UK Care Worker Visa for Indians: Why Overseas Hiring Closed

The rules below are as published on the official sources, checked on 2026-10-15. If someone in India is still selling you a "care worker visa", this is what you need to know before paying anything.

What exactly changed on 22 July 2025?

The change came through the Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules HC 997. The Home Office's explanatory memorandum to HC 997 sets out the package. Three things happened together:

• The Skilled Worker skill threshold went back to RQF level 6, which is degree level.
• Around 180 occupations dropped out of the route unless they appear on the Immigration Salary List or the Temporary Shortage List.
• Overseas recruitment of care workers and senior care workers closed.

Since the change, the standard Skilled Worker minimum salary is £41,700 a year or the going rate for the job, whichever is higher.

Why did care work fall out of overseas hiring?

Care work closed as part of that wider package, not as a stand-alone measure. The same statement of changes that returned the Skilled Worker route to degree level (RQF 6) also closed overseas recruitment into codes 6135 and 6136. The government's stated reasoning is in the HC 997 explanatory memorandum linked above. Read that document rather than second-hand summaries, because recruiters often describe the rule loosely.

The effect for you is simple. A certificate of sponsorship for code 6135 or 6136 cannot be used by a first-time applicant applying from India.

Who can still use the Health and Care Worker visa from India?

The UK work visa route for health roles stays open to qualified professionals. GOV.UK lists it for doctors, nurses, health professionals and adult social care professionals with a job offer from a Home Office-approved employer in the NHS, an NHS supplier or adult social care.

The main conditions are:

• A confirmed job offer and a certificate of sponsorship (CoS) from an approved UK employer. You must apply within 3 months of getting the CoS.
• Salary usually at least £25,000, or the going rate if higher. Some occupation codes, such as health services managers and laboratory technicians, need at least £31,300 or the lower going rate.
• English at CEFR level B2 for new applicants.
• The visa lasts up to 5 years, and settlement may be possible after 5 years.

The fee is £324 for up to 3 years or £628 for more than 3 years. There is no immigration healthcare surcharge on this visa. Work visa decisions for applications made outside the UK usually take 3 weeks.

Which UK work routes remain open to Indians?

The India Young Professionals Scheme lets selected Indian citizens live and work in the UK for up to 2 years without a job offer. Its 2026 ballots ran on 17-19 February and 21-23 July 2026 for 3,000 places, and GOV.UK says there are no further 2026 ballots.

How do you check a care job offer before you pay?

Run any offer through these checks first:

1. Ask for the occupation code. If the CoS shows 6135 or 6136 and you are in India, the route is closed to you as a new applicant.
2. Check the role. A nursing or allied health job with an approved employer is a different occupation code and may qualify for the Health and Care Worker visa.
3. Check the salary. Compare it with the £25,000 or going-rate floor (or £31,300 for the listed codes).
4. Check your English. New applicants need CEFR level B2 since 8 January 2026.
5. Apply only on GOV.UK. Indians apply and pay online on GOV.UK, then give biometrics at a VFS Global centre.

What does Home Office data show for Indian worker visas?

Home Office entry clearance statistics for the year ending June 2026 (provisional) show a 93% grant rate for Indian nationals on the 'Worker' routes, which include Skilled Worker, Health and Care Worker and Senior or Specialist Worker. That is 37,402 visas granted and 2,943 refused out of 40,345 decisions. The figure covers all Indian nationals applying outside the UK. It describes past decisions only; it is not a prediction for any individual file.

Read the full route rules in the GOV.UK Health and Care Worker visa guide before signing anything.

For visitor visa files, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Can someone already in the UK still switch into a care worker job?

GOV.UK says care workers and senior care workers (codes 6135 and 6136) can use the Health and Care Worker route when extending, updating or switching inside the UK. The closure applies to new applicants from overseas. Check the GOV.UK guide for the conditions that apply to your current visa.

Do Indian nurses pay the immigration healthcare surcharge?

No. The Health and Care Worker visa carries no immigration healthcare surcharge. The visa fee is £324 for up to 3 years or £628 for more than 3 years.

How long does a UK Health and Care Worker visa take from India?

GOV.UK gives 3 weeks for work visas applied for outside the UK. You apply online first and then give fingerprints and a photo at a VFS Global centre.

Is the Seasonal Worker visa an alternative to care work?

Only for horticulture (up to 6 months) or poultry work (2 October to 31 December). GOV.UK says it does not cover other sectors, and holders cannot take a permanent job or bring family.