Is it possible to work on a tourist visa in the UK?

Posted by Avisa:   04.09.2020

It is not a secret that to work in the UK is one of the best places to work with the highest paying jobs in the world.  Many people think about it and would like to try to get a job there. If you are interested in this issue, you can face an incredible number of obstacles on the way to getting a legal job, namely, a low level of knowledge of the English language, insufficient work experience or lack of higher education, lack of  financial resources, and inappropriate use of immigration programs. Therefore, realizing the difficulty, many people try to enter the UK to find work using a tourist visa.

A tourist visa to England is issued only for tourism, business, visiting relatives or friends, short-term medical treatment, or study. This visa can be issued for 6 months, 2 years, 5 years, 10 years. Those who plan to use this visa illegally, namely, to work illegally or immigrate, may face even bigger problems and obstacles.  Some of those are:

• It will not be possible to rent a house/apartment officially. According to the new amendments in the UK legislation, all homeowners are required to check the immigration status of the tenant. In the case of renting a home to an illegal, homeowners will have a large fine or serve jail time;
• Without a confirmation of official residence in the UK you cannot open a bank account, make an appointment with a doctor, etc.;
• Practically, it is impossible to get a job without the appropriate documents, because for employers there are also huge fines for those who hire illegal immigrants;
• If local authorities catch an illegal immigrant, he is threatened with a ban on entry into the country for up to 10 years.
• It is necessary to consider the consequences of being or working illegally in the UK that await you afterwards if you voluntarily want to return to your homeland. For example:
• If your visa is still valid, it may be canceled;
• The chances of persuading the British Embassy to issue you or your close relatives: wife/husband, children another visa are almost zero;
• Countries such as USA, Canada, Australia will be extremely reluctant to issue you non-immigrant visas.

When all the disadvantages of illegal work and illegal immigration are known, the question arises: what can I do in order to work or immigrate to the UK legally? To begin with, you should be acquainted with the types of work visas, employment conditions, and legal methods of immigration. In this article, we will look at the most popular types of work visas:

1. Tier 2 General - a visa which is intended for qualified professionals and is opened for a long time;
2. Tier 5 Temporary worker - a temporary work visa which is intended for artists, athletes, religious workers, internships, charity workers, etc.;
3. Tier 1 Investor - an investor visa allows you to legally work in the UK or open your own business in the country;
4. Tier 4 General - student visa, students who have turned 16 and can work part time.
5. Dependent - a visa for family members of the main visa holder, for example Tier2, or Tier1. This visa allows you to work in the UK.

There are always ways to get legal work and immigration to the UK. It is much more pleasant to get an official status than to be in a constant fear of deportation and worrying about being caught.