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Step by step guide to the Skilled Worker Health and Care Visa application
- February 15, 2022
This article on the Skilled Worker Visa application is broken down into the below sections to highlight the required documentation and to aid you through the application itself and what to expect after your application is accepted.
- Overview of Skilled Worker Visa
- Documents for a Skilled Worker Visa
- Biometric Resident Permit
- Visa Fees
Overview of Tier 2 Visa
After you have accepted your first job in the UK, you will need to apply for a Skilled Worker (Health and Care Visa). First, to apply for this Visa, you must have a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).
How long does the Visa last for?
A Skilled Worker Visa can last up to a total of 5 years and 14 days or the time given on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 1 month, whichever is shorter. When you come to the end of your Visa, you will have to renew it.
What documents do I need for my Visa Application?
Before you begin your online application, you should make sure that you have the below documentation.
- Certificate of Sponsorship
You must have a valid CoS from your employer with a Skilled Worker Sponsorship License number. A certificate number will be provided on your CoS, which must be inputted when submitting your online Visa Application. The CoS should specifically mention that you are eligible for the Health and Care entry route.
- Tuberculosis Test Clearance Certificate
You will need to have a tuberculosis (TB) test if you are coming to the UK for more than 6 months and you live in any of these listed countries.
You’ll be given a chest X-ray to test for TB. If the result of the x-ray is not clear you may also be asked to give a sputum sample (phlegm coughed up from your lungs).
If your test shows that you do not have TB, you’ll be given a certificate which is valid for 6 months from the date of your x-ray. Include this certificate with your UK visa application.
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Police Clearing Certificate (Criminal Record Certificate)
You will need to provide a criminal record certificate if you work in education, healthcare, therapy and social services. You will need a certificate from any country you have stayed in for a total of 12 months or more over the last 10 years.
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Proof of English Language
Previously you needed to prove your knowledge of the English language when applying, currently you do not need to as your CoS is given as evidence.
By meeting the requirements for the CoS, you would have passed an English Language assessment which has been accepted by the relevant regulated profession body.
Details of Documents Required
When you apply for a Skilled Worker Visa you will need to provide:
- your certificate of sponsorship reference number
- a bank or building society statement or letter that shows you have enough personal savings (unless your certificate of sponsorship shows your sponsor can support you)
- a current passport or travel document to prove you can travel - you need a blank page in your passport for your visa
- expired passports or travel documents if you need them to show your travel history
- your tuberculosis test results if you’re from a listed country
- a criminal record certificate - if you’re working with vulnerable people
Letter of Maintenance (Optional)
You can ask your hospital trust in the UK to provide you with a letter of maintenance. This will confirm that they will take care of your expenses and accommodation before your first pay. However, often they will mention this is the CoS and so you will not need a separate letter of maintenance from the trust.
If your hospital is providing you with a maintenance, you must ensure that they are fully approved A-rated sponsor. Most hospitals are, but it is best to confirm this by checking the approved sponsor list here. If they are approved, you will not need to show your bank account details in your Visa Application, and you can list the hospital accommodation’s address.
What if my hospital is not providing maintenance?
If your hospital is not providing you with maintenance, then you will have to show through a bank statement that there is more than £945 before you Visa Application and that you will arrange your own accommodation.
Biometric Resident Permit
You’ll get a biometric residence permit (BRP) if you:
- Apply to come to the UK for longer than 6 months
- Extend your visa to longer than 6 months
- Apply to settle in the UK
- Transfer your visa to a new passport
- Apply for certain Home Office travel documents
You do not have to apply separately for a BRP. You will receive one automatically if your visa or immigration application is approved, or you’re replacing an older document.
This is a document that you will collect in person from of UK Post Office before starting in your new position.
Visa Fees
The skilled worker fees are as follows:
- A visa for up to 3 years costs £464.
- A visa for more than 3 years costs £928.
HOWEVER...
As a medical proffesional you will be prompted to select a Health and Care Worker visa and the cost for this is slightly less:
- up to 3 years - £237 per person
- more than 3 years - £479 per person
The fee is the same whether you apply from inside or outside the UK and your dependents will also pay the same amount.
For the most up to date fees: https://www.gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa/how-much-it-costs
For a video walkthrough of a Skilled Worker Visa Application process please follow the link below:
How can we help?
If you are an international Doctor who would like to relocate to the UK, email your CV to [email protected] and we can support you in securing an NHS post and on your relocation journey to the UK.
Are you a member of our Facebook group? When you join IMG Advisor, you join a community of doctors all looking to relocate to the UK and join the NHS. We post a series of blogs and vlogs to the group each day. We will also be on hand to answer all of your relocation queries.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel! We have over 60 videos covering everything you need to know about relocating to the UK and joining the NHS.
Listen to BDI Resourcing on the go with IMG Advisor the Podcast! You can listen to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Buzzsprout. We have a number of episodes with tips and advice on relocating to the UK and the routes you can take to achieve this.
Finally, we also have Instagram, so if you are a member, feel free to follow us to view our posts and IGTV: @bdiresourcing
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