Permitted Paid Engagement Visa

The Permitted Paid Engagement Visa is an excellent option for industry experts who need to travel to the UK in order to take part in a short-term paid engagement. The visa allows experts to do specific paid work and means they will not have to be sponsored under the points-based system. The visa is perfect for those who have a specific paid engagement that needs to be situated in the UK and is an ideal option for those who need a very short-term visa in order to do the work required. In this article, we are going to take a look at the Permitted Paid Engagement Visa in little more detail. We will look at who it's suitable for and the benefits that apply to the Permitted Paid Engagement Visa.

Who Is Eligible to Use A Permitted Paid Engagement Visa?

There are several specific instances that are covered by the Permitted Paid Engagement Visa. The vast majority of these will be for experts to provide assistance, advice or guidance in very specific sectors as laid out below:

• Be a student examiner or assessor
• Take part in selection panels as a highly qualified academic if you're invited by an education, arts or research organisation
• Give lectures at a higher education institution, as long as it's not a part-time or full-time role
• Examine UK-based pilots so they meet the standards of the country you come from if you’re invited by an approved UK training organisation regulated by the UK Civil Aviation Authority
• Provide advocacy in a particular area of law
• Take part in arts, entertainment or sporting activities including broadcasting
• Take part in fashion modelling assignments

As well as the above criteria, you will also need to be over 18 years of age, be able to support yourself during your stay in the UK and must be able to pay for your onward/return journey. This eligibility criteria is put in place to ensure that the visa is not used as a way to circumvent the system, and ensures that experts will leave the country at the end of their paid engagement.

How Long Can I Stay In The UK On A Permitted Paid Engagement Visa?

The maximum permitted length of stay in the UK on a Permitted Paid Engagement Visa is 1 month. If you are looking to come to the UK for a longer period, you will need to choose an alternative route. The Permitted Paid Engagement Visa is designed solely for a very specific set of circumstances and is unsuitable for those looking to stay longer than 1 month. This length of time is deemed ideal for those who are assisting on a short-term project or are here for any of the reasons as laid out in the section above. If you are looking to come to the UK in order to work for longer than 1 month, this visa is not suitable.

What Are The Benefits Of A Permitted Paid Engagement Visa?

The main benefit of the Permitted Paid Engagement Visa is the ability to allow the temporary admission of an expert to the UK. For many businesses and higher education institutions, this allows a flexible option for assistance and learning from an esteemed expert in their field. This option is well used in the academic world as travelling professors speak at universities around the world. This gives students and universities unrivalled access to some of the most notable experts on the planet and helps to improve the experience and knowledge of the students.

As well as being useful in academia, the Permitted Paid Engagement Visa is very useful to businesses who want to work with an expert in the short-term. This can help to make a huge difference to businesses by helping them tap into industry experts who can help them from a legal perspective. There are various other reasons as to why a business or higher education institution would want access to an expert and many of these are covered by the Permitted Paid Engagement Visa.

What Am I Not Allowed to Do In The UK On Permitted Paid Engagement Visa?

While there are many benefits to the Permitted Paid Engagement Visa, there are still plenty of things that you cannot do in the UK on the visa. The list below lays out some of the main things that you cannot do in the UK on a Permitted Paid Engagement Visa:

• Do specific paid work unrelated to your main job or area of expertise at home or sell merchandise, other than whats allowed by your visa
• Extend this visa or switch to another visa
• Live in the UK for extended periods
• Get public funds
• Study for more than 30 days - studying can be the main reason for your visit
• Marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership
• Bring family members (dependants) with you on your application - they must apply separately

As long as you stick to the eligibility criteria, the Permitted Paid Engagement Visa is an ideal way for experts to visit the UK in order to provide assistance in their field. For more information or to check your eligibility, get in touch today and our team team of experienced immigration lawyers will be more than happy to help ensure that you can use the Permitted Paid Engagement Visa route to enter the UK.

Where Can I Get More Help?

If you need help with the Permitted Paid Engagement Visa, or indeed any other of the UK's short-term visas, you can speak to our immigration solicitors. Our team of industry experts are on hand to help guide you through the UK's immigration system in order to get you the result that you desire. So, call today and speak to a member of our team who can help you to get started.