UK Immigration Work Permit and Visa Services
Visas for Sports People and Entertainers
This gives information on the criteria of the sportspeople and entertainers work permit arrangements, which comes under a separate category to Business and Commercial Applications.You should be an established employer in the sports or entertainment industry. We only issue work permits for established sportspeople, entertainers, cultural artists and some technical/support people, whose employment will not displace or exclude ‘resident workers’.
Skills and experience of the person or group
The skills and experience of people who may qualify are described below.
Sports People
People who are internationally established at the highest level in their sport, and whose employment will make a significant contribution to the development of that particular sport in this country at the highest level. Coaches must also be suitably qualified at the highest level. You will need to show that the person is currently internationally established at the highest level.
Entertainers
People who have performed at the highest level and have established a reputation in their profession; and people/groups who are engaged to perform or do work which only they can do.
(Unit companies - A unit company is a large group of entertainers who have performed together in their own country and have toured overseas as part of an established production before entering the UK. A group formed specifically for a British tour will not be classed as a unit company. Unit companies will normally be groups such as orchestras, ballet corps and theatre productions. Pop/music groups are not classed as unit companies).
Cultural Artists
People who are skilled in foreign arts that are rare or unavailable in this country and can make a contribution to the arts, cultural relations and cultural awareness.
Technical / Support People
People whose work is directly related to the employment of an entertainer, cultural artist, sportsperson or a dramatic production. The person should have proven technical or other specialist skills.
Availability of suitably qualified ‘resident workers’
In some sports, we recognise that there are likely to be shortages of ‘resident workers’ who are skilled at the highest level. We have agreed with the governing bodies and players representatives that work permit applications for these posts do not need to be supported by evidence of the availability of ‘resident workers’. This information is made available to employers in the sport through the governing bodies and players representatives.
For some employment, where an established entertainer who is to perform in their own right or where they are a cultural artist, the question of whether a ‘resident worker’ could do the job will not be appropriate.
In other cases you will need to show why you cannot fill the post with a ‘resident worker’. This would include applications for residencies where the length of time required is for one month or more and people/groups are performing at the same venue or series of venues for the whole period. The people/group will not normally be well known nor unique and usually perform at venues where the audience would go to listen to music rather than specifically go to see that artist/group.
Length of permits
Sportspeople are issued with work permits in line with the length of contract up to a maximum of five years.
Work permits for entertainers are issued only on a short term basis to cover the period of contracted work or the period of engagement.
Multiple entry work permits can be issued for a minimum of six months and a maximum of two years for individuals and for a minimum of six months and a maximum of 12 months for a group.
In the case of an entertainer on a short term engagement, if you foresee that the artist or group may need to extend the period to perform extra dates for you, you should indicate this in your initial application.
How do I apply for work permits for a group?
The procedure followed depends on the number of members in the group:
(a) if there are up to 19 members in the group we will issue a work permit for each member;
(b) for groups of 20 or more members travelling together, we will not issue a work permit for each member, but we will send a letter of permission to you the employer or your representative instead.
(c) if members of a group are travelling separately we will issue individual work permits.
(d) if a multiple entry work permit has been issued, any new or additional member(s) would need to apply for a work permit separately.
How do I get further advice on making an application?
If you want advice about completing an application form or clarification of these guidance notes please contact us on: +44 (0)870 285 1510 or Contact Us.
