Doctor jobs with UK visa sponsorship
What doctor roles pay against the Skilled Worker going rate, and who can sponsor.
Checked against gov.uk on
The short answer
Doctor jobs are paid on national pay scales set separately for each UK nation. For a Skilled Worker visa, the salary has to meet the going rate the Home Office sets from those scales for the grade of the job, and be at least £25,000 a year. For example, Foundation year 1 (F1) and equivalent in England: £36,616. Many of these jobs can also use the Health and Care Worker visa. Figures from the Home Office going-rate tables, updated 11 November 2025.
Doctors diagnose and treat patients, from foundation training through specialty training to consultant and GP roles.
| Occupation (SOC code) | Going rate |
|---|---|
| Generalist medical practitioners (2211, England) |
These going rates are per year and based on a 40-hour working week. |
| Generalist medical practitioners (2211, Scotland) |
These going rates are per year and based on a 40-hour working week. |
| Generalist medical practitioners (2211, Wales) |
These going rates are per year and based on a 40-hour working week unless noted. |
| Generalist medical practitioners (2211, Northern Ireland) |
These going rates are per year and based on a 40-hour working week. |
| Specialist medical practitioners (2212) | Same pay scales as SOC 2211 |
Grades from the Home Office table. The full table, with every note, is on gov.uk.
How many visas were granted for these occupation codes?
-
SOC 2211 Generalist medical practitioners
In the year to June 2026, the Home Office granted 3,126 Skilled Worker entry clearance visas, including Health and Care Worker visas, to main applicants applying from outside the UK for this occupation code.
Of those, 3,105 were Health and Care Worker visas.
The industries sponsors gave most often for these visas: Human Health and Social Work Activities (3,112).
The most common nationalities among them: India (694), Pakistan (442) and Nigeria (277).
-
SOC 2212 Specialist medical practitioners
In the year to June 2026, the Home Office granted 1,097 Skilled Worker entry clearance visas, including Health and Care Worker visas, to main applicants applying from outside the UK for this occupation code.
Of those, 1,084 were Health and Care Worker visas.
The industries sponsors gave most often for these visas: Human Health and Social Work Activities (1,071) and Information and Communications (15).
The most common nationalities among them: India (235), Pakistan (128) and Egypt (97).
| Occupation code | Jul to Sep 2025 | Oct to Dec 2025 | Jan to Mar 2026 (provisional) | Apr to Jun 2026 (provisional) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOC 2211 | 1,104 | 748 | 723 | 551 |
| SOC 2212 | 369 | 225 | 285 | 218 |
Visas applied for from outside the UK only: switches inside the UK, for example from a Student or Graduate visa, are not counted. The sponsor chooses the occupation code and the industry. A small number of grants that could not be matched to a certificate of sponsorship are not included. Figures for January to June 2026 are provisional. Source: Home Office, Sponsored work entry clearance visas by occupation and industry (SOC 2020), year ending June 2026 (published 27 August 2026). Immigration system statistics data tables.
What the rules say for doctor jobs
Doctor roles sit on the Home Office table of occupations paid on national pay scales, which is open to new Skilled Worker applications.
For specialist medical practitioners (SOC 2212), the Home Office table uses the same pay scales as SOC 2211.
Examples from the Home Office table: Foundation year 1 (F1) and equivalent in England: £36,616 and Foundation year 2 (F2) and equivalent in England: £42,008.
Job titles listed under 2211 include Doctor, General practitioner, House officer (hospital service), Medical practitioner and Physician.
Job titles listed under 2212 include Anaesthetist, Consultant (hospital service), Homeopath (medically qualified), Medical acupuncturist and Paediatrician.
What sponsors look for in doctor hires
Medical practitioners are paid on national pay scales, set separately for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The rates shown are a selection of the grades listed in the Home Office table.
To practise you need registration and a licence to practise from the General Medical Council. Training posts are recruited nationally, and many NHS employers hold sponsor licences.
UK graduates usually start on the Foundation Programme. Doctors trained abroad generally need to pass the GMC route that applies to them before they can practise.
Rules change: always check gov.uk for the current thresholds, and when you can be paid less.
The evidence on every job in Visavi
AI VERDICT
Strong apply
Your profile fits, and the advert says they can sponsor.
UK SPONSOR REGISTER
- Organisation
- Northbank Analytics
- Town
- London
- Type and rating
- Worker (A rating)
- Route
- Skilled Worker
FROM THIS ADVERT
"We welcome applications from candidates who require visa sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route."
WHAT THIS MEANS
The advert says they can sponsor. Those are their words, not a promise they will sponsor you.
Questions people ask
What is the minimum salary for a doctor on a Skilled Worker visa?
There is no single figure. The salary has to be at least £25,000 a year and the rate for the grade of the job on national pay scales set separately for each UK nation, as listed in the Home Office tables updated 11 November 2025, whichever is higher. Check the healthcare and education rules on gov.uk.
Which occupation code is a doctor job?
The employer chooses the code from the duties of the job, not the title. Visavi maps doctor roles to SOC 2211 (generalist medical practitioners) and SOC 2212 (specialist medical practitioners). Job titles the Home Office lists under 2211 include Doctor, General practitioner, House officer (hospital service) and Medical practitioner.
Can a doctor use the Health and Care Worker visa?
gov.uk lists SOC 2211 (generalist medical practitioners) and SOC 2212 (specialist medical practitioners) among the occupation codes for the Health and Care Worker visa. The job offer has to come from the NHS, an organisation providing medical services to the NHS, or an organisation providing adult social care. Check gov.uk for the full rules.
How many Skilled Worker visas were granted for the occupation codes doctor jobs use?
In the year to June 2026, the Home Office granted these numbers of Skilled Worker entry clearance visas, including Health and Care Worker visas, to main applicants applying from outside the UK: SOC 2211 (generalist medical practitioners), 3,126; and SOC 2212 (specialist medical practitioners), 1,097. Of those, 4,189 were Health and Care Worker visas.
Sources
- Appendix Skilled Occupations (going rates) Updated 11 November 2025
- Skilled Worker visa: your job
- Skilled Worker visa: when you can be paid less
- Home Office: sponsored work visas by occupation and industry Sponsored work entry clearance visas by occupation and industry (SOC 2020), year ending June 2026, published 27 August 2026