Temporary Workers Visa

Seasonal Worker

This visa route is for temporary workers in the edible horticulture sector who wish to undertake seasonal work in the UK with a licensed sponsor.

Eligibility Requirements
To apply for a Temporary Work – Seasonal Worker visa, you must:

Hold a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for the job you intend to do.
The CoS must confirm that the role is within the edible horticulture sector
The sponsor must be licensed by the Home Office, hold an endorsement from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and be registered with the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA)

Meet the financial requirement by either:

Having at least £1,270 in savings, held for a continuous 28-day period before applying, or
Having your sponsor certify maintenance on your Certificate of Sponsorship, confirming they will support and accommodate you for your first month of employment to at least this amount

Visa Conditions
If your application is successful:

You will be granted permission to stay for up to 6 months within any 12-month period
This visa does not lead to settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain)
You cannot access public funds
You cannot switch to another job or visa category while in the UK on this route
You are permitted to study, subject to the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) condition, where applicable

Creative Worker

The Temporary Work – Creative Worker route is designed for individuals who wish to work in the UK’s creative sector. This includes artists, dancers, musicians, entertainers, or models contributing to the UK’s fashion industry, and those who can make a unique contribution to the UK’s cultural life.

Key Features

Initial visa duration: Up to 1 year
Possible extension: Up to a maximum of 2 years total stay, provided you continue working for the same sponsor
Dependents: You can bring eligible dependents
No route to settlement

Eligibility Criteria
To apply, you must:

Hold a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a Home Office licensed sponsor
Genuinely intend and be able to perform the sponsored role, and not take up other employment
Provide a clear TB certificate, if required, based on your recent residence history (6 months or more in a listed country)

For Non-Visa Nationals:
Non-visa nationals can apply for permission at the UK border for short-term engagements of up to 3 months without prior entry clearance, provided they meet the eligibility requirements. It’s strongly recommended to have legal representation prepare a letter for the immigration officer explaining how you meet the criteria — or, where possible, apply for entry clearance in advance, as this remains the safer option.

Sponsor Responsibilities
Before issuing your CoS, your sponsor must ensure one of the following applies:

You comply with the relevant Code of Practice under Appendix Creative Workers Codes of Practice (if applicable)
The role appears on the Shortage Occupation List in Appendix Shortage Occupation Lists
They have considered the resident labour market and are satisfied the role cannot be filled by a settled worker
If you are being sponsored for multiple engagements, there must be no more than 14 days between each. Each sponsor must issue a separate Certificate of Sponsorship.

Financial Requirement
Unless you’ve already been in the UK for at least 1 year by the time you apply, you must show either:

Personal savings of at least £1,270, held for 28 consecutive days before applying
or
Confirmation from your sponsor that they will cover your maintenance and accommodation for at least the first month, to a minimum of £1,270

Additional Requirements
If you’re under 18, written consent is required from both parents (or one with sole legal responsibility) or a legal guardian, confirming their support for your:

Visa application

Living and care arrangements in the UK
Travel to and reception in the UK

Visa Conditions
This visa does not permit access to public funds or employment in roles not covered by your sponsorship. However, you are allowed to:

Study (subject to ATAS conditions, if applicable)

Volunteer

Work out your contractual notice period
Supplement your income, provided you continue working in your sponsored job.

Religious Worker

The Temporary Work – Religious Worker route is for individuals who wish to support the activities of religious institutions in the UK by performing religious duties.
This is not a route to settlement in the UK.

Key Features

Initial visa duration: Up to 2 years
Extension: If granted less than 2 years, it can be extended (total stay capped at 2 years)
Dependents: Can accompany applicants if eligible
No settlement option

Eligibility Criteria
To apply, you must:

Not have held permission as a Religious Worker or Charity Worker in the UK within the 12 months immediately before your application, unless you can prove you were not present in the UK during that time
Hold a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a Home Office licensed sponsor
Genuinely intend and be able to undertake the sponsored religious role, without plans to take alternative employment
Provide a clear TB certificate if you have lived in a country listed by UKVI for at least 6 months prior to applying

Financial Requirement
Unless you have been in the UK for at least 1 year at the time of application, you must show either:

Personal savings of at least £1,270 (held for a consecutive 28-day period)
or
A certification of maintenance from your sponsor, confirming they will maintain and accommodate you up to the end of your first month in the UK, to a minimum of £1,270

Visa Conditions
This visa does not permit access to public funds or employment outside of your sponsored role. However, you are allowed to:

Study

Supplement your income through additional work, provided you continue in your sponsored job.

Charity Worker

The Temporary Work – Charity Worker route is designed for individuals who want to come to the UK to do voluntary, unpaid charity work.
This is not a route to settlement in the UK.

Key Features

Initial visa duration: Up to 1 year
Extension: Can be extended to a maximum of 2 years total stay
Dependents: Can accompany applicants if eligible
No settlement option

Eligibility Criteria
To apply, you must:

Not have held permission as a Religious Worker or Charity Worker in the UK within the 12 months immediately before your application, unless you were not in the UK during that time
Hold a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a Home Office licensed sponsor
Genuinely intend and be able to undertake the sponsored voluntary role, without plans for other employment
Provide a clear TB certificate if you’ve lived for 6 months in a country listed by UKVI prior to applying

Work Requirements
Your charity work must:

Directly contribute to the sponsor’s charitable purpose
Be unpaid and voluntary
Not fill a permanent position

Financial Requirement
Unless you’ve been in the UK for at least 1 year by the time of application, you must show either:

Personal savings of at least £1,270 (held for a consecutive 28-day period)
or
A certification of maintenance from your sponsor, confirming they will maintain and accommodate you for your first month in the UK to at least £1,270

Visa Conditions
This visa does not permit access to public funds or other employment. However, it allows you to:

Study

Volunteer with other organisations.

International Agreement

The International Agreement route is for individuals coming to the UK to carry out work that is covered by international law. This includes roles such as:

Private servants in diplomatic households
Employees of overseas governments
Staff of international organisations established under international treaties signed by the UK
This route does not lead to settlement, although dependents may accompany the applicant.

Key Details

This route has replaced the former Temporary Worker – International Agreement Worker visa (T5)
Those applying as intra-company transferees, contractual service suppliers, or independent professionals must now apply under the Global Business Mobility routes

The visa can be granted for up to:

2 years for most applicants
5 years if applying as a private servant in a diplomatic household

Eligibility Criteria
To qualify, you must:

Hold a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a Home Office licensed sponsor
Genuinely intend and be able to undertake the sponsored role

Be employed as:

A private servant in a diplomatic household, or
An employee of an overseas government or an international organisation recognised under an international treaty.

Provide a valid ATAS certificate if:

You are sponsored by a licensed Student sponsor
You are not an exempt national (per ATAS 3.1)
Your job is listed in the occupational codes in ATAS 1.2(a)
Your role involves PhD-level research in a relevant subject
Provide a clear TB certificate if you have lived in a country listed by UKVI for 6 months prior to your application
For Private Servants in Diplomatic

Households

You must also submit written evidence of your terms and conditions of employment in the UK as required in Appendix Domestic Worker Statement. Specific criteria also apply if you previously worked in the same capacity under the previous visa category.

Financial Requirement
Unless you have been in the UK for at least 1 year at the time of application, you must either:

Have funds of at least £1,270, or
Have your sponsor certify that they will maintain and accommodate you for at least your first month, at an amount of £1,270 or more

Conditions of Stay
This visa does not allow access to public funds or employment in other roles. However, it does permit:

Study

Supplementary employment, unless you are:
A private servant in a diplomatic household
A contractual service supplier
An independent professional
Private servants may work in a different household in the same role.

Settlement Possibility
For private servants in diplomatic households, settlement may be possible after a continuous 5-year period in the UK if you:

Pass the Knowledge of Life in the UK test
Have English language ability at B1 level in speaking and listening (unless exempt).

Government Authorised Exchange

The Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) route is designed for individuals coming to the UK to participate in approved Research and Training Programmes or Work Experience Programmes.

This is a temporary, non-settlement route.

Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for a GAE visa, you must:

Hold a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a Home Office licensed sponsor confirming:

The role meets the requirements of the individual scheme under Appendix GAE
The role does not fill a vacancy
The job is listed in Table 1 or Table 2 of Appendix Skilled Occupations
Genuinely intend, and be able, to undertake the role as described on your CoS, and not take alternative employment
Be working in an eligible context — such as:
For a foreign government
As a private servant in a diplomatic household
As a contractual service supplier or independent professional under international commitments

ATAS Requirement (if applicable)
You will need an ATAS certificate if:

You are sponsored by a licensed Student sponsor
You are not exempt (per ATAS 3.1)
Your job falls under occupational codes listed in ATAS 1.2(a)
Your role involves PhD-level research in a relevant subject

TB Certificate
If you’ve lived for 6 months or more in a country listed by UKVI, you’ll need to provide a clear TB certificate.

Financial Requirement
You must have either:

At least £1,270 in funds, or
Your sponsor must certify they will maintain and accommodate you up to the end of your first month at the same amount
This requirement is waived if you’ve lived in the UK for 12 months or longer.

For Applicants Under 18
If you’re under 18, you’ll need written consent from:

Both parents, or
One parent/legal guardian if they have sole responsibility

This must confirm support for your:

Application

Living and care arrangements in the UK
Travel to, and reception in, the UK

Length of Stay
The maximum stay depends on the programme:

Up to 2 years — for a Research and Training Programme or Overseas Government Language Programme
Up to 1 year — for a Work Experience Programme
Up to 10 months — for the Jamaica Nursing Exchange Programme

Conditions of Stay
You cannot access public funds or take other employment, but you can:

Study (subject to ATAS clearance where required)
Volunteer, if recorded on your CoS
Supplement your employment as long as you continue in your sponsored role
This visa does not lead to settlement in the UK.

Temporary Workers Visa