Can UK Employers Hire Someone on a Standard Visitor Visa?

Employers seeking to engage overseas nationals often ask whether an individual holding a UK Standard Visitor Visa can be hired for work. The answer is direct and unequivocal: employers cannot employ someone on a Standard Visitor Visa.

This visa does not permit employment in the UK, whether paid or unpaid. Misunderstanding or misapplying the limitations of this visa route exposes employers to serious legal risks, including civil penalties up to £20,000 per illegal worker, criminal prosecution, sponsor licence sanctions, and reputational damage.

This article explains the legal position under UK immigration law, identifies the key compliance risks, and outlines the actions employers should take when engaging with foreign nationals holding visitor visas.

 

The Legal Position: Visitor Visas and the Right to Work

 

The UK’s Standard Visitor Visa, governed by Appendix V of the Immigration Rules, is designed for individuals visiting the UK for permitted purposes. These include tourism, attending business meetings or conferences, academic research (subject to conditions), and private medical treatment.

Critically, the Standard Visitor Visa does not grant the holder the right to work in the UK. This prohibition extends to:

• Paid employment with a UK organisation.
• Unpaid work placements, internships, or volunteering.
• Providing services or operational support to a UK business.
• Establishing or running a business in the UK.

 

Visitors are allowed to undertake certain permitted business activities, such as:

• Attending meetings, seminars, or conferences.
• Negotiating contracts.
• Conducting site visits or inspections.
• Receiving in-house training in work practices (without working directly with UK clients).

 

If an activity falls outside this scope, it constitutes illegal working, regardless of whether payment is received.

 

Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visitor Visa: When Paid Work Is Allowed

 

The Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visitor Visa is a distinct route designed for specific professionals who are invited to the UK for a short-term paid engagement. This includes:

• Guest lecturers.
• Performers, artists, and entertainers.
• Legal experts (e.g., appearing in court or arbitration hearings).
• Sportspeople engaging in specific sporting events.

 

A foreign national must apply for a PPE visa prior to travel if they are to be paid for a one-off engagement by a UK source. A Standard Visitor Visa does not permit payment from a UK source, except for reasonable expenses such as travel and accommodation.

Employers must verify that the correct PPE visa has been obtained where applicable. Holding a Standard Visitor Visa alone is not sufficient for any paid work in the UK.

 

 

Compliance Risks for Employers

 

Employers who engage a foreign national on a visitor visa in work activities beyond the permitted scope risk serious sanctions:

• Civil Penalties: Up to £20,000 per illegal worker for employing someone without the correct immigration status.
• Criminal Prosecution: Employers who knowingly employ an illegal worker may face unlimited fines and up to 5 years’ imprisonment.
• Sponsor Licence Impact: Non-compliance may trigger suspension or revocation of the employer’s sponsor licence for other visa categories.
• Compliance Record Damage: A breach can adversely affect an employer’s future visa applications, licence renewals, and audit outcomes.
• Reputational Risk: Businesses employing illegal workers may be publicly named by the Home Office.

 

A common misconception is that unpaid work, internships, or volunteering are allowed under visitor visas. This is incorrect. Any activity considered ‘work’ under the Immigration Rules, regardless of remuneration, constitutes illegal working.

 

Right to Work Checks: Legal Obligation vs Internal Due Diligence

 

Employers are not legally required to conduct a statutory right to work check on individuals visiting for permitted business activities (e.g., attending meetings or conferences). However, employers should implement internal due diligence procedures to verify the individual’s visa type and ensure the proposed activities fall within the permitted scope.

Where a visitor’s activities may involve operational work, productive tasks, or could be interpreted as employment, the employer must not proceed. No engagement of a visitor visa holder in any form of work is permitted under UK immigration law.

 

Alternative Visa Routes for Employment

 

If a business intends to hire a foreign national for work activities, alternative visa routes must be considered. These include:

• Skilled Worker Visa: For long-term employment in eligible roles.
• Temporary Worker Visas: For short-term work assignments.
• Global Business Mobility Routes (GBM): Such as Secondment Worker, Senior or Specialist Worker routes for intra-company transfers.

 

Visitor visa holders cannot switch into these work routes from within the UK. They must leave the UK and apply for the relevant work visa from their home country or country of legal residence.

 

Practical Steps Employers Must Take Before Hiring

 

Given the strict work prohibitions attached to visitor visas, employers should:

• Check the Visa Type and Conditions: Confirm whether the individual holds a Standard Visitor Visa or a PPE Visitor Visa. Do not rely on verbal confirmation—inspect visa documentation.
• Conduct Internal Due Diligence: Even if a right to work check is not legally required for visitors, ensure internal checks are in place to confirm the visitor’s status and scope of activities. Maintain documentary evidence of this due diligence process.
• Define Activities Clearly: Clearly outline what activities the visitor will undertake. Ensure no tasks blur the line between attending a business meeting and providing operational support.
• Avoid Volunteering Missteps: Do not engage visitor visa holders in volunteering, work-shadowing, or unpaid internships involving any productive tasks. Such activities are prohibited under the visitor visa rules.
• Plan for Alternative Visa Options: If work is intended, guide the individual through applying for an appropriate work visa. Ensure no engagement occurs until correct visa status is secured.
• Document Everything: Retain copies of visa documents, invitations, and itineraries. Record internal assessments on why the activities fall within visitor visa permissions.
• Educate Your Teams: Ensure HR, recruitment, and business line managers are trained on visitor visa limitations and compliance risks.

 

 

Best Practice: When in Doubt, Seek Legal Advice

 

If there is any uncertainty over whether an individual’s activities are permissible under a visitor visa, the safest course is to pause and seek professional legal advice. Immigration breaches, even inadvertent ones, carry significant consequences.

 

Conclusion

 

Employers must not hire or engage individuals on a Standard Visitor Visa in work activities. The visitor visa is strictly limited to non-working purposes, and any misstep can result in civil penalties, criminal sanctions, and sponsor licence jeopardy.

For HR Directors and business leaders, the priority is to:

• Ensure rigorous internal checks on visitor engagements.
• Understand the exact limitations of visitor visa conditions.
• Explore alternative work visa routes where engagement in work is necessary.

 

Compliance is not optional. A robust internal policy on managing overseas visitors will protect your business from exposure to enforcement action and reputational harm.

 

 

Glossary

 

Term	Definition
Standard Visitor Visa	The UK’s short-term visa route for individuals visiting for tourism, business meetings, family visits, or medical treatment, which does not permit work.
Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visitor Visa	A visa allowing specific professionals to undertake short-term paid engagements in the UK, such as guest lecturers or performers.
Right to Work Check	The statutory process employers must follow to verify a worker’s legal right to work in the UK, protecting against illegal working penalties.
Due Diligence Check	An internal employer process to verify the visa status and permitted activities of visiting foreign nationals, even where a statutory right to work check is not legally required.
Civil Penalty	A financial fine (up to £20,000 per illegal worker) imposed on employers for employing individuals without valid permission to work in the UK.
Global Business Mobility (GBM)	UK work visa routes for overseas businesses to send employees to the UK for temporary assignments, including Secondment Worker and Senior or Specialist Worker routes.

 

 

Useful Links

 

Resource	Link
UK Government Visitor Visa Guidance	https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor
Home Office Immigration Rules (Appendix V: Visitor)	https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-v-visitor
Standard Visitor Visa Application Portal	https://www.gov.uk/apply-standard-visitor-visa
DavidsonMorris UK Visitor Visa Guide	https://www.davidsonmorris.com/uk-visitor-visa/
DavidsonMorris Visitor Visa Application Guide	https://www.davidsonmorris.com/uk-visitor-visa-application/
DavidsonMorris Standard Visitor Visa Overview	https://www.davidsonmorris.com/standard-visitor-visa/
DavidsonMorris Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Guide	https://www.davidsonmorris.com/permitted-paid-engagement/