Temporary worker visas

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Temporary worker sponsor licence

To hire temporary workers and volunteers, you need a temporary worker sponsor licence. This allows you to sponsor people who need temporary worker visas. There are different types of temporary worker visas.

Seasonal Worker visa

You can only sponsor a Seasonal Worker if you’re a ‘scheme operator’. This means you’re both:

• Endorsed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
• Licensed by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA)

Employers and organisations that are not endorsed by the DEFRA or licenced by the GLAA can’t apply for a sponsor licence on this route. This includes those who have a licence to sponsor other routes.

This visa is for workers in seasonal horticulture (e.g. picking fruit and vegetables) or poultry production.

Workers must be:

• 18 and over
• Paid at least minimum wage

Those applying for a poultry Seasonal Worker visa must apply by 15 November each year. They can work in the UK between 2 October to 31 December only.

Those applying for a horticulture Seasonal Worker visa can apply at any time. They can work in the UK for up to six months.

Workers must have £1270 in their bank account for at least 28 days. That is unless they’re exempt, or you agree to cover their expenses for the first month as their sponsor.

Workers must pay a fee of £298. Normally, there is no Immigration Health Surcharge to use the NHS (gov.uk)

Partners and children can’t apply to join a Seasonal Worker in the UK.

Read about Seasonal Workers (gov.uk)

Creative Worker visa

The Creative Worker visa is for people in creative fields. For example:

• Film
• Music
• Dance
• Television
• Fashion

Technical and support staff can apply to join Creative Workers in the UK.

Workers need a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed sponsor. Read about certificates of sponsorship.

On this visa, workers can stay in the UK for up to 12 months. They can extend this for up to 24 months. They’d need to be working for the same sponsor.

Workers must have £1270 for at least 28 days. This is unless they’re exempt, or you agree to cover their expenses for the first month as their sponsor.

Workers must pay a fee of £298. There’s an Immigration Health Surcharge to use the NHS of £1035 per year of the visa.

Partners and children can apply to join a creative worker in the UK.

It might be possible for creatives to travel to the UK without sponsorship. This could be under a Standard or Paid Permitted Engagement Visitor route. Read about Visitor visas.

Read about the Creative Worker visa (gov.uk)

Religious Worker visa

The Religious Worker visa is for people doing short-term religious work in the UK.

Workers must have a certificate of sponsorship from a UK licensed religious sponsor.

On this visa, workers can stay in the UK for up to 24 months.

You must pay at least the minimum wage. That is unless members of a religious organisation live together as a community.

Applicants must have £1270 in their bank account for at least 28 days. That is unless they’re exempt, or you agree to cover their expenses for the first month as their sponsor.

Workers must pay a fee of £298. There’s an Immigration Health Surcharge to use the NHS of £1035 per year of the visa.

Partners and children can apply to join a Religious Worker in the UK.

Religious Workers may be able to travel to the UK without sponsorship. This could be as a standard visitor. Read about Visitor visas.

Read about Religious Worker visas (gov.uk)

Charity Worker visa

The Charity Worker visa is for people who want to volunteer for a UK charity.

Charity Workers need a certificate of sponsorship from an A-rated sponsor. In some cases, it’s possible to volunteer for multiple charities.

On this visa, workers can stay in the UK for up to 12 months.

Applicants must have £1270 for at least 28 days. That is unless they’re exempt, or you agree to cover their expenses for the first month as their sponsor.

Workers must pay a fee of £298. There’s an Immigration Health Surcharge to use the NHS of £1035 per year of the visa.

Partners and children can apply to join a Charity Worker in the UK.

Read about Charity Worker visas (gov.uk)

International Agreement visa

The International Agreement visa is for people who work under international law. For example, people that work for a government, international organisation or a diplomatic household.

These workers need a certificate of sponsorship from a sponsor with an International Agreement licence.

On this visa, workers can stay in the UK between two to five years. The length of stay depends on their work.

Workers must have £1270 for at least 28 days. That is unless they’re exempt, or you agree to cover their expenses for the first month as their sponsor.

Workers must pay a fee of £298. There is an Immigration Health Surcharge to use the NHS of £1035 per year of the visa.

Partners and children can apply to join an International Agreement worker in the UK.

Read about International Agreement visas (gov.uk)

Government Authorised Exchange visa

The Government Authorised Exchange visa is for people who want to come to the UK for a short time for:

• Work experience
• Training on select exchange schemes

Workers need a certificate of sponsorship.  

Sponsors must be running approved exchange schemes. Sponsors can be academic or research institutions or government departments and agencies. Read the full list of approved schemes (gov.uk)

On this visa, workers can stay between 12 months and 24 months. The length of stay depends on their work.

Workers must have £1270 for at least 28 days. That is unless they’re exempt, or you agree to cover their expenses for the first month as their sponsor.

Workers must pay a fee of £298. There’s an Immigration Health Surcharge to use the NHS of £1035 per year of the visa

Partners and children can apply to join a Government Authorised Exchange worker in the UK.

Read about Government Authorised Exchange Worker visas (gov.uk)

Photo credit: Scottish Enterprise