The Temporary Work visa is for people who want to come to the UK for short-term work or experiences. It covers several categories such as seasonal farm work, creative or sporting jobs, charity work, religious roles, and government-authorized exchange programs.
It is not a long-term visa — it’s meant for people who want to work in the UK temporarily, usually for up to 12 months (in some cases up to 24 months).
To qualify for most types of UK Temporary Work visas, you generally must:
Have a job offer and a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed UK employer or organization.
Show you have enough money to support yourself (unless your sponsor covers your costs).
Meet the specific requirements for your category.
The main types of Temporary Work visas include:
Seasonal Worker visa – for farm work, valid up to 6 months.
Creative Worker visa – for artists, actors, musicians, or crew, usually up to 12 months.
Charity Worker visa – for unpaid voluntary work with a UK charity, up to 12 months.
Religious Worker visa – for short-term religious duties, up to 24 months.
Government Authorised Exchange visa – for work experience, training, or research, up to 12 or 24 months depending on the scheme.
International Agreement visa – for workers covered under international law, like embassy staff or overseas service suppliers.
Provides a legal way to gain UK work experience.
Can be used for short-term jobs or contracts without requiring permanent sponsorship.
Covers a wide range of roles from seasonal agriculture to cultural and creative industries.
For some categories (like Creative Workers), you may be able to bring your family.
Igor, from Ukraine, applies for a Seasonal Worker visa to help on UK farms during the harvest season. He stays for 6 months and then returns home.
Sofia, a Brazilian dancer, joins a UK theatre company on a Creative Worker visa for a one-year contract.
Daniel, from Kenya, volunteers with a UK-based NGO under the Charity Worker visa, helping with community projects for 12 months.
It depends on the category: usually 6 to 12 months, with some up to 24 months.
Yes. You must have a job offer and a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed UK sponsor.
Extensions depend on the visa type. For example, some creative workers can extend, but seasonal workers usually cannot.
In some categories (like Creative Worker, Religious Worker), you can bring dependents. In others (like Seasonal Worker), you cannot.
No. The Temporary Work visa is not a direct route to settlement in the UK.