UK Releases List of 31 Occupations Eligible for Health and Care Worker Visa
- The UK government published the full list of occupations that qualify for the Health and Care Worker visa in 2026
- Applicants must hold a qualifying job, work for a Home Office-approved employer, and meet minimum salary requirements to be eligible
- Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, paramedics, social workers and lab technicians are among the roles covered under the visa
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The UK government has released the official list of job roles that qualify for its Health and Care Worker visa, setting out the exact occupation codes workers must fall under to be considered for the visa.
According to guidance published on the UK government's official website, applicants must be qualified doctors, nurses, health professionals, or adult social care professionals whose roles are covered by the visa.
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They must also secure employment with a UK health and care employer that has received Home Office approval, and their salary must meet either the minimum threshold or the standard "going rate" for their occupation, whichever is higher.
The government also warned that any employer who fails to pay at least the national minimum wage or breaches UK working hour rules will cause their employee's visa application to be refused outright.
UK Health and Care Worker visa: List of eligible occupations
The following occupation codes are eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa in 2026:
1. 1171: Health services and public health managers and directors.
2. 1232: Residential, day and domiciliary care managers and proprietors.
3. 2113: Biochemists and biomedical scientists.
4. 2114: Physical scientists.
5. 2211: Generalist medical practitioners.
6. 2212: Specialist medical practitioners.
7. 2221: Physiotherapists.
8. 2222: Occupational therapists.
9. 2223: Speech and language therapists.
10. 2224: Psychotherapists and cognitive behaviour therapists.
11. 2225: Clinical psychologists.
12. 2226: Other psychologists.
13. 2229: Therapy professionals not elsewhere classified.
14. 2231: Midwifery nurses.
15. 2232: Registered community nurses.
16. 2233: Registered specialist nurses.
17. 2234: Registered nurse practitioners.
18. 2235: Registered mental health nurses.
19. 2236: Registered children's nurses.
20. 2237: Other registered nursing professionals.
21. 2251: Pharmacists.
22. 2252: Optometrists.
23. 2253: Dental practitioners.
24. 2254: Medical radiographers.
25. 2255: Paramedics.
26. 2256: Podiatrists.
27. 2259: Other health professionals not elsewhere classified.
28. 2461: Social workers.
29. 3111: Laboratory technicians.
30. 3212: Pharmaceutical technicians.
31. 6131: Nursing auxiliaries and assistants.
Key conditions applicants must meet
Beyond holding an eligible job title, prospective applicants must confirm that their specific role falls within one of the recognised occupation codes before submitting an application.
The visa is designed for workers moving to the UK to fill roles within the National Health Service or the broader social care sector, both of which have continued to draw large numbers of Nigerian health professionals in recent years.
The full breakdown of eligible roles and application requirements is available on the UK government's Health and Care Worker visa page.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the UK had published the names of 32 African countries whose citizens must get an airport transit visa.
Nationalities eligible for UK transit visa
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the UK had listed 73 nationalities that must obtain an airport transit visa.
The guidance, published on the UK government's official website, applies to travellers who are transiting through British airports without entering the country.
Nationals of the listed countries cannot pass through UK airport transit zones without holding the appropriate visa.
Source: Legit.ng
