Last Updated: 10 August 2026
If you are currently working in the United Kingdom under a Skilled Worker Visa or Health and Care Worker Visa, it is important to start preparing for your visa extension before your existing immigration permission expires.
A successful UK work visa renewal depends not only on obtaining a new Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from the employer but also on entering your immigration history, travel history, UK address history, family information and employment details accurately in the online application.
For healthcare professionals, nurses, care workers and other eligible healthcare employees, the Health and Care Worker Visa forms part of the Skilled Worker route and can offer substantially lower visa fees and exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge where the eligibility conditions are met.
Who Can Extend a UK Skilled Worker Visa?
A Skilled Worker can normally apply for an extension when they continue in the same job, with the same occupation code, for the employer that sponsored their existing permission. If the employee changes employer or, in certain circumstances, changes occupation code, the application normally becomes a visa update/change-of-employment application rather than a simple extension.
Health and Care Worker extensions have similar requirements: the applicant normally needs to remain in the same job and occupation code with the sponsoring employer and continue to meet the applicable salary requirements.
Special Note for Care Workers in 2026
Care workers and home carers under occupation code 6135, and senior care workers under 6136, remain eligible in certain circumstances for in-country Health and Care Worker extensions, updates or switches. For jobs based in England, a care worker or senior care worker sponsor must also meet the applicable Care Quality Commission (CQC) requirements.
Because substantial changes have been made to UK care-worker immigration rules, eligibility should be checked individually before submitting an application.
Information to Keep Ready Before Starting the Visa Renewal
The UKVI application is detailed. Preparing the information in advance can reduce mistakes and delays.
| Information Required | Details to Prepare |
|---|---|
| Applicant contact details | Current UK/mobile telephone number and email address |
| Partner details | Partner’s current contact number where applicable |
| Aadhaar details | Aadhaar number for applicants where requested for administrative/identity verification purposes |
| National Insurance Number | NI number for each applicant who has one |
| International travel history | Countries visited during the last 10 years, including first entry and last exit dates |
| UK medical treatment | Hospital/NHS details if relevant, including hospital name, address and admission/discharge or treatment dates |
| Public funds | Declare whether any public funds or benefits have been received and provide details if applicable |
| Previous visa refusals | Country, refusal date and reason for any visa or immigration refusal |
| Criminal history | Details of any criminal conviction, offence, caution or other matter asked about in the application |
| First UK entry | Exact first date of arrival in the UK for each applicant |
| Travel after arriving in UK | Exit and re-entry dates for holidays, home-country travel and other international trips |
| Current UK address | Full address and the date residence started |
| Previous addresses | Previous UK addresses and start/end dates, keeping at least the recent two-year history readily available |
| Landlord information | Current landlord’s name, address and contact number where applicable |
| Parents’ information | Parents’ dates of birth for each applicant where requested |
| Driving licence | UK driving licence number where applicable |
All information should match passports, previous visa applications, travel records and other official documents wherever possible. Immigration refusals, criminal matters, travel history and other material facts should be answered accurately rather than omitted.
Documents Required for a UK Skilled Worker Visa Extension
The principal documents and information identified by UKVI include a valid passport or identity document, the Certificate of Sponsorship reference number, job title, salary, occupation code, employer name and sponsor licence number. Proof of English ability is also part of the Skilled Worker requirements. Depending on the circumstances, UKVI can additionally require financial evidence, relationship evidence for dependants and other supporting documents. Documents not in English or Welsh generally require a certified translation.
For an applicant who has already been living lawfully in the UK for at least 12 months, the requirement to produce evidence of £1,270 maintenance funds will normally not apply. Alternatively, maintenance can sometimes be certified by the sponsor.
It is advisable to have the current passport, current immigration/eVisa details, new CoS, previous CoS if available, employment details, current UK address information and dependant documents ready before beginning the application.
Important: Aadhaar and NI Number
An Aadhaar card is not listed by GOV.UK as one of the standard mandatory supporting documents for a Skilled Worker extension. It can nevertheless be collected by an adviser for identity cross-checking or administrative purposes. The National Insurance number may also be requested as information in an application, but it should not be confused with the main sponsorship documents required to establish Skilled Worker eligibility.
UK Skilled Worker Visa Renewal Fees in 2026
The amount depends significantly on whether the applicant qualifies for the Health and Care Worker Visa or is applying under the standard Skilled Worker route.
| Visa Route | Up to 3 Years | More Than 3 Years | Immigration Health Surcharge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health and Care Worker Visa | £324 per person | £628 per person | No IHS |
| Standard Skilled Worker – inside UK | £943 per person | £1,865 per person | Usually £1,035 per year |
| Skilled Worker – Immigration Salary List rate | £628 per person | £1,235 per person | Usually applicable unless separately exempt |
The Health and Care Worker application fee is currently £324 for permission of up to three years and £628 for more than three years. Eligible Health and Care Worker applicants and qualifying dependants are exempt from paying the Immigration Health Surcharge.
For a standard Skilled Worker application made inside the UK, the current fee is £943 for up to three years or £1,865 for more than three years. The standard Immigration Health Surcharge is currently £1,035 per year where it applies.
The exact amount shown during the online UKVI application should always be treated as the final payable amount, because the route, occupation, duration and applicant circumstances can affect the fee.
How Long Does UK Skilled Worker Visa Renewal Take?
For an application made from within the UK, the current standard processing time is normally:
Health and Care Worker Visa: approximately 3 weeks
Standard Skilled Worker Visa: approximately 8 weeks
These are standard processing times and an application may take longer where UKVI needs additional evidence, verification, an interview or consideration of individual circumstances.
Priority and Super Priority Processing
Where the service is offered for the particular application, the applicant may be able to pay an additional £500 for Priority Service, which normally aims for a decision within five working days.
The Super Priority Service costs an additional £1,000 and normally aims for a decision by the end of the next working day, subject to when identity verification is completed. Availability is not guaranteed for every application or appointment.
UK Skilled Worker Visa Renewal Process
- Obtain the new Certificate of Sponsorship. The employer must issue the appropriate CoS containing the correct occupation code, salary, employment dates and sponsorship information.
- Check the correct visa route. Determine whether the applicant should apply as a standard Skilled Worker or qualifies for the reduced-fee Health and Care Worker route. Healthcare and social-care applicants should pay particular attention to this step.
- Check occupation and salary eligibility. The occupation code, employer, salary and previous immigration history must meet the rules applying to that applicant. Transitional rules may apply depending on when the applicant first entered the Skilled Worker route.
- Prepare the personal-information checklist. Gather UK entry dates, international travel history, previous addresses, medical information where applicable, visa refusal details, immigration history and dependant information.
- Complete the UKVI application online before the current visa expires. Applicants applying for a Health and Care Worker extension use the Skilled Worker application and must select that they are applying under the Health and Care Worker provisions where eligible.
- Pay the visa application fee and any applicable IHS. Health and Care Worker applicants who qualify for that route are exempt from the Immigration Health Surcharge.
- Verify identity and submit supporting documents. Depending on the applicant, this may be completed through the UK Immigration: ID Check app or through biometric enrolment at a UKVCAS service point.
- Wait for the UKVI decision. An applicant who submits a valid in-country application before their existing permission expires can remain in the UK while the application is pending. Applicants should not travel outside the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands or Isle of Man before receiving the decision, because doing so can cause the application to be treated as withdrawn.
What About Spouse and Children?
A dependant’s visa does not automatically renew when the main Skilled Worker renews their visa. Each dependant must submit their own extension application before their existing permission expires, either together with the main applicant or separately.
There are particularly important restrictions for families of care workers and senior care workers. In general, an existing partner or child may continue to qualify where the main applicant has been continuously employed in the UK as a care worker or senior care worker and continuously held the relevant Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker permission since before 11 March 2024, although specific exceptions also exist, including certain cases involving children born in the UK.
Because dependant eligibility can therefore differ significantly between applicants, family applications should be checked before payment is made.
Common Reasons a UK Skilled Worker Extension Can Become Complicated
Problems often arise when there is a change of employer or occupation code, a salary that does not satisfy the applicable rule, an incorrect CoS, incomplete travel history, inconsistent address history, undeclared visa refusals or criminal matters, incorrect dependant eligibility, or an application submitted after the existing visa has expired.
For care workers in particular, the date the applicant first entered the Skilled Worker/Health and Care Worker route and their continuous immigration and employment history can now be extremely important because of the transitional rules introduced for medium-skilled occupations
Need Assistance With Your UK Skilled Worker Visa Renewal?
If you need support with your UK Skilled Worker Visa renewal, Health and Care Worker Visa extension, CoS document review, application preparation, dependant application or document checklist, you can contact Nursing Manthra.
WhatsApp: +971 502 515 717
WhatsApp Direct: https://wa.me/971502515717
Our team can assist you in organising the required information and documents before the UK visa application is submitted.
Disclaimer: UK immigration rules and application fees can change. Eligibility depends on the individual’s visa history, occupation, sponsor, salary and circumstances. Applicants should verify the applicable requirements at the time of submission.
👩⚕️ About the Author
Shincy George, RN, MSN (Cardiothoracic Nursing), SCFHS-RN, DHA RN, MOH UAE RN, NCLEX-RN (USA), is the Founder of Nursing Manthra Academy.
With extensive international clinical and academic experience, she is dedicated to guiding healthcare professionals through global licensing pathways. Through Nursing Manthra, she supports internationally educated healthcare professionals in achieving their career goals across Canada, USA, UAE, Middle East, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and other countries.
Her mission is to simplify complex licensing processes and empower healthcare professionals with the right knowledge, guidance, and support to succeed globally. 🌍
