Specialist medical practitioners (SOC 2212, also written as job code 2212) qualifies for UK Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Scroll down for salary benchmarks, the visa rules, and live jobs from licensed sponsors.
Not sure if SOC 2212 applies to your situation?
The answer above is the general rule. Your case can be different if you already hold a visa and are extending or switching, if you were sponsored before a rule change, or depending on your salary. Our AI assistant can explain the full rules from gov.uk guidance.
Ask AI about SOC 2212Specialist medical practitioners and consultants specialise in particular areas of modern medicine, diagnose mental and physical injuries, disorders and diseases within their specialism, prescribe and give treatment, recommend preventative action, and conduct medical education and research activities
Entrants require a university degree from a medical school recognised by the General Medical Council followed by two years of pre-registration training as a house officer, and further postgraduate training in a chosen speciality. Some medical schools operate graduate entry schemes.
UK market salary · ASHE 2025
How visa salary requirements compare to what employers pay.
Most specialist medical practitioners in the UK earn between £62,556 and £115,960 in basic pay, with experienced professionals in the top 10% earning above £144,560.
All figures are before tax. Calculate your take-home pay.
Comparing with an offer back home? Try the UK vs home country calculator.
Browse our register of UK companies with an active sponsor licence. Filter by industry, size, sponsor rating, and whether they're currently hiring specialist medical practitioners, so you only apply where a visa is actually on the table.
Browse licensed sponsorsSpecialist medical practitioners roles follow the NHS national pay scale. Your employer must pay at least the Agenda for Change rate set by the Home Office for this occupation code, not the general £41,700 Skilled Worker threshold.
See NHS pay scalesYour sponsor issues a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), a reference number the Home Office uses to check the job offer, salary, and duties line up with an eligible SOC code.
Submit the Skilled Worker visa application online within 3 months of your CoS assignment date. You'll also book a biometric appointment and pay the immigration health surcharge.
Apply on gov.ukTravel to the UK before your CoS start date and begin working for the sponsor named on the certificate.
Yes. Specialist medical practitioners roles fall under SOC 2212 (Higher Skilled), so they qualify for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Your employer will need a sponsor licence and must pay at least the going rate for this occupation.
Job code 2212, SOC code 2212 and occupation code 2212 all refer to the same thing: the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 2020) unit group covering specialist medical practitioners. The Home Office uses this 4-digit code on a Certificate of Sponsorship to check Skilled Worker visa eligibility and to set the going rate salary threshold for the role.
Specialist medical practitioners roles (SOC 2212) follow the NHS national pay scale rather than a fixed going rate. The minimum salary depends on your Agenda for Change pay band. Check the government's Agenda for Change guidance for your grade.
SOC 2212 covers a range of specialist medical practitioners roles, including: Anaesthetists, Cardiologists, Dermatologists, Gastroenterologists, Gynaecologists and obstetricians, Haematologists, and 9 more. Keep in mind that the Home Office matches jobs by duties rather than title alone. Two roles with the same title can fall under different SOC codes depending on the actual work involved.
We list Specialist medical practitioners roles from companies with a Home Office sponsor licence. Scroll down to see what's currently open, or search our full jobs database for more visa-sponsored positions across the UK.
This information is provided as guidance only and should not be treated as legal advice. Eligibility criteria and salary thresholds are based on the latest published government data. Always verify with the official UK government guidance or seek professional immigration advice.