Skilled Worker visa holders are allowed to take on supplementary employment (additional work without needing a new CoS) as long as certain conditions are met.
✅ What Counts as Supplementary Employment?
To qualify, the supplementary job must:
Be for no more than 20 hours per week
Be outside the worker’s normal working hours
Be in an eligible Skilled Worker occupation
Be at the same skill level as the sponsored role
This provides flexibility for visa holders - but from 22 July 2025, the rules vary depending on when the person was first sponsored.
🔄 Supplementary Work Rules After 22 July 2025
Worker Type | Can They Do Supplementary Work? | What Jobs Are Allowed? | Extra Flexibility? |
Sponsored before 22 July 2025 (with continuous Skilled Worker status) | ✅ Yes | Any role in Appendix Skilled Occupations - including older transitional roles like care work | ✅ Yes - special transitional flexibility applies |
Sponsored on or after 22 July 2025 | ✅ Yes | Only jobs that meet new Skilled Worker rules (RQF Level 6+, full salary, etc.) | ❌ No - standard eligibility only |
Supplementary work does not require a new CoS
Employers do not need to report supplementary roles via SMS
All supplementary work must still comply with UK employment law (e.g. national minimum wage, working time limits)
🟢 Transitional Flexibility (for Pre-22 July 2025 Workers)
Skilled Workers sponsored before 22 July 2025 can continue to take supplementary jobs in occupations that:
Have since been removed from the Skilled Worker route
Would no longer be eligible under current rules
✅ For example, they can still work supplementary hours in:
SOC 6135 - Care Workers and Home Carers
SOC 6136 - Senior Care Workers
📌 Conditions:
The worker must have had continuous Skilled Worker status (no break in permission)
This flexibility does not apply if the worker changes visa type or leaves and re-enters the Skilled Worker route
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