Worker / education national pay-scale floor is £25,000/yr, effective 9 April 2025 (GOV.UK — Health and Care Worker). Your occupation's published going rate may bind higher — whichever is greater applies.
How long does the Health and Care Worker visa take to process from Philippines?+
The typical published decision window is 2 weeks – 3 weeks. Filipino applicants usually file via Manila, and consular-post backlogs can add to the wait. Source: GOV.UK — Health and Care Worker visa, verified 1 June 2026.
How long until permanent residence in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?+
Arrival → ILR (5 years) → citizenship (6 years). Faster on Global Talent / Innovator Founder (3 years to ILR). The route leads to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), then British citizenship. See GOV.UK — Citizenship and living in the UK for the qualifying-residence rules.
Can care workers bring dependants on the Health and Care Worker visa?+
From 11 March 2024, new care worker and senior care worker applicants cannot bring partners or children as dependants, with limited transition provisions for those already in the route. Other Health and Care Worker occupations continue to allow dependants under standard rules.
Is the Immigration Health Surcharge waived on this visa?+
Yes. Health and Care Worker visa holders and their dependants are exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge, which represents a significant cost saving over the standard Skilled Worker route.
Does this visa count toward UK settlement?+
Yes. Time on the Health and Care Worker visa counts toward the 5-year continuous residence requirement for Indefinite Leave to Remain, subject to meeting all qualifying conditions at the time of settlement application.