Immigration and Asylum
Temporary Work covers several distinct immigration routes, rather than one visa for any short job. The proposed activity and sponsor determine which category needs consideration. SJS can help applicants and organisations assess the requirements for a temporary placement, assignment or engagement before an application is made.
Understanding your next steps
Current categories include Creative Worker, Charity Worker, Religious Worker, Government Authorised Exchange, International Agreement and Seasonal Worker. Each has its own purpose and restrictions. A short contract does not automatically make someone eligible for a Temporary Work visa.
The relevant sponsor must be authorised for the chosen route. The work, dates and certificate of sponsorship must match the application. Paid work, unpaid work, dependants and extensions are not treated identically across all temporary categories.
Older documents may call these routes Tier 5. The current category needs to be checked instead. Professional sport now has a separate International Sportsperson route, and Youth Mobility is a different scheme with its own nationality and eligibility rules.
A clear way forward
Tell us what you will do, who will host or employ you, whether you will be paid and the expected start and finish dates.
We check the relevant category and sponsor position, then identify the evidence the organisation and applicant need to provide.
We agree the work and explain the visa conditions, any family applications and the position when the temporary assignment ends.
Planning ahead
We will quote for the chosen route and number of applicants. Home Office fees, any healthcare surcharge and sponsor costs are separate. The costs cannot be assessed accurately from the old Tier 5 label alone.
Allow time for the sponsor to arrange the appropriate documentation before travel. Maximum stays and the earliest application date vary by category, so the timetable needs to follow the particular route.
Read our published Price Guide, then contact us to confirm the work you need and the costs involved.
View Price GuideUseful to know
No. The work must fall within an eligible category and meet that category's requirements. Many ordinary jobs instead require a different work route.
Tier 5 is an older umbrella label. Applications now use the relevant named route, such as Creative Worker or Government Authorised Exchange.
This depends on the Temporary Work category. Some routes allow eligible dependants and others do not, so their position must be checked before making plans.
Temporary permission should not be treated as a guaranteed route to settlement. The category and any future application need separate assessment before the permission ends.
General information about UK immigration. Contact us for advice about your circumstances.
SJS Solicitors · Balham
