This section contains information about the routes available to migrants who want to come to the UK to do temporary work for a licensed Tier 5 sponsor.
If you are a national of a country outside the EEA or Switzerland (except Turkey – see below), you will need to apply for a visa under Tier 5 of the points-based system.
To be able to apply for a visa under most Tier 5 categories, you must have a job offer from a licensed sponsor, and you must pass a points-based assessment. There are different requirements under the Youth mobility scheme.
Before you apply, you should read the eligibility requirements for your category in full.
Tier 5 (Temporary worker - creative and sporting)
What is the creative and sporting category?
The creative and sporting worker category is for people coming to the UK to work or perform as sportspeople, entertainers or creative artists for up to 12 months.
If you are a sportsperson, you must be internationally established at the highest level in your sport, and/or your employment must make a significant contribution to the development and running of sport at the highest level in the UK.
If you are a coach, you must be suitably qualified to do the job.
Who can apply as a creative and sporting worker?
Before you apply under the creative and sporting worker category, you must have:
- a sponsor; and
- a valid certificate of sponsorship.
Before assigning your certificate of sponsorship in the sporting sub-category, your sponsor must have an endorsement for you from the governing body for your sport, which confirms you meet the governing body’s requirements to give their endorsement. The governing body must be recognised by us. Find a list of sports governing bodies.
When you apply you are awarded points based on your sponsorship and available maintenance (funds).
You can apply under the creative and sporting worker category now if you are:
- applying for permission to enter the UK (known as ‘entry clearance’) under the creative and sporting worker category;
- already in the UK as a sportsperson and want to extend your permission to stay for up to 12 months;
- already in the UK as a creative worker who has been here for 12 months or less – you will be able to extend your permission to stay for up to a maximum of 24 months. The job must continue with your original sponsor.
The creative and sporting category is not for people who want to come or who are already in the UK as entertainers or sports visitors, including for specified festivals.
You can switch in to the creative and sporting category if you came to the UK as a sports or entertainer visitor, and before you entered the UK, your sponsor gave you a certificate of sponsorship for this category. You can use the certificate to apply to switch.
Otherwise switching is not allowed into or out of the creative and sporting working category.
You can apply under the creative and sporting category from a country that is not your normal place of residence if you are there doing a job similar to the one that you want to do in the UK.
How long can you stay for?
Sportsperson
If you are given permission to stay as a sportsperson, you can come to live and work in the UK for a maximum of 12 months, or the time given in your certificate of sponsorship plus 28 days, whichever is shorter (beginning no more than 14 days before the start date given on your certificate of sponsorship).
If you are a sportsperson, you can only apply to extend your stay for a maximum of 12 months.
Creative worker
If you are given permission to stay as a creative worker, you can come to live and work in the UK for an initial time of up to 12 months, or the time given in your certificate of sponsorship plus 28 days, whichever is shorter (beginning no more than 14 days before the start date given on your certificate of sponsorship).
You can apply to extend your permission to stay in the UK as a creative worker for up to 12 months at a time, up to a maximum of 24 months. If your extension will take your time in the UK beyond 12 months, the job must continue with your last sponsor.
For example, if you come for 9 months initially, you can get an extension to stay for another 3 months and this does not have to be with the same sponsor.
If you come for 9 months initially, you can get an extension to stay for a further 12 months, but this must be with the same sponsor. After that time, you can get a further extension to stay to take the length of your stay up to 24 months in total.
If you need to be able to come and go from the UK with your job
If you need to leave and come back to the UK quite often as part of the job you are doing, you can get a multiple entry certificate of sponsorship from your employer. This will allow you to come and go a number of times during the length of the certificate.
If you leave the UK and you were given no more than 6 months’ permission to stay, you will need new permission to come back again.
Tier 5 (Temporary worker - international agreement)
This section explains how you can come to the UK or remain here in the international agreement category (Tier 5 Temporary Worker) under our points-based system to work in the UK.
What is the international agreement category?
The international agreement category is for people coming to the UK under contract to do work that is covered under international law, including:
- the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS);
- similar agreements between the UK or the European Union and another country or countries;
- employees of overseas governments and international organisations; and
- private servants in diplomatic households.
Who can apply under the international agreement category?
Before you apply under the international agreement category, you must have:
- a sponsor; and
- a valid certificate of sponsorship.
When you apply, you are awarded points based on your sponsorship and available maintenance (funds).
If you are already in the UK under the international agreement category, you can apply to extend your permission to stay here (also known as ‘leave to remain’).
The maximum total time that you can stay is 24 months, unless:
- You are an employee of an overseas government or international organisation, or a private servant in a diplomatic household who applied for a visa in that capacity on or before 5 April 2012. You can apply to extend their stay for a maximum of 12 months at a time, up to a total of 6 years. or
- You are a private servant in a diplomatic household and applied for your visa in that capacity on or after 6 April 2012, you can apply to extend your stay here for a maximum of 12 months at a time, up to a total of 5 years or the length of your employer’s posting, whichever is shorter. You cannot change your employer during your stay. or
- You are providing a service under contract as set out in the GATS or other similar trade agreements such as the European Union – Chile free trade agreement. You can only apply for a maximum stay of 6 months in any 12 month period.
You cannot switch from a different category into the international agreement category, or from the international agreement category into a different category.
How long can you stay for?
If you are given permission to stay under the international agreement category, you can live and work in the UK for a maximum of 24 months, or the time given in your certificate of sponsorship plus 28 days, whichever is shorter (beginning no more than 14 days before the start date given on your certificate of sponsorship). The exception to this is if you are providing a service under contract as set out in the GATS or other similar trade agreements such as the European Union – Chile free trade agreement; you can only apply for a maximum stay of 6 months in any 12 month period.
You may be able to stay for longer if you are applying as:
- an employee of an overseas government or international organisation – you can apply to extend your stay for a maximum of 12 months at a time, up to a total of 6 years; or
- a private servant in a diplomatic household – you can apply to extend your stay here for a maximum of 12 months at a time, up to a total of 5 years or the length of your employer’s posting, whichever is shorter.
If you are already in the UK as a private servant in a diplomatic household and applied for your visa to come here in that capacity on or before 5 April 2012, you can apply to extend your stay for a maximum of 12 months at a time, up to a total of 6 years.
If you need to be able to leave and come back to the UK with your job
If you will need to leave and come back to the UK quite often as part of your job, you can get a ‘multiple entry certificate of sponsorship’. Your sponsor will give you this certificate, which allows you to come and go a number of different times during the length of your certificate.
If you have permission to come to the UK (entry clearance) for any length of time, you will be able to leave and come back during the time you have permission.
If you leave the UK and you were given permission to stay for 6 months or less, you will not be able to come back – your permission to stay ends when you leave the UK. You must apply again if you want to come back.
Dr. Zahur-ul-Haq is managing the organization Zahaq Associates (Pvt) Ltd. as a Managing Director since 1997. Due to his Dynamic education background and relations with leading institutes have made Dr. Zahur as one of the Leading Education & Immigration Consultant in Pakistan.