Job suitability

You can sponsor a worker if the job they’re going to do:

  • complies with the UK minimum wage and working time regulations - the worker’s visa may be refused and you may lose your sponsor licence if it does not
  • meets the other criteria needed for their visa

Read section S4 of the ‘general information’ guidance for sponsoring a worker to find out more about complying with the minimum wage and working time regulations.

Read more about job suitability, if you’re sponsoring:

Additional requirements for religious workers

You’ll usually have to advertise any job you offer to someone with a Religious Worker visa. You do not need to do this if it’s a non-essential position or involves living within a religious order (such as a monk or nun).

You must keep records of when you do not have to advertise the job. You need to prove that there is not a suitable person to take the role, who does not require sponsorship.

There are rules you must follow about how to advertise jobs for religious workers.

Additional requirements for creative workers

Creative jobs done by someone on a Creative Worker visa include:

  • ballet dancers and other dancers
  • film and TV performers
  • theatre and opera performers
  • film and TV workers
  • models

For creative jobs, you must make sure that either:

If the job is not on the shortage occupation list, and there is no code of practice, you need to check that the job cannot be done by a worker who does not need sponsoring.

If you are sponsoring a creative worker under 16

You may need to get a child performance licence if the worker is taking part in:

  • films, plays, concerts or other public performances that the audience pays to see, or that take place on licensed premises
  • paid modelling assignments

You must make sure that the person running the event applies at least 21 days before the event.

Additional requirements for workers on an International Sportsperson visa

For sporting jobs that will be done by someone on the International Sportsperson visa, you must get an endorsement letter from the relevant governing body.

Sponsoring under-18s

You can only sponsor a foreign worker under 18 on:

  • an International Sportsperson visa - they must be 16 or over
  • a Creative Worker visa - there’s no minimum age
  • a Government Authorised Exchange visa - there’s no minimum age

You cannot sponsor a foreign worker under 18 on any other visa.