UK Will Allow Tourist Visa Holders To Work Next Year

UK

According to the UK government’s amended immigration laws, the UK will significantly alter its Visitor Visa programme beginning January 31, 2024, permitting more business operations.

Visitors will be permitted to continue working while residing in the UK for an employer located abroad under the new regulations. However, they must be travelling, seeing family, or taking part in some other non-work-related activity as the main reasons for their stay. Additionally, the visitor’s overseas employment should have a direct connection to the remote work they completed while visiting.

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Key expansions to the Visitor Visa activities include:

1. Client Work Eligibility: Visitors with these visas are permitted, under certain restrictions, to work for clients. This includes working for a company that has branches in the UK and other countries, where a minor portion of their job involves client work that is necessary for a project or service provided by the UK branch of their employer. Notably, the visitor’s company abroad should not deliver the project directly to a UK client.

2. Working from the UK: Visitors will be allowed to work from the United Kingdom, provided that remote work is not the primary reason for their visit.

3. Scientists, Researchers, and Academics: Research can be conducted in the UK by professionals in these professions, except for academics who need to apply for a 12-month visit visa or obtain permission from within the nation.

4. Expanded Activities for Lawyers: Lawyers on Visitor Visas can now participate in additional activities in the UK, including giving advice, acting as an expert witness, participating in arbitrations, legal proceedings, and teaching.

5. Paid Engagements for Speakers: Speakers visiting the United Kingdom on a visitor visa will now be eligible to receive payment for their talks.

6. Merger of Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visitor Route: The Standard Visitor route will incorporate the PPE Visitor route. Those doing paid work won’t need a separate visa, but they will need to schedule their activities within 30 days of arriving.

It is anticipated that these modifications—especially the one allowing for remote work—will improve travel and business in the UK. The reforms, which are scheduled to go into effect in January 2024, are part of Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt’s earlier commitment to broadening the rules governing corporate visitors in order to allow a wider range of approved activities and paid engagements. In 2024, more changes to the regulations governing corporate visitors are also planned.