Will NHS workers get extra ILR points?

The government has strongly indicated that NHS workers and other public service employees will receive additional points under the new ILR system. Health and care workers already benefit from lower visa fees and a dedicated visa route. Extra ILR points would extend this recognition to the settlement stage.

Do teachers qualify for public service ILR points?

Teachers are expected to qualify for public service points, particularly those working in state-funded schools. The government has highlighted teaching as a critical public service role. Teachers in shortage subjects such as maths, physics, and modern languages may receive additional recognition.

What about social care workers?

Social care workers are expected to be included in the public service points category. Care workers already have a dedicated visa route with lower salary thresholds. The ILR points system is likely to recognise their contribution, especially given ongoing staff shortages in the sector.

Can I combine public service points with other categories?

Yes. The ILR points system is designed to be cumulative. Public service points would be added to your points from economic contribution, English language ability, community integration, and qualifications. This means public service workers could reach the accelerated settlement threshold even if their salary is below the higher-rate tax threshold.

ILR Points for Public Service: NHS, Teaching & Key Workers

Updated 15 March 20269 min read

What you need to know

•NHS workers, teachers, and care workers are expected to receive extra ILR points for public service.
•Public service points could help lower-paid key workers qualify for accelerated settlement.
•The points are cumulative with economic contribution, English language, and integration categories.
•Health and care workers already benefit from lower visa fees and a dedicated visa route.
•Exact point values and qualifying roles have not yet been published.

Public service contribution is expected to be a distinct scoring category in the new ILR points system. Workers in the NHS, education, social care, and other essential services may receive additional points that recognise their contribution beyond their salary. This could help key workers reach settlement faster, even if they earn below the higher-rate tax threshold.

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Why Public Service Gets Special Recognition

The 2025 Immigration White Paper explicitly recognised that many essential public services in the UK depend heavily on immigrant workers. The NHS, schools, and social care sector all employ significant numbers of people on work visas. Under the current system, these workers face the same settlement requirements as everyone else, despite providing services that the government considers critical.

The proposed ILR points system aims to fix this by awarding additional points for public service roles. This means a nurse earning 30,000 GBP could score as well as or better than a private sector worker earning 50,000 GBP, reflecting the social value of their work rather than just their salary.

Which Roles May Qualify

NHS and Healthcare

The NHS is the largest employer of immigrant workers in the UK public sector. Roles expected to qualify for public service points include doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, radiographers, physiotherapists, and other allied health professionals. The Health and Care Worker visa already provides lower fees and faster processing for these roles, and public service points would extend this recognition to settlement.

Education

Teachers in state-funded schools are expected to qualify, particularly those in shortage subjects. Teaching assistants, special educational needs coordinators, and educational psychologists may also be included, though this has not been confirmed. University lecturers and researchers may fall under a different category depending on their institution.

Social Care

Care workers, support workers, and social workers are expected to receive public service recognition. The social care sector faces acute staffing challenges, and the government has already created a dedicated visa route for care workers. Public service points would provide a further incentive for care workers to remain in the UK long-term.

Other Essential Services

The government has not published a complete list of qualifying roles, but other essential services that may be included are police and emergency services, armed forces personnel, local government workers in frontline roles, and public health professionals. The definition of "public service" for points purposes is still being consulted on.

How Public Service Points Interact with Other Categories

The ILR points system is designed to be cumulative. Public service points would sit alongside economic contribution points, community integration points, English language scores, and qualifications. This is particularly important for public service workers because many earn salaries below the higher-rate tax threshold.

Under a purely economic scoring model, a care worker earning 25,000 GBP would score much lower than a finance professional earning 60,000 GBP. Public service points are designed to level this playing field by recognising social contribution alongside economic contribution.

This means a nurse with strong English, active community involvement, and five years of continuous NHS service could accumulate enough points for accelerated settlement at five years rather than the standard ten-year period.

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Evidence You Should Start Collecting

Even though the system is not yet in force, public service workers should start collecting evidence now. This is likely to include:

Employment contracts showing your role, employer, and dates of service.
Payslips and P60s confirming your continuous employment and tax contributions.
Professional registration records such as NMC (nursing), GMC (medical), or QTS (teaching) confirmation. See our professional registration guide.
Employer references confirming your role and performance.
Training certificates and continuing professional development records.

Keep all documents organised by year. The Home Office typically wants to see evidence covering the entire qualifying period, so gaps in your records could create problems.

Impact on Different Visa Routes

Public service points are most relevant for Skilled Worker visa holders in qualifying roles. If you are on the Health and Care Worker visa, you are already on a route designed for public service workers, and the points system would further recognise your contribution at the settlement stage.

For Spouse visa holders who work in public services, it is not yet clear whether public service points would apply at all, since the spouse route has its own settlement criteria. The impact of the points system on spouse visa holders remains an area of uncertainty.

What This Means in Practice

If you are an immigrant working in the NHS, a school, or social care, the proposed points system is broadly good news. It recognises that your contribution to the UK goes beyond your pay packet. However, until the exact criteria and point values are published, it is important not to make assumptions about how many points you will receive.

The best approach is to continue building your record of service, maintain your continuous residence, and keep your professional registrations current. When the system launches, you will be in a strong position regardless of the exact scoring methodology.

Next Steps

For official information, see the GOV.UK Health and Care Worker visa page and the GOV.UK indefinite leave to remain page.

This guide is general information, not immigration advice. Immigration rules change frequently. For advice on your specific situation, consult an OISC-registered adviser or immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the latest rules.