The UK Health and Care Worker visa 2026 looks nothing like it did 12 months ago. Salary thresholds are up, the skills bar has been raised to degree-level RQF 6, and the Immigration Salary List that powered thousands of African care worker moves is being switched off. If you are a Nigerian nurse, doctor, midwife or allied health professional eyeing the NHS, the rules of the game have officially changed.
This guide breaks down every major shift, the dates that matter, and the smartest moves Africans should make before December 2026.
What changed in the UK Health and Care Worker visa 2026?
From 8 April 2026, the Home Office formally aligned the Health and Care Worker visa with the wider Skilled Worker route. The general salary threshold rose to £31,300 (up from £29,000), with a lower £25,000 floor for occupations on national pay scales such as the NHS Agenda for Change. From 1 April 2026, the Band 3 entry point on Agenda for Change moved up to £25,760, finally bringing healthcare support workers back into sponsorship eligibility.
The skills requirement has also been pushed up to RQF Level 6 — degree-level work — matching the Skilled Worker route. That means roles must genuinely sit at graduate level for the sponsor licence to apply.
Who is affected?
Three groups feel this most:
- Care workers and senior care workers — new overseas sponsorship for SOC code 6135/6136 ended on 22 July 2025. Only in-country transitional arrangements remain until 22 July 2028 for those already in the UK.
- Registered nurses, midwives and AHPs — still firmly in scope, but must meet the new salary floors and English-language standards.
- Nursing auxiliaries and assistants (SOC 6131) — new applications under this code will not be possible after the Immigration Salary List is withdrawn in December 2026.
Key requirements and deadlines for 2026
- Confirmed Certificate of Sponsorship from a Home Office licensed health or care employer.
- Salary at least £31,300 (general) or the going rate for your SOC code, or £25,000 on national pay scales.
- Job at RQF Level 6 or above.
- English at CEFR Level B1 (raising to B2 across many routes from January 2026).
- Valid IELTS UKVI / OET or NMC test of competence.
- No Immigration Health Surcharge — this fee waiver remains a major saving.
Why it matters for Nigerians and Africans
Nigeria has been one of the largest source countries for NHS and UK care sector recruitment in the last three years. The 2026 changes mean three things for Africans:
First, salary stretching is over. Sponsors can no longer offer the bottom of the band — offers must clear £31,300 or the SOC-specific going rate, whichever is higher. Second, care assistant roles are essentially closed to new overseas applicants — the path now runs through the NHS Agenda for Change scale. Third, indefinite leave to remain still becomes available after five continuous years on the route, and family members can join you, so the route remains one of the strongest African-friendly settlement routes in Europe.
Key Takeaways
- General salary threshold is now £31,300; national pay scale floor is £25,000.
- Skills level raised to RQF 6 — matching Skilled Worker.
- Overseas care worker sponsorship closed in July 2025; only in-country transitions allowed until July 2028.
- Immigration Salary List ends December 2026; SOC 6131 closes for new applicants.
- IHS exemption and 5-year ILR pathway are still intact.
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