Temporary workers - creative and sporting
This section explains how you can come to the United Kingdom or remain here in the creative and sporting worker category (Tier 5 Temporary Worker) under our points-based system to work in the United Kingdom.
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What is the creative and sporting category?
The creative and sporting worker category is for people coming to the United Kingdom to work or perform as sports people, entertainers or creative artists for up to 12 months.
If you are a sports person, you must be internationally established at the highest level in your sport and or your job must make a significant contribution to the development and running of sport at the highest level in the United Kingdom.
If you are a coach, you must be suitably qualified to do the job.
Who can apply as a creative and sporting worker?
Before you apply under the creative and sporting worker category, you must have:
- a sponsor; and
- a valid certificate of sponsorship.
Before assigning your certificate of sponsorship, your sponsor must have an endorsement for you from the governing body for your sport, which confirms you meet the governing body's requirements to give their endorsement. The governing body must be recognised by us. Find a list of sports governing bodies.
When you apply you are awarded points based on your sponsorship and available maintenance (funds).
You can apply under the creative and sporting worker category now if you are:
- applying for permission to enter the United Kingdom (known as 'entry clearance') under the creative and sporting worker category;
- already in the United Kingdom as a creative and sporting worker and want to extend your permission to stay for up to 12 months;
- already in the United Kingdom as a creative worker who has been here for 12 months or less, you will be able to extend your permission to stay for up to a maximum of 24 months. The job must continue with your original sponsor.
The creative and sporting category is not for people who want to come or who are already in the United Kingdom as a entertainer or sports visitor, including for specified festivals. See more about sport and entertainer visitors in business and special visitors.
You can switch in to the creative and sporting category if you came to the United Kingdom as a sports or entertainer visitor, and before you entered the United Kingdom, your sponsor gave you a certificate of sponsorship for this category. You can use the certificate to apply to switch.
Otherwise switching is not allowed in or out of the creative and sporting working category.
You can apply under the creative and sporting category from a country that is not your normal place of residence if you are there doing a job similar to the one you want to come to the United Kingdom to do.
Go to our visa services website if you are applying from outside the United Kingdom. There you can find out more about the process in the country you are applying from and download the relevant application forms.
How long can you stay for?
If you are a non-visa national you can come to the United Kingdom without permission to enter (entry clearance) for up to three months, but you cannot extend your permission to stay. For example, if you were given permission to come for two weeks and want to stay longer, you must leave and come back again.
Sports person
If you are given permission to stay as sports person, you can come to live and work in the United Kingdom for a maximum time of 12 months, or the time given in your certificate of sponsorship plus 28 days, which ever time is shorter.
If you are a sports person, you can only apply to extend your stay for a maximum of 12 months.
Creative worker
If you are given permission to stay as a creative worker, you can come to live and work in the United Kingdom for an initial time of up to 12 months, or the time given in your certificate of sponsorship plus 28 days, which ever time is shorter.
You can apply to extend your permission to stay in the United Kingdom as a creative worker for up to 12 months at a time to a total of 24 months. If your extension will take your time in the United Kingdom beyond 12 months, the job must continue with your last sponsor.
For example, if you come for nine months initially, you can get an extension to stay for up to a maximum of 12 months and this does not have to be with the same sponsor.
If you come for nine months initially, you can get an extension to stay for a further 12 months, but this must be with the same sponsor. After that time, you can get a further extension to stay to take the length of your stay up to 24 months in total.
If you need to be able to come and go from the United Kingdom with your job
If you need to leave and come back to the United Kingdom quite a few times as part of the job you are doing, you can get a multiple entry certificate of sponsorship. Your sponsor will give you a multiple entry certificate of sponsorship that allows you to come and go from the United Kingdom a number of different times during the length of your certificate.
If you have permission to come (entry clearance) for any length of time, you will be able to leave and come back to the United Kingdom during the time you have permission.
If you leave the United Kingdom and you were given six months or less permission to stay (leave to remain), you will not be able to come back as your permission to stay ends when you leave the United Kingdom. You must apply again to be able to come back
You cannot get a multiple entry certificate of sponsorship if you are coming to the United Kingdom for less than three months and are a non-visa national.
If you need to come to the United Kingdom to do multiple engagements or performances, see certificates of sponsorship for more information on how you can do this.
Application forms
Tier 5 temporary worker
- Application form for Tier 5 temporary workersPDF 1.1M opens in a new window
- Tier 5 temporary worker of the points-based system - policy guidancePDF 430K opens in a new window
News & updates
Terms explained
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Non-visa national
A non-visa national is a national or citizen of any country that is NOT listed in Appendix 1 of the immigration rules (nationals of countries listed in Appendix 1 are visa nationals). A non-visa national does not need a visa to come to the United Kingdom for less than six months, unless it is a requirement of the immigration category under which they are entering. A non-visa national coming to the United Kingdom for more than six months will need a visa.
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Switching
Apply for permission to extend your stay in the United Kingdom in another category without leaving the country.