Permitted Paid Engagement

You can be invited and paid by a UK-based organisation or client as a professional:

👉 entertainer, artist, or musician – where you will be undertaking activities such as performing; presenting your work to the public or other professionals; giving lectures; joining judging or debate panels; or taking part in a conference for professionals.

➡️ A ‘professional artist’ is defined by the UK Government as anyone working in the creative or performing arts, such as photographers, models, stylists, set designers, make-up artists, poets, etc.

👉 Athlete – where you will be paid to do an activity that directly relates to your sporting profession, such as taking part in a sporting event. 

👉 qualified lawyer – where you will be paid by a client to represent them in the UK at a court or tribunal hearing, arbitration, or some other form of legal dispute resolution.  

👉 to give a lecture or series of lectures about your area of expertise – though please note that you will not be able to accept any employment offers from your host organisation during your stay

👉 academic – where you may be assessing or examining students or are visiting in order to chair or take part in selection panels.

👉 air pilot examiner – where you are visiting on behalf of your country’s national aviation authority in order to examine UK-based air pilots to determine if they meet the national aviation regulatory requirements of your country.