How to apply for a UK Creative Worker Visa

What is a UK Creative Worker Visa, and do I Qualify?

The Creative Worker Visa is a short-term visa that allows creative workers to come to the UK for up to 12 months and, if they wish to continue working for the same sponsor, to extend their stay for a maximum of 24 months. While this is a great short-term option, it is not a direct route for settlement. However, it may be possible to switch to another immigration route that can lead to indefinite leave to remain.

A creative worker is someone who works as an entertainer, creative artist, fashion model, or entourage. There is no full list of jobs that fall into this category, but the guidance lets us know that creative people can work in the following fields:

• Dance
• Music
• Film
• Theatre
• Television
• Circuses
• Opera and
• Fashion Modelling.

Creative workers can also bring their crews and personal assistants with them to the UK. This includes production crews and assistants to directors and producers.

HOW DO I APPLY FOR A CREATIVE WORKER VISA, AND WHO CAN SPONSOR ME?

To apply for a creative worker visa, you must have a sponsor. Contrary to other sponsored work routes, including the skilled worker route, an applicant’s sponsor need not be their direct employer. The sponsor can be:

• Your direct employer;
• a producer, co-producer, or general management company if you are employed through a special purpose vehicle;
• Your venue;
• Your promoter, and
• Your agent is based in the UK.

It is important to check that your employer has a sponsor license and understands the duties that come with being a sponsor.

How Do I Get A Creative Worker Certificate Of Sponsorship?

Your sponsor will assign you a certificate of sponsorship (CoS). In order to be assigned a COS, you must fall within one of the following three categories:

You comply with the relevant code of practice under Appendix: Creative Workers Codes of Practice, if one exists for your occupation. For example, you may be known all over the world for what you do, or you may have worked with the production before and they need you to keep things running smoothly.

Your job is on the shortage occupation list under Appendix Shortage Occupation List; or

Your sponsor has looked into the job market for settled workers in that field and is sure that the job can’t be done by a settled worker.

How Do I Apply for a Creative Worker Visa?

Once you have been given a COS, most applicants for a Creative Worker Visa will need to fill out the online form at the Home Office.

If you are not a citizen or national of a country or territory on the Immigration Rules Appendix Visitor: Visa National List (i.e., you are an EU, EEA, or Swiss citizen or another non-visa national), you have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from an approved sponsor for the Creative Worker route, and the total length of your paid engagement or engagements in the UK will be 3 months or less, you may be able to travel to the UK without a visa and instead with 

In either case, you must “genuinely intend” and be capable of performing whatever engagement you are coming to the UK to do. During your stay in the UK, you are not permitted to work in any other capacity. The Immigration Rules define the terms “employment” and “work” very broadly, so be careful not to breach the conditions of your stay.

If you are applying from outside the UK or have spent less than one year in the UK, you must show that you have enough money to maintain yourself and any dependents. Your sponsor can choose to certify your maintenance on your CoS.

In addition, your sponsor must pay you above the minimum wage, unless you are exempt, in which case they must add a sponsor note to the CoS.

CAN I APPLY FOR A CREATIVE WORKER VISA FROM WITHIN THE UK?

Normally, switching to the Creative Worker route from within the UK is not permitted.

There is a very small exception for people who, before coming to the UK, were given a valid COS on the Creative Worker route on or before November 8, 2022, and who later got permission to do creative work as a Standard Visitor or as a Permitted Paid Engagement Visitor.