UK Announces Minimum Salary Foreigners Must Earn to Qualify for Health and Care Worker Visa

• The UK has released a fresh update that could interest foreigners planning to work in the country's health and care sector
• The latest rules highlight an important requirement applicants need to meet before securing the relevant work visa
• Some categories of applicants may also benefit from special provisions under the updated guidelines

The UK government has outlined the salary requirements foreign nationals must satisfy to obtain a Health and Care Worker visa in 2026, with official figures now published under Home Office guidance.

As a baseline, applicants must earn at least £31,300 ( approximately GH₵487,831.16) per year, or the going rate attached to their specific occupation code, whichever figure is greater.

Each occupation code carries its own pay benchmark, which prospective applicants are expected to verify against the government's official pay tables before applying.

Lower thresholds for shortage roles

For roles that appear on the official immigration salary list, the minimum annual salary drops to £25,000 (equivalent to approximately GH₵389,641.50), or the full going rate for that particular role, again whichever is higher.

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UK lists minimum salary foreigners must earn to qualify for Skilled Worker visa

This provision targets sectors where the UK has identified staff shortages, giving sponsoring employers in those fields some additional flexibility on pay.

Outside the immigration salary list, some applicants may still qualify at between 70% and 90% of their occupation's lower going rate, provided their salary does not fall below £25,000 annually.

According to the Home Office, this reduced rate applies to workers who are under 26, currently studying, recent graduates, or in professional training, as well as those holding a STEM PhD relevant to their job or occupying a postdoctoral scientific position.

Applicants with a PhD in a non-STEM field can also access a discounted salary arrangement, though their annual earnings must reach at least £28,200 to qualify.

Rules for early-career applicants

Workers who are younger than 26 at the time of application are eligible for 70% of their occupation's lower going rate, subject to the £25,000 earnings floor.

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UK lists foreigners who can qualify for Skilled Worker visa

The same concession is extended to individuals who hold or recently held a Student visa at bachelor's degree level or above, as well as those working towards chartered or regulated professional qualifications.

However, the Home Office has made clear that qualifying under any of these reduced-salary categories comes with a significant restriction.

Applicants in this group may not remain in the UK under this route for more than four years in total, including any time previously spent on a Tier 2 (General) work visa.

Additionally, roles appearing on the immigration salary list cannot be combined with the discounted rates designed for younger workers or graduates, meaning applicants must choose which pathway applies to their circumstances.

UK lists foreigners eligible for Skilled visa

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that the UK government had published official guidelines on which foreign workers could apply for a Skilled Worker visa below the standard salary threshold.

Eligible applicants included those under 26, recent graduates, STEM PhD holders and postdoctoral researchers in science or higher education.

Workers qualifying under the reduced rates were required to earn between 70% and 90% of their occupation's going rate, rather than simply meeting the minimum salary figure.

Source: YEN.com.gh