Why come to the UK?
The NHS is actively recruiting internationally
The UK National Health Service is the world's largest employer of healthcare professionals and has over 100,000 vacancies it cannot fill from the domestic workforce alone. International healthcare workers are not just welcome — they are essential.
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Competitive NHS salary
NHS Band 5 nurses start at £29,970. Band 6 £37,338. Doctors start at £36,616 as FY1. Rises with experience.
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Dedicated visa route
The Health & Care Worker visa has lower fees, faster processing and is exempt from the Immigration Skills Charge for employers.
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Path to settlement
After 5 years on a Health & Care visa, you qualify for ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) and eventually British citizenship.
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Bring your family
Your spouse and children can come with you. Your spouse can work full-time. Children get free UK state school education.
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Free NHS healthcare
As a Health & Care visa holder, the Immigration Health Surcharge is waived. You and your family access the NHS for free.
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Career progression
The NHS offers structured career development. Nurses can progress to Band 7, 8A, 8B. Doctors progress through specialty training.
🏥 Nurses are the most recruited international healthcare professionals in the UK. Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, India, the Philippines and Zimbabwe supply thousands of nurses to the NHS every year.
1
Verify your qualification
Check your nursing degree is recognised by the NMC. Most degrees from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, India and Philippines are accepted.
NMC registration
Check NMC requirements →
2
Pass the NMC CBT exam
Computer Based Test — 120 multiple choice questions over 3 hours. Tests nursing theory across 6 domains. Pass mark: 80%. Taken at Pearson VUE centres worldwide.
NMC CBT · 120 MCQ · 3hrs
Practice 288 questions →
3
English language test (OET or IELTS)
Must pass OET (minimum B in all 4 components) or IELTS for UKVI (minimum 7.0 overall, no component below 6.5). OET is specifically designed for healthcare workers.
OET or IELTS UKVI
Practice OET & IELTS →
4
Get a job offer from NHS employer
Apply for NHS nursing roles through NHS Jobs (jobs.nhs.uk) or through recruitment agencies. Your employer will sponsor your visa and issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (COS).
NHS Jobs
Search sponsored jobs →
5
Apply for Health & Care Worker visa
Apply online at gov.uk. You need your COS reference, passport, English test certificate, and bank statements. Processing takes 3–8 weeks. Fee: £284 (much lower than standard Skilled Worker).
Health & Care visa · £284
Full visa requirements →
6
Complete OSCE in the UK
Objective Structured Clinical Examination — 10 clinical stations testing practical nursing skills. Taken at an NMC-approved test centre in the UK after you arrive. Most employers pay for this.
NMC OSCE · in UK
Practice OSCE questions →
7
Full NMC registration — start working
Once you pass OSCE, the NMC grants you full registration. You can now work as a registered nurse in any NHS or private healthcare setting in the UK.
Registered Nurse — Band 5+
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NMC CBT — 288 practice questions
Shuffle every session. Real exam format. Detailed explanations. Many nurses pass first time using VisaPath Pro.
🩺 International doctors register with the GMC before they can work in any NHS role. PLAB is the main route for most doctors from Nigeria, Ghana, India, Pakistan and Egypt.
1
Check your primary qualification
Your medical degree must be from a recognised medical school. Check the GMC's list of accepted qualifications. Most African and Asian medical schools qualify.
GMC eligibility check
GMC eligibility →
2
Pass PLAB 1
Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board Part 1 — 180 single best answer (SBA) questions over 3 hours. Tests clinical knowledge against UK standards. Pass mark: 71%.
PLAB 1 · 180 SBA · 3hrs
Practice 223 questions →
3
Pass PLAB 2 (in the UK)
18 OSCE stations testing clinical, communication and professional skills. Taken at the GMC Clinical Assessment Centre in Manchester. You must have a UK visa to sit PLAB 2.
PLAB 2 · 18 OSCE stations
Practice PLAB 2 →
4
OET / English language test
Required for GMC registration. Pass OET (minimum B in all components) or IELTS for UKVI (minimum 7.5 overall, minimum 7.0 in each component).
OET or IELTS UKVI
Practice OET & IELTS →
5
Apply for GMC full registration
Submit application to the GMC with PLAB 1&2 results, English test, identity documents, and your primary medical qualification. Fee: £290. Takes 2–8 weeks to process.
GMC registration · £290
6
Get NHS job & COS
Apply for Foundation or Core training posts or specialty doctor/SAS roles. NHS Jobs (jobs.nhs.uk) and Royal College websites list opportunities. Your employer issues a COS.
NHS Foundation/Specialty
Search sponsored jobs →
7
Apply for Health & Care Worker visa
Doctors qualify for the Health & Care visa. Fee: £284 (vs £719 standard). IHS waived. Family can join you. Processing: 3–8 weeks.
Health & Care visa · £284
Full visa requirements →
8
Start working as a UK doctor
Foundation Year 1 doctors start at £36,616 (£47,000+ with London weighting and on-calls). Consultants earn £105,504–£139,882.
FY1 £36,616 — Consultant £105k+
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PLAB 1 & 2 — 417 practice questions
Real exam format SBA questions. Detailed explanations. Used by hundreds of international doctors.
⚕️ Allied health professionals register with the HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council). This covers physiotherapists, radiographers, occupational therapists, paramedics, speech therapists and 13 other regulated professions.
HCPC-regulated professions include: Physiotherapist · Radiographer · Occupational therapist · Paramedic · Speech & language therapist · Podiatrist · Dietitian · Operating department practitioner · Biomedical scientist · Clinical scientist · Hearing aid dispenser · Orthoptist · Prosthetist & orthotist
1
Application to HCPC
Apply to the HCPC for assessment of your overseas qualification. HCPC compares your training to the UK Standards of Proficiency for your profession. Fee: £490.
HCPC assessment · £490
HCPC international route →
2
Pass HCPC aptitude test (if required)
If HCPC identifies gaps in your training, you may need to complete an aptitude test or adaptation period. 80 MCQ questions testing your profession's standards. Pass mark: 65%.
HCPC aptitude test · 80 MCQ
Practice 226 questions →
3
English language test
IELTS for UKVI minimum 7.0 overall (6.5 minimum in each component) or OET minimum B in all components.
IELTS or OET required
Practice here →
4
Get NHS job offer & COS
Apply for NHS AHP roles on NHS Jobs. Most AHP roles are Band 5–7. Your employer provides a Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) once you accept the offer.
Band 5–7 NHS roles
Search sponsored jobs →
5
Health & Care Worker visa
All HCPC-registered allied health professionals qualify for the Health & Care visa. Fee: £284. IHS exempt. Family included.
Health & Care visa · £284
Full requirements →
6
HCPC registered — start working
Band 5 AHP (newly qualified): £29,970. Band 6 (experienced): £37,338. Band 7 (specialist): £46,148. Band 8a (advanced): £53,755.
Band 5 £29,970 — Band 8a £53,755
Health & Care Worker visa 2026
The visa designed for you
The Health & Care Worker visa is a sub-category of the Skilled Worker visa — but with significantly lower fees, no Immigration Skills Charge for employers, and faster processing.
Requirements
📋Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) from a licensed NHS or healthcare employer
🏥Eligible job — nurse, doctor, pharmacist, dentist, paramedic, radiographer, physio, and 350+ healthcare SOC codes
💷Salary: Minimum £23,200 per year OR the going rate for your occupation (whichever is higher)
🗣️English language — B1 level minimum. Met via your professional registration (NMC, GMC, GPhC, GDC, HCPC) or IELTS/OET
🛂Valid passport from your country of citizenship
🏦Bank funds — £1,270 held for 28 days (OR your employer certifies your maintenance)
Fees & processing
💷Visa fee: £284 (vs £719 for standard Skilled Worker)
🏥Immigration Health Surcharge: WAIVED — you and your family access the NHS for free
⚡Priority service available — 5 working days (additional fee applies)
👨👩👧Family included — spouse and children can come with you. Spouse can work full-time
📅Duration — up to 5 years. Renewable. Leads to ILR after 5 years
🌍Skills Charge exemption — your employer pays £0 (vs £1,000/year for other visa types)
💡 Important: If your professional registration body (NMC, GMC, GPhC, GDC, HCPC) has already verified your English language proficiency as part of your registration process, you do not need a separate English test for the visa. Check with your employer — most NHS trusts use your professional registration as English language evidence.
⚠️ Visa rejections — healthcare specific
What gets Health & Care visa applications rejected
These are the specific reasons healthcare worker visa applications fail — many are avoidable with the right preparation.
❌ Professional registration not complete
Applying for a visa before your NMC, GMC, GPhC, GDC or HCPC registration is granted. You cannot apply for the visa until you have passed all required exams and are registered.
✅ Fix: Complete all registration steps first. Get your registration number before applying for the visa.
❌ SOC code not eligible for Health & Care visa
Your job role is not on the approved list of eligible occupations for the Health & Care Worker visa. Some healthcare admin or support roles do not qualify.
✅ Fix: Confirm your SOC code with your employer before applying. Check the gov.uk list of eligible occupations.
❌ Salary below the minimum threshold
Your offered salary is below £23,200 or below the going rate for your occupation, whichever is higher. Part-time roles may not meet the minimum.
✅ Fix: Check the going rate for your specific SOC code on the Skilled Worker visa approved salary list before accepting a job offer.
❌ COS issued by unlicensed sponsor
Your employer's sponsor licence has expired or been revoked. UKVI checks the sponsor register on the day of your application, not the day your COS was issued.
✅ Fix: Check your employer is on the gov.uk register of licensed sponsors before applying. Search: "UKVI register of licensed sponsors".
❌ Wrong English language evidence
Submitting standard IELTS instead of IELTS for UKVI, or submitting an OET result that is more than 2 years old. Test results expire.
✅ Fix: Use IELTS for UKVI or OET. Ensure your test result is less than 2 years old on the date of your visa application.
❌ Maintenance funds incorrect
Not showing £1,270 in your bank account for 28 consecutive days — unless your employer has certified your maintenance on the COS.
✅ Fix: Ask your employer to certify maintenance on the COS (most NHS trusts do this automatically). Or hold £1,270 for 28 days.
❌ Criminal record disclosure issues
Failing to declare a criminal conviction or providing incorrect information about past refusals. UKVI cross-checks all declarations against international databases.
✅ Fix: Disclose everything accurately. A minor conviction is usually not a barrier — concealment always is.
❌ TB test not included
Applicants from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, India, Philippines and many other countries must provide a tuberculosis (TB) test certificate from an approved clinic.
✅ Fix: Get your TB test from a UKVI-approved clinic before applying. Results are usually available within 1-2 weeks.
Exam preparation
Pass your exams. Get registered. Start working.
VisaPath Pro has 3,213 practice questions across 8 healthcare exams. NMC CBT, NMC OSCE, PLAB 1 & 2, OET, OSPAP, ORE and HCPC — all in one subscription.