Health and Care Visa Fees 2025 UK

This article provides a comprehensive guide to the fees for the UK Health and Care Worker visa.

What this article is about
The Health and Care Worker visa route was introduced to make it easier and cheaper for overseas healthcare professionals and adult social care workers to come to the UK. This guide explains the costs of applying for this visa, including the application fees, exemptions from the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) and Immigration Skills Charge (ISC), the costs for family members and what employers need to know. It also compares Health and Care Worker visa fees with those of the Skilled Worker route to show the financial advantages for both applicants and sponsoring employers.

The Health and Care visa forms part of the Skilled Worker route but has its own fee structure and exemptions. Applicants and their employers benefit from reduced charges compared with other work visa categories, reflecting the critical shortage of healthcare and social care staff in the UK.

Section A: Overview of Health and Care Visa Fees

The Health and Care Worker visa attracts lower application fees compared to the standard Skilled Worker route. The reduced cost is intended to support the recruitment of overseas healthcare professionals into roles that the UK government has prioritised as shortage occupations.

When applying for a Health and Care Worker visa, the main applicant pays a fee based on the length of the visa grant requested. The structure is as follows:

• Visa of up to 3 years: £304
• Visa for more than 3 years: £590

These fees apply whether the applicant is applying from inside the UK (switching or extending) or outside the UK (entry clearance).

Payment is made at the time of application submission, through the Home Office’s online portal. The reduced rate is automatically applied to eligible Health and Care Worker visa applicants and their dependants; applicants do not need to apply separately for the discount.

It is important to note that the fees are non-refundable if the application is refused, withdrawn, or if the applicant decides not to travel to the UK. Applicants should ensure all requirements are met before applying to avoid losing money.

Compared to the Skilled Worker visa, the Health and Care Worker visa fees are substantially lower. For example, Skilled Worker visa fees are currently £769 (up to 3 years) and £1,519 (over 3 years) if applying from overseas.

Section A Summary
Health and Care Worker visa applicants benefit from significantly reduced application fees compared to the Skilled Worker visa. Charges vary by the duration of the visa, with £284 for up to three years and £551 for more than three years. The lower cost reflects the UK’s effort to attract and retain healthcare professionals.

Section B: Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) Exemption

One of the main benefits of the Health and Care Worker visa is that applicants and their dependants are exempt from paying the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).

The IHS is normally a mandatory payment for most UK work and study visas. It is set at £1,035 per person, per year, and is charged upfront for the duration of the visa. For example, a five-year Skilled Worker visa application would normally attract a £5,175 surcharge in addition to the visa application fee.

For Health and Care Worker visa applicants, the exemption from the IHS represents a substantial financial saving. The policy recognises that overseas healthcare and adult social care staff are coming to the UK to work directly in frontline roles within the National Health Service (NHS), NHS suppliers, and registered adult social care providers. By removing the IHS requirement, the government has made the route much more affordable for those seeking to fill critical workforce shortages.

This exemption applies automatically when an eligible Health and Care Worker visa is applied for. Applicants do not need to take additional steps to secure the exemption, and the online application system will not charge the IHS for qualifying applicants and their dependants.

It is important to note that applicants are still entitled to use NHS services once they arrive in the UK, despite not paying the surcharge. This entitlement mirrors that of those who pay the IHS, meaning there is no difference in the level of access to healthcare.

Section B Summary
The Health and Care Worker visa comes with full exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge for both the main applicant and their dependants. This removes a major cost barrier to migration and provides applicants with free access to NHS services while working in the UK.

Section C: Fees for Dependants

Applicants under the Health and Care Worker visa can bring eligible family members, known as dependants, with them to the UK. Dependants include a partner (spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner) and children under 18, as well as children aged 18 or over who are already in the UK as dependants.

Each dependant must submit a separate visa application and pay the relevant application fee. The costs are aligned with those for the main applicant:

• Visa of up to 3 years: £304 per dependant
• Visa for more than 3 years: £590 per dependant

Dependants of Health and Care Worker visa holders are also exempt from paying the Immigration Health Surcharge. This exemption makes the route substantially more affordable for families than other work-visa categories.
For example, a Skilled Worker visa applicant bringing a partner and one child on a five-year visa would face:

• Main applicant application fee: £1,420
• Two dependant fees: £2,840 (£1,420 each)
• IHS charges: £14,230 (two adults: 2 × £1,035 × 5 years = £10,350; one child: 1 × £776 × 5 years = £3,880)
• Total: £18,490

By contrast, a Health and Care Worker visa applicant in the same scenario would pay:

• Main applicant application fee: £590
• Two dependant fees: £1,180 (£590 each)
• IHS charges: £0
• Total: £1,770

This comparison highlights the significant financial advantage of the Health and Care Worker route for families.
Dependants granted visas under this route are permitted to live, work and study in the UK. They are not limited to health or care roles and hold similar rights to dependants of Skilled Worker visa holders.

Section C Summary
Health and Care Worker visa dependants pay the same reduced application fees as the main applicant and are also exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge. The savings compared to the Skilled Worker route are particularly significant for families, reducing overall costs by thousands of pounds.

Section D: Employer Considerations

Employers sponsoring migrant workers under the Health and Care Worker visa route also benefit from reduced costs compared to the Skilled Worker visa.

Normally, sponsors have to pay the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) when sponsoring overseas workers under the Skilled Worker route. However, Health and Care Worker visa roles are exempt from the ISC. Employers sponsoring under this route therefore avoid this cost entirely. This exemption is a significant saving, particularly for NHS Trusts and social care providers who recruit at scale.

Employers are still required to pay the standard Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) fee, which is currently £525 per worker, unless the role is for less than 12 months, in which case the fee is £55. These charges remain payable even for Health and Care Worker visa roles.

In addition to the cost benefits, employers must ensure they meet all sponsorship compliance duties. This includes assigning the correct type of CoS, keeping accurate HR records, reporting changes in circumstances, and ensuring that the roles offered meet the eligibility criteria for the Health and Care visa.

Employers should also clearly explain the fee structure to prospective employees, confirming that while the application fee applies, there are no IHS or ISC charges. This transparency helps to build trust with overseas recruits and reduces the risk of confusion during the recruitment process.

Section D Summary
Employers benefit from major cost savings under the Health and Care Worker visa, particularly the exemption from the Immigration Skills Charge. The only direct sponsorship cost is the Certificate of Sponsorship fee. While cheaper, employers must still meet their sponsorship compliance obligations to avoid penalties or licence revocation.

FAQs

How much is the Health and Care Worker visa?

The application fee is £309 for visas up to three years and £590 for visas longer than three years. These reduced fees apply to both main applicants and dependants.

Do dependants also get the IHS exemption?

Dependants of Health and Care Worker visa holders are exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge, just like the main applicant.

Are Health and Care visas cheaper than Skilled Worker visas?

Health and Care Worker visas have lower application fees and are exempt from both the IHS and the Immigration Skills Charge. This makes them significantly cheaper for applicants and employers compared with the Skilled Worker route.

Do employers pay sponsorship fees for this visa?

Employers have to pay the Certificate of Sponsorship fee per sponsored worker. However, they do not have to pay the Immigration Skills Charge when sponsoring Health and Care Worker visa applicants.

Conclusion

The Health and Care Worker visa has been designed to make it easier and more affordable for overseas healthcare and adult social care professionals to work in the UK. The route provides clear financial advantages over the Skilled Worker visa, including reduced application fees, full exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge, and exemption from the Immigration Skills Charge for employers.

For individual applicants, this means substantially lower upfront and ongoing costs when compared with other work visa categories. For families, the savings are even more pronounced, as dependants also benefit from the reduced fees and IHS exemption. For employers, the removal of the ISC represents a significant cost saving, particularly where multiple workers are sponsored.

By lowering financial barriers, the Health and Care Worker visa supports the UK’s strategy to address critical shortages in health and social care, while also providing migrants and their families with a more accessible pathway to live and work in the UK.

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