Health and Care Visa. The UK’s New Points-Based Immigration Routes: Coming to Work: Skilled Workers: Health and Care Visa
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Health and Care Visa Requirements
This month the UK Government launched a brand new Health and Care Immigration route. Health and Care Visa is part of the Skilled Worker route. It type of visa will allow professionals in the medical field to enter the UK.
To qualify, they’ll need:
- to work in eligible health occupations. You can check if your occupation is on this list HERE.
- to have a job offer and a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from:
- the NHS
- social care sector
employers and organisations which provide services to the NHS (you can check the list of Home Office Approved Health and Care Visa Employers HERE.
- to speak English at the acceptable level
- to provide evidence of an appropriate salary, which meets the relevant salary threshold
- to have sufficient personal savings when arriving in the UK
- to show the ability to travel and travel history over the preceding five years
- have tuberculosis test results (if from a listed country)
- provide a criminal record certificate from any country they have lived for 12 months or more in the last ten years (if working with vulnerable people).
Exemption from Paying the Immigration Health Surcharge
Immigration Health Surcharge is a contribution, which the majority of those who would like to enter and work in the UK will need to pay. The UK Government introduced it in 2015 to tackle the issue of medical tourism. Medical tourist costs the UK Governments and its citizens over £200mln.
The Immigration Health Surcharge costs £400 per year. Students and Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) applications will need to pay slightly less – £300 per year. Those who apply will need to pay Immigration Health Surcharge in advance for the entire duration of their visa. For example, if someone applies for a 5-year visa, their Immigration Health Surcharge bill will be £2,000.
Once they make this payment, they can use the NHS service in the same way as all UK residents do.
The good news is that NHS workers and all those who qualify to apply for Health and Care Visa don’t have to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge.
Those working in health and social care who do not qualify for the Health and Care Visa will still be able to claim a reimbursement from the Immigration Health Surcharge if they have paid this on or after 31 March.
Health and Care Visa Reduced Application Fee and Fast Decisions
The UKVI has more excellent news for you. The new Health and Care Visa will come with a reduced visa application fee. Also, the Home Office made it a priority to deal with these types of applications. As a result, the NHS workers can be in the UK and work here within a matter of only three weeks, following biometric enrolment.
Current Health and Care Visa fees are as follows:
Tier 2 – Health and Care Visa – Under 3 Years 2: £232 (£378 less than other Tier 2 applicants pay)
Tier 2 – Health and Care Visa – Over 3 Years 2: £232 (£232 less than other Tier 2 applicants pay).
The visa fee reduction will also apply to partners and dependants of Health and Care Visa applicants.
Health and Care Visa Employers’ Obligations
In the Certificate of Sponsors, the Employer will need to explain why the worker meets the Heath and Care Visa requirements.
The Employers also need to contact their employees and let them know when they are eligible for Health and Care Visa. Additionally, where an employer is an organisation that provides services for the NHS, they’ll need to provide documents confirming the contract.
Further Help
And finally, if you are thinking of submitting your visa application in near future, first of all, you need to understand the rules of the game. At THIS PAGE you’ll get access to UKVisaSuccess.com online courses. These courses will help you dramatically reduce the chances of refusal of your visa application. As after attending these courses you’ll understand the requirements you need to satisfy in order to succeed in your visa application.