UK Health and Care Worker Visa: Minimum salary Foreigners Must Earn to Qualify
- The UK government set £31,300 (about ₦65.3 million) per year as the standard minimum salary for the Health and Care Worker visa in 2026
- Workers whose jobs appear on the immigration salary list face a different threshold, with the required amount dropping to £25,000 (about ₦52.2 million)
- Younger applicants, recent graduates, and STEM PhD holders may qualify for a discounted salary rate under specific conditions
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The UK government has set out the salary thresholds that foreign nationals must meet to qualify for a Health and Care Worker visa in 2026, with the standard minimum standing at £31,300 (about ₦65.3 million) per year.
According to official guidance published by the UK government, applicants must earn at least £31,300 (about ₦65.3 million) annually, or the lower going rate for their specific occupation, whichever figure is higher.
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Each occupation code carries its own going rate, and workers can check where their role falls using the government's going rates table.
UK healthcare worker visa: When lower salary may qualify
The government has provided for situations where applicants earn below the standard threshold. Workers whose jobs appear on the immigration salary list need to earn at least £25,000 (about ₦52.2 million) per year, or the full going rate for their job, whichever is higher.
Outside the immigration salary list, applicants may be paid between 70% and 90% of the lower going rate for their occupation if their salary is at least £25,000 (about ₦52.2 million) and they meet one of the following criteria: they are under 26, currently studying, a recent graduate, or in professional training; they hold a STEM PhD qualification relevant to their role; or they hold a postdoctoral position in a scientific role.
Applicants with a relevant PhD in a non-STEM subject must earn at least £28,200 (about ₦58.9 million) to access the discounted rate.
UK healthcare worker visa: Rules for young workers and graduates
Applicants under 26 years old on the date of application may qualify for 70% of their job's lower going rate, provided their salary reaches at least £25,000 (about ₦52.2 million) per year.
The same 70% rate applies to those currently in the UK on a Student visa at bachelor's degree level or above, or who held such a visa within the past two years, as well as those working towards a recognised qualification in a UK-regulated profession or pursuing full registration or chartered status in their sponsored role.
The government noted that applicants who qualify under any of these reduced-salary categories cannot stay in the UK for more than four years in total, including any time previously spent on a Tier 2 (General) work visa.
Jobs that appear on the immigration salary list are not eligible for the discounted salary rates available to younger workers or graduates.
In a related story, Legit.ng reported that the UK had released 31 occupations eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa.
Salary requirement for Senior or Specialist Worker visa
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the UK had shared its minimum salary requirement for a Senior or Specialist Worker visa.
According to the UK government's official eligibility page, applicants must be paid at least £52,500 (approximately ₦109.7 million) or the "going rate" for their specific occupation code, whichever of the two figures is higher.
Each occupation code carries its own defined going rate, which prospective applicants are required to verify against the government's going rates table before submitting an application.
Source: Legit.ng
