Nurse jobs with UK visa sponsorship
What nurse roles pay against the Skilled Worker going rate, and who can sponsor.
Checked against gov.uk on
The short answer
Nurse jobs are paid on NHS Agenda for Change pay bands. 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. 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.
Registered nurses assess, plan and deliver care in hospitals, communities and care settings, across adult, children’s and mental health nursing.
| Occupation (SOC code) | Going rate |
|---|---|
| 7 occupation codes: SOC 2231, 2232, 2233, 2234, 2235, 2236 and 2237 | NHS Agenda for Change pay bands (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), Table 4 of the Home Office tables, on gov.uk |
How many visas were granted for these occupation codes?
In the year to June 2026, the Home Office granted 1,126 Skilled Worker entry clearance visas, including Health and Care Worker visas, to main applicants applying from outside the UK for these occupation codes. Of those, 1,125 were Health and Care Worker visas.
| Occupation code | Year | Of which Health and Care Worker | Jul to Sep 2025 | Oct to Dec 2025 | Jan to Mar 2026 (provisional) | Apr to Jun 2026 (provisional) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOC 2231 Midwifery nurses | 23 | 22 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 5 |
| SOC 2232 Registered community nurses | 60 | 60 | 14 | 23 | 14 | 9 |
| SOC 2233 Registered specialist nurses | 63 | 63 | 19 | 8 | 17 | 19 |
| SOC 2234 Registered nurse practitioners | 152 | 152 | 40 | 61 | 31 | 20 |
| SOC 2235 Registered mental health nurses | 100 | 100 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 26 |
| SOC 2236 Registered children’s nurses | 20 | 20 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 8 |
| SOC 2237 Other registered nursing professionals | 708 | 708 | 235 | 135 | 194 | 144 |
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 nurse jobs
Nurse roles sit on the Home Office table of occupations paid on national pay scales, which is open to new Skilled Worker applications.
For midwifery nurses (SOC 2231), registered community nurses (SOC 2232), registered specialist nurses (SOC 2233), registered nurse practitioners (SOC 2234), registered mental health nurses (SOC 2235), registered children’s nurses (SOC 2236) and other registered nursing professionals (SOC 2237), the going rate is set by national pay scales rather than one figure: NHS Agenda for Change pay bands (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).
Job titles listed under 2231 include Delivery suite manager, Midwife and Midwifery manager.
Job titles listed under 2232 include Community care nurse, District nurse, Practice nurse and Health visitor.
What sponsors look for in nurse hires
Nursing is on the national pay scale table: the going rate is the relevant NHS Agenda for Change band rather than a single figure. Newly qualified nurses in the NHS usually start on Band 5.
You need to be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council to work as a registered nurse. Many nursing roles qualify for the Health and Care Worker visa, which has its own rules; check gov.uk for the current position.
Newly qualified nurses usually start on preceptorship programmes that support the first year in practice. Overseas-trained nurses have a separate NMC registration route.
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 nurse 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 NHS Agenda for Change pay bands, 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 nurse job?
The employer chooses the code from the duties of the job, not the title. Visavi maps nurse roles to SOC 2231 (midwifery nurses), SOC 2232 (registered community nurses), SOC 2233 (registered specialist nurses), SOC 2234 (registered nurse practitioners), SOC 2235 (registered mental health nurses), SOC 2236 (registered children’s nurses) and SOC 2237 (other registered nursing professionals). Job titles the Home Office lists under 2231 include Delivery suite manager, Midwife and Midwifery manager.
Can a nurse use the Health and Care Worker visa?
gov.uk lists SOC 2231 (midwifery nurses), SOC 2232 (registered community nurses), SOC 2233 (registered specialist nurses), SOC 2234 (registered nurse practitioners), SOC 2235 (registered mental health nurses), SOC 2236 (registered children’s nurses) and SOC 2237 (other registered nursing professionals) 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 nurse 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 2231 (midwifery nurses), 23; SOC 2232 (registered community nurses), 60; SOC 2233 (registered specialist nurses), 63; SOC 2234 (registered nurse practitioners), 152; SOC 2235 (registered mental health nurses), 100; SOC 2236 (registered children’s nurses), 20; and SOC 2237 (other registered nursing professionals), 708. Of those, 1,125 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