Supplementary work for Skilled Worker visa-holders 

1. What counts as “supplementary employment”? 
Once you hold a Skilled Worker visa, you may take on paid extra work without a new visa application provided that all three tests below are met: 

Test	Requirement	Practical meaning
Eligible role	The additional job must sit in Tables 1, 2 or 3 of Appendix Skilled Occupations	Virtually any occupation that is itself eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship now qualifies – it no longer has to be a shortage-occupation or the same profession as your main role (rule change effective 4 April 2024 and retrospectively applied)
Hours cap	≤ 20 hours per week (total)	You can split the hours across one or several side jobs, but the weekly total can’t exceed 20 hours
Outside sponsored hours	The work must be outside the hours stated on your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)	For example, evenings or weekends if your main CoS covers 9-to-5

If these conditions are met, there is no need to notify the Home Office before you start the extra work . 

Special case – GP trainees 
General Practice trainees may keep doing supplementary work during the extra four-month “run-off” period added to their permission, even after the main CoS role has ended . 

2. Starting your own business or going self-employed 

The rules do not restrict supplementary work to PAYE jobs—they speak simply of “extra work”. 
That means you can: 

• Register as a sole trader or incorporate a limited company 

• Invoice clients directly or through an umbrella/agency 

• Offer professional services that fall under an eligible occupation code (e.g., IT consultancy 2136, graphic design 3421) 

…so long as you stay within the same three tests above. Treat your start-up or freelance practice as a strictly part-time “side hustle”: 

Checklist for compliant self-employment	Why it matters
Match the occupation code to Appendix Skilled Occupations	A venture outside the list—say, running a takeaway fleet—cannot be supplementary work
Keep combined paid hours ≤ 20 per week	Beyond that, it becomes secondary employment and needs a new CoS plus a variation-of-permission application ​
Record hours and income diligently	Protects you in Home Office compliance checks and keeps HMRC happy
Maintain performance in your sponsored job	If you leave or are dismissed by your sponsor (GP-trainee exception aside), supplementary rights end ​
Don’t use side-gig earnings to meet Skilled Worker salary thresholds	Only salary from the sponsored job counts towards extension/settlement figures ​

Exceeding 20 hours? Secure a new CoS from the second “employer” (which can be your own company) and apply for secondary employment before you pass the threshold. Until that new permission is granted, stick to the cap ​ 

4. Common scenarios 

Scenario	Is it allowed?	Key action
Freelance UX design (10 hrs/wk) while sponsored as a software engineer	✅ Yes—design SOC 2137 is eligible and within 20 hrs	Track hours; invoice via your own Ltd Co.
Weekend barista (8 hrs/wk)	❌ No—barista is not in Appendix Skilled Occupations	Decline or find eligible role
Part-time IT consultancy through your own company (15 hrs/wk)	✅ Yes—self-employment is fine within 20-hr cap	Register with HMRC; log hours
Launch e-commerce store needing 30 hrs/wk	❌ Not as supplementary work	Either scale back, apply for secondary employment, or move to Innovator Founder route

2. Secondary employment (when 20 hours isn’t enough) 
If you want more than 20 hours a week, or the side job is not in an eligible occupation code, it becomes secondary employment. You must: 

1. Obtain a fresh CoS from the second employer. 

2. Submit a variation of permission (a new Skilled Worker application that keeps your first CoS active). 

3. Wait until you’ve started work for your first sponsor before applying. 

During the overlap you will hold two sponsors; the approval letter will list both and must be kept with your eVisa as proof of right to work . 

3. Voluntary work – unlimited, but genuinely unpaid 
Your visa conditions also permit unlimited voluntary work for a registered charity, voluntary organisation, associated fundraising body or statutory body, so long as you receive no payment other than reasonable expenses (travel, lunch, etc.) . Volunteering hours do not count towards the 20-hour supplementary cap. 

4. Staying compliant: quick checklist 

• Keep doing the sponsored job. You must remain in active employment with your primary sponsor to retain visa validity (GP-trainee exception noted above). 

• Track your hours. Timesheets or simple logs protect you in case of a compliance audit. 

• Match occupation codes. Before accepting a side role, confirm its Standard Occupation Code appears in Appendix Skilled Occupations. 

• Mind the 20-hour limit. One hour over—without a secondary-employment variation—can lead to curtailment. 

• No mixing of salaries. Income from supplementary work can’t be counted towards Skilled Worker salary thresholds (e.g., when extending or settling) . 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 

Q	A
1 . What is “supplementary employment”?	Paid work you do in addition to the job on your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) if it is (i) in Tables 1–3 of Appendix Skilled Occupations, (ii) ≤ 20 hours a week total, and (iii) outside the hours on your CoS oaicite:0​oaicite:1.
2 . Do I have to tell the HoI start?	No. As long as the three tests above are met, there is no duty to notify UKVI before taking the work oaicite:2​:contentR3]{index=3}.
3 . Can I run my own business or freelance?	Yes—self-employment is treated the same as any other paid work. Stay within the 20-hour cap, make sure the activity’s Standard Occupation Code appears in Appendix Skilled Occupations, and work only outside your sponsntReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}​oaicite:5.
4 . Does the 20-hour limit include overtime for my sponsor?	No. Overtime for your sponsoring employer sits outsidey-work rules, though Working Time Regulations still apply oaicite:6​oaicite:7.
5 . What if I need more than 20 hours in the side role?	It becomployment**: you must secure a second CoS and submit a variation-of-permission application before exceeding the cap oaicite:8​oaicite:9.
6 . I’m a GP trainee—de when my training CoS ends?	Yes. GP trainees get an extra 4-month “run-off” period; you may continue supplementary work in that window even after the main CoS role has finished oaicite:10​:oaicite:11]{index=11}.
7 . Is voluntary work limited to 20 hours?	Unlimited. You can volunteer for a registered charity, voluntary organisation, associated fundraising body or statutory body; it must be genuinely unpaid excepontentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}​oaicite:13.
8 . Do supplementary-work earnings count towards the £38,700 salary threshold for settlement?	No. Only salary from your sponsored job can be used to meet Skilled Worker pay thresholds; supplementary earnings are excluded oaicite:14​oaicite:15.
**9 . What records should I kee or a simple log of hours and invoices/payslips. UKVI compliance visits may ask how you evidenced the 20-hour limit; HMRC will expect self-assessment or PAYE records.
10 . When do my supplementary-work rights end?	If you stop working for (or are dismissed by) your primary sponsor, the right to do supplementary work ends immediately—except for the GP-trainee run-off noted above oaicite:16​oaicite:17.

Need help? 
If you’re unsure whether a prospective role fits the rules, feel free to share the job title and duties. I can help you identify the correct SOC code and confirm whether it qualifies as supplementary work or requires a secondary-employment application.