Care worker visa routes in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Thinking about United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as a place to work? Below are the 3 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland visa routes that most commonly fit care workers, with what each one needs and a link to the official government source. Always confirm the current rules on the primary source before acting.
Also searched as: senior care worker, social care worker, support worker, health care assistant.
What this means for care workers
Of the 3 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland routes that commonly fit care workers, 3 need a sponsoring employer and 0 do not, and 3 can lead to permanent residence. Care workers work in a regulated field, so immigration approval is only half the journey: in most countries you must also clear a separate professional-registration or licensing step before you can practise in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. That recognition process often takes as long as the visa itself, so it is worth starting in parallel.
The most-used skilled route into United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland overall is the Skilled Worker visa, which also fits many care workers — it is included below.
Typical figures — Skilled Worker visa
Computed from our continuously re-verified, primary-sourced data. Indicative, not legal advice.
Salary you must earn
£41,700/yr
Skilled Worker — general threshold
Verified 22 July 2025 · GOV.UK — Appendix Skilled Worker →
Government cost
£3,943.20
Single applicant, 3-year CoS, general rate, no priority
Each dependant pays the same application fee as the main applicant plus their own IHS at £1,035/year (or £776/year if under 18).
Verified 1 June 2026 · GOV.UK — Skilled Worker visa: how much it costs →
How long it takes
2 weeks – 3 weeks
GOV.UK publishes 3 weeks as the typical decision window for Skilled Worker visa applications made outside the UK.
Verified 1 June 2026 · GOV.UK — Visa decision waiting times →
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.
Will you qualify?
You must clear the general salary floor (£41,700) plus the occupation going rate; tradeable points (PhD, shortage, new entrant) can lower the floor.
Estimate your score →Routes that fit care workers
Skilled Worker visa
Work visa for non-UK workers with a job offer from a Home Office–licensed sponsor in an eligible occupation.
Sponsor required · Leads to settlement · Up to 5 years on initial grant, extendable; leads to settlement after continuous residence.
Health and Care Worker visa
Discounted Skilled Worker route for eligible NHS, adult social care, and allied health roles.
Sponsor required · Leads to settlement · Up to 5 years on initial grant; leads to settlement after 5 years continuous residence.
Scale-up visa
Sponsored route for workers joining qualifying fast-growing UK scale-up businesses, with faster settlement timelines.
Sponsor required · Leads to settlement · 2 years; extendable; leads to settlement after 5 years.
Figures by route
Verified salary floor and processing window per matched route, each primary-sourced. Indicative, not legal advice.
| Route | Salary floor | Processing | Settlement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skilled Worker visa | £41,700/yr | 2 weeks – 3 weeks | Yes |
| Health and Care Worker visa | £25,000/yr | 2 weeks – 3 weeks | Yes |
| Scale-up visa | — | 3 weeks – 8 weeks | Yes |
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 → - 20 November 2025
UK: "earned settlement" proposal would double the ILR qualifying period to 10 years — NOT YET LAW
The May 2025 Immigration White Paper proposed doubling the standard settlement qualifying period from 5 to 10 years under an "earned" contribution model. This is a proposal that was consulted on — it is not law.
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 →
Frequently asked questions
Which visa routes suit care workers moving to United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?+
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has 3 routes that commonly fit care workers: Skilled Worker visa, Health and Care Worker visa, Scale-up visa. The best fit depends on whether you already have an employer sponsor, your salary, and your qualifications — open any route below for its full eligibility criteria and primary government source.
Do care workers need a job offer to move to United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?+
For the routes that fit care workers here, yes — all 3 require a sponsoring employer or a confirmed job offer. Securing that offer is usually the first and slowest step, so it is worth starting there.
Can care workers settle permanently in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?+
Yes. 3 of the 3 matched routes lead toward settlement or permanent residence. Permanent-residence timelines vary by route, so check the settlement detail on each visa page.
Do care workers need to requalify or register to work in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?+
Care workers work in a regulated field, so immigration approval is only half the journey: in most countries you must also clear a separate professional-registration or licensing step before you can practise in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. That recognition process often takes as long as the visa itself, so it is worth starting in parallel.
What salary do care workers need for the Skilled Worker visa in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?+
The Skilled Worker — general threshold floor is £41,700/yr, effective 22 July 2025 (GOV.UK — Appendix Skilled Worker). Your occupation's published going rate may bind higher — whichever is greater applies.
How much does the Skilled Worker visa cost in government fees?+
For the worked example (Single applicant, 3-year CoS, general rate, no priority), government fees total about £3,943.20 (GOV.UK — Skilled Worker visa: how much it costs, verified 1 June 2026). Treat as indicative and confirm the current schedule on the official source.
How long does the Skilled Worker visa take to process?+
The typical published decision window is 2 weeks – 3 weeks (GOV.UK — Visa decision waiting times, verified 1 June 2026).