Can I Be Self-Employed or Own My Own Business on a Skilled Worker Visa?
If you are in the UK on a Skilled Worker visa, you may be wondering whether you can start your own business or take on self-employed work as a sole trader, freelancer or contractor alongside your sponsored job. Understanding the immigration rules is vital to avoid breaching your visa conditions.
What the Skilled Worker Visa Allows
The Skilled Worker visa is tied to a sponsor company and a specific job. Your visa conditions usually include:
Job you are being sponsored for: You must work for your sponsoring employer as per the role and hours listed on your Certificate of Sponsorship. You can do overtime for your sponsor as well without having to update your visa.
Additional work: You can take on work in addition to your sponsored job, however, there are restrictions (see below).
💡 Also check our full article on general Skilled Worker visa conditions.
Restrictions When Taking on Additional Work
If you take work outside of your sponsored role, it must:
· Be no more than 20 hours a week
· Be outside of the working hours covered by your Certificate of Sponsorship
· Be in an eligible occupation as defined by the Immigration Rules
· You must continue doing the job you are being sponsored for
This means you can work for another business in addition to your sponsored job. If you meet these requirements, you do not need to inform the Home Office or update your visa.
Can You Be Self-Employed?
The short answer is yes, as part of the additional work conditions. You can:
Start your own business
Work as a freelancer for multiple clients outside your sponsorship
Offer services independently as a sole trader or contractor
This would count as additional work as per the restrictions above.
Can You Own Your Own Business?
You can also work via your own business as additional work. If you do this as a business owner, any business administration must also be within the 20 hours per week limit.
Secondary Employment If You Work for Two Sponsors
If you cannot meet the additional work conditions, for example because you need to work more than 20 hours a week for another sponsor, you may need a new Certificate of Sponsorship and to update your visa.
This is called Secondary Employment and means that you would have 2 sponsors and 2 Certificates of Sponsorship.
Consequences of Breaching Conditions
Working outside the allowed scope can result in:
Difficulty extending your visa or applying for settlement
Your Skilled Worker visa being curtailed
Negatively affect any future UK visas
‼️Another aspect to consider is your contract of employment with your sponsor. Even if you meet the additional work conditions, you may be breaching your contract of employment if it prevents you from working outside of your role in any form.
How We Can Help at Outpost
If you are considering additional work, starting a business, or investing in the UK while on a Skilled Worker visa, it is critical to seek professional immigration advice. An adviser can help you:
Understand what is allowed under your specific circumstances
Explore alternative visa options if you wish to run your own business
Ensure you remain compliant with UK immigration law