UK Health and Care Worker Visa for Nurses: NMC Registration, NHS Pay and 2026 Rules

A newly registered nurse in an NHS hospital in England starts on Band 5, about £32,000 a year in 2026/27, before London weighting and unsocial-hours pay. For nurses from the Philippines, India, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Zimbabwe, that pay, plus a visa with no health surcharge, is why the UK remains one of the most popular destinations.

The Health and Care Worker visa is a cheaper version of the Skilled Worker visa for doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and some social care roles. The fees are lower and you pay no Immigration Health Surcharge. But the route changed sharply in July 2025: overseas recruitment of care workers ended, and NHS international recruitment has slowed as trusts hire more UK graduates.

This guide focuses on nurses, with a section on what is left for care workers.

In this guide

1. Health and Care Worker Visa at a Glance
2. Who Qualifies
3. The Care Worker Rule Change
4. NMC Registration, Step by Step
5. NHS Pay Bands for Nurses
6. Visa Costs Compared
7. Documents Checklist
8. Life After Arrival
9. Common Mistakes
10. Frequently Asked Questions
11. Before You Apply

Health and Care Worker Visa at a Glance

Who Qualifies

You need a job offer from a UK employer that holds a sponsor licence and is either the NHS, an organisation providing services to the NHS, or an adult social care provider registered with the Care Quality Commission (in England). The job must be on the eligible list of health and care occupations.

Eligible roles for new applicants include nurses (SOC 2231), midwives (2232), doctors, pharmacists, physiotherapists, radiographers, occupational therapists, paramedics and several other allied health roles. Nursing auxiliaries and assistants can also qualify in specific cases.

You also need English at the required level, a certificate of sponsorship and, for nurses, a route to NMC registration.

The Care Worker Rule Change

From 22 July 2025, the Home Office stopped accepting new visa applications from outside the UK for care workers (SOC 6135) and senior care workers (6136). People already in the UK on a sponsored visa can still switch into or extend in these roles if they have worked for their sponsor for at least three months. That transitional window is expected to run until 22 July 2028 and is under review.

Since March 2024, care workers have also been unable to bring dependants. If someone abroad is offering you a UK care worker visa in 2026, it is either a misunderstanding or a scam. Read our guide on visa job scams before you pay anyone anything.

NMC Registration, Step by Step

To work as a registered nurse in the UK you must join the Nursing and Midwifery Council register. The process for nurses trained outside the UK has a clear sequence.

1. Meet the English requirement. IELTS Academic 7.0 overall with at least 6.5 in writing and 7.0 in the other sections, or OET grade B (with C+ accepted in writing). Some applicants qualify through training or practice in English.
2. Check eligibility and create an NMC Online account. The NMC checks your nursing training and your registration with your home regulator, so have transcripts and licence details ready.
3. Sit the CBT (Part 1). A computer-based theory test taken at Pearson VUE centres worldwide, including Manila, Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Mumbai and Delhi.
4. Submit your application for assessment. Upload your qualification, registration and identity documents for evaluation.
5. Get your job and visa. Most nurses are recruited at this point and arrive in the UK on a Health and Care Worker visa as pre-registration nurses.
6. Pass the OSCE (Part 2). A practical exam at a UK test centre. Employers usually give training and expect you to sit it within your first few months.
7. Pay the registration fee and receive your PIN. You can then work as a Band 5 registered nurse.

NMC costs

Many NHS trusts reimburse the OSCE fee, flights and the first month's accommodation. Ask for this in writing before you sign. Check the latest figures on the NMC's cost page, since the October 2026 increase may have changed individual items.

NHS Pay Bands for Nurses

NHS pay in England follows the Agenda for Change scale. The 2026/27 scale took effect from 1 April 2026 after a 3.3% rise.

London and its fringe add a high-cost area supplement of 5% to 20% of basic pay, within set minimums and maximums, and nights, weekends and bank holidays pay extra. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own scales, which are close to England's.

On £32,073, take-home pay is roughly £2,040 a month after tax, National Insurance and NHS pension. That is enough for a shared flat or a modest one-bedroom outside London, but less than many nurses expect after hearing about "UK salaries" at home.

Visa Costs Compared

The Health and Care route is far cheaper than the Skilled Worker route, mainly because of the surcharge exemption.

The exemption also covers your partner and children, which is why nurses with families often prefer this route. Our Skilled Worker visa guide explains the other route in full.

Documents Checklist

• Passport valid for your whole stay
• Certificate of sponsorship reference number from your employer
• NMC decision letter or evidence you are on the path to registration
• IELTS or OET result
• Tuberculosis test certificate from an approved clinic, if required for your country
• Criminal record certificate from every country you have lived in for 12 months or more in the last 10 years
• Bank statements showing £1,270 for 28 days, unless your sponsor certifies maintenance
• Marriage and birth certificates for dependants

Life After Arrival

Most international nurses start with a structured programme: OSCE preparation, supervised shifts, and a period of preceptorship once registered. Expect your first year to be tiring. You are learning British clinical documentation, drug names, and the NHS's way of doing things while adjusting to cold winters and new food.

Your partner can work in any job, and your children can attend state schools for free. You will still pay a flat charge per prescription item in England, and NHS dental treatment carries set charges too.

Changing employer is allowed, but you need a new certificate of sponsorship. Watch for repayment clauses: some trusts and agencies require you to repay relocation costs if you leave within two or three years. Legal clauses must be reasonable and are not meant to trap you.

Settlement

Under current rules, you can apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years if you still meet the requirements. The government's proposed "earned settlement" model would generally lengthen the wait to 10 years, with reductions for public service workers such as NHS nurses. Details and transitional rules were still pending in late 2026.

Common Mistakes

• Failing IELTS writing by half a band. Many strong nurses lose a year here. Consider OET, which uses healthcare scenarios.
• Paying for "guaranteed" jobs. NHS trusts recruit through their own teams or ethical recruitment agencies that do not charge nurses.
• Missing the OSCE window. Repeated OSCE failures, or running past the deadline your employer and visa allow, can cost you the job and the visa that depends on it.
• Ignoring the code of practice. The UK code bans active recruitment from some red-list countries; nurses from those countries can still apply directly to employers.
• Not declaring past refusals. Any previous UK or other visa refusals must be on the form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do nurses pay the Immigration Health Surcharge?

No. Health and Care Worker visa holders and their dependants are exempt from the surcharge. This saves £1,035 per person per year compared with the Skilled Worker route.

What IELTS score do I need for NMC registration?

You need IELTS Academic 7.0 overall, with at least 6.5 in writing and 7.0 in reading, listening and speaking. OET is also accepted, with grade B required and C+ accepted in writing. Results can sometimes be combined from two sittings within a set period.

Can care workers still get a UK visa in 2026?

Not from outside the UK. Overseas recruitment for care workers and senior care workers ended on 22 July 2025. People already in the UK on a qualifying visa can switch into care roles during a transition period expected to last until July 2028.

How long does NMC registration take?

From passing English to receiving your PIN, many nurses take 6 to 12 months. The biggest delays are usually the English test, gathering documents from your home regulator, and OSCE dates in the UK.

Can I bring my family on a Health and Care Worker visa as a nurse?

Yes. Nurses can bring a partner and children under 18, and none of you pay the health surcharge. Each dependant pays the visa fee. Care workers, by contrast, have not been able to bring dependants since March 2024.

Is it easier to be a nurse in the UK or the USA?

The UK process is faster and cheaper for most applicants, often under a year. The USA usually pays more but involves NCLEX, VisaScreen and long green card waits. Read our US nursing guide to compare.

Before You Apply

• Start English test preparation now, since it is the most common bottleneck.
• Book your CBT once you meet the English requirement, and gather your registration and transcript documents from home.
• Apply to NHS trust vacancies directly through official NHS jobs listings, and never pay a recruiter a fee.
• Check the employer is on the official register of licensed sponsors before you sign anything.