UK Temporary Worker Visa for South Africans

You can make an application for the UK Temporary Worker Visa from South Africa if you fall into one of the following categories:

• Creative workers, for those coming to the UK from South Africa to work or perform as creative artists or entertainers.
• Religious workers, for applications who work as non-pastoral duties. If you wish to fill a preaching or pastoral role, you should apply for a Tier 2 (Minister of Religion) Visa.
• Charity workers, for those travelling from South Africa to the UK to do voluntary and not paid work for charity.
• Seasonal works, which is an immigration route targeted at those working in the horticulture sector that need to hire seasonal employees.
• International agreement, if you are coming to the UK under contract to provide a service which is covered under international law.

The UK Temporary Worker Visa is one of the PBS (Points-Based System) permits, meaning that you must score enough points and send appropriate supporting evidence to obtain entry clearance.

The points available for this application are:

• Maintenance requirement: 10 points
• Certificate of Sponsorship: 30 points

Additional points may be obtained depending on the nature of the role stated on your visa. To find out more about the eligibility criteria to obtain a UK Temporary Worker Visa for South African applicants, you can get in touch with one of IAS’ UK immigration attorneys.

To approve your application, the Home Office must be satisfied that you are capable and willing to undertaking the role for which your Certificate of Sponsorship was assigned. Besides, the UKVI needs to confirm that you won’t undertake employment in the UK other than that permitted by your visa.

In making its assessment, the Home Office will base its decision based on:

• Your knowledge of the role;
• Your relevant experience and skills required to do the role;
• Eligibility of your Sponsor in the UK;
• Explanation of how you were recruited abroad;
• Any other relevant information based on the supporting documents you submitted.

To be recognized as a creative writer and qualify for a UK Temporary Worker Visa, you must:

• Work in dance, film, theatre, television, or as a model in the fashion industry;
• Have a UK-based sponsor who is committed to following the code of practice;
• Have a sponsor who can demonstrate how the recruitment activity was undertaken
• Have written support from an industry representative body.

South African citizens who are travelling to the UK to undertake unpaid voluntary work can apply for a Temporary Worker Visa UK, provided that their activities contributed directly to the achievement of the sponsor’s charitable purpose in the UK.

To qualify, you must:

• Not receive any form of payment or remuneration for your activities.
• Not be filling a permanent position, including temporarily.
• Leave the UK when your leave to stay expires.

To qualify as a religious worker, you must have a UK-based sponsor, which must:

• Be a registered UK charity or ecclesiastical corporation.
• Be the structure for a faith-based community with a common system of belief and spiritual goals.
• Receive financial and material support from its congregation or community on a voluntary basis.

This subcategory is available to those coming from South Africa to the UK through approved schemes aimed at sharing knowledge, experience and best practice through work placements.

Only licensed associations can sponsor under this visa, which is not available to individual employers and organisations.

Speak to one of our UK immigration experts to find out more about the list of approved GAE schemes and sponsors.

This subcategory is for those travelling to the UK from South Africa on a Temporary Worker Visa to provide service covered under international law, including:

• Private servants in diplomatic households.
• Employees of overseas governments and international organisations.
• General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).
• Any official and eligible agreement between the United Kingdom and South Africa.

To apply as a UK seasonal worker from South Africa, you must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Not intend to establish a business in the UK
• Only take employment in a seasonal job permitted by the scheme, and in the horticultural sector
• Leave the UK when your visa expires.

The scheme is subject to an annual quota of 2,500.

The UK Temporary Worker visa grants you leave to remain for up to 12 or 24 months, or the time given on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 28 days. The overall validity of your leave to stay may vary based on the category you are applying for.

If you wish to remain in the UK with the same sponsor, you can apply to extend your visa for up to a maximum of 24 months.

To qualify for entry clearance on a Temporary Worker Visa or tier 5 Visa, you must meet the maintenance requirement. This means that you must demonstrate either that:

• Your sponsor will maintain and accommodate you for a month;
• You have at least £1,270 of personal savings, which have been held for 28 consecutive days in your bank account for at least 31 days before your application.