Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to take into account NHS-agreed pay scales when setting salary thresholds for Health and Care Worker visa renewals.

Salary thresholds are an important way of ensuring those coming to work in the UK are able to support themselves. These workers do not have access to public funds so it is important a rate is set which will ensure people are earning sufficient income without having to rely on public funds. A number of health and care and education occupations are subject to lower rates of pay than other occupations.

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has been asked to consider whether there should continue to be a different threshold for health and care worker visas. We look forward to receiving the MAC’s recommendations in due course.

Individuals who are sponsored in the roles at band 3 before the rules changed on 22 July will be eligible to extend their visa providing they meet all of the requirements at the time including being paid the appropriate salary. Salary thresholds and going rates are routinely updated and sponsored workers will need to meet the salary requirements in place at the time when they apply for their visa to be renewed.