As a Skilled Worker/Tier 2 (General) visa holder you are able to undertake additional paid work as long as you're still doing the job you are being sponsored for.
Supplementary Employment Requirements
Supplementary employment must meet all of the following requirements:
- it must be for no more than 20 hours a week
- the worker must continue working in the job specified in their Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).
- it must take place outside of the hours for which the worker is contracted to work for the sponsor in the job for which they are being sponsored.
- it must be one of the following types of eligible employment:
- in the same profession and at the same professional level as the work specified in the worker's CoS.
- a job which is in an occupation listed in Appendix Immigration Salary List on the date the worker begins the relevant employment.
- in a job which is in an eligible SOC 2020 occupation code listed in Table 1, 2 or 3 of Appendix Skilled Occupations
- for Skilled Workers who were granted permission under the Immigration Rules in force before 22 July 2025 and have held continuous permission as a Skilled Worker since then, a job which is in an eligible SOC 2020 occupation listed in Table 1a, 2aa or 3a of Appendix Skilled Occupations
If the supplementary work meets the above requirements you are not required to inform the Home Office before taking on extra work.
Additional Evidence Required for Supplementary Work at the University of Huddersfield
If you hold a Skilled Worker or Tier 2 visa which is sponsored by another organisation and you want to undertake supplementary employment with the University of Huddersfield a right to work check will need to be undertaken prior to employment commencing. You will also need to provide a letter from your current employer (sponsor) which confirms your current role, occupation (SOC) code and working pattern, which will be kept with your right to work check.
Secondary Employment
A Skilled Worker can apply to do a second (additional) job that does not qualify as supplementary employment.
If you will be working more than 20 hours per week, or in a different occupation code, you will need to apply to update your visa so you are being sponsored to do both jobs.
You will need to get a new certificate of sponsorship from your second employer and include a letter with your application explaining that you want to change your current permission to stay.
Voluntary Work
You can also do voluntary work but it must be unpaid (except for reasonable expenses such as travel) and for one of the following:
- a registered charity
- a voluntary organisation
- an associated fundraising body (an organisation that raises money for a charity or voluntary organisation)
- a statutory body (a government-appointed body, for example Historic England)
Further information about additional work can be found on the Gov.uk website.
