This Tier 5 Religious Worker category is designed for those people who want to come to the UK in order to undertake temporary religious work. However, unlike the Minister of Religion work permit, under this category religious work in the UK should be temporary and undertaken during a holiday or break from your work in another country.
Responsibilities of religious worker:
- preaching, pastoral work and non-pastoral work;
- Work in the United Kingdom in the same way you are working in an overseas organisation (although your duties in the United Kingdom may be different). The job should be done during a break from your job overseas; or
- Work in a religious order with community which involves a permanent commitment like a monastery or convent. The work in a religious order must be in the order itself or outside work directed by the order. You can apply if you are a novice whose training means taking part in the daily community life of the order.
Who can apply as a religious worker?
Before you apply under the religious category, you must have:
- a sponsor; and
- a valid certificate of sponsorship.
When you apply you are awarded points based on your sponsorship and available maintenance (funds).
You can apply under the religious worker category now if you are:
- applying for permission to enter the United Kingdom (known as 'entry clearance') under the religious worker category;
- Already in the United Kingdom as a religious worker and want to extend your permission to stay if you have been here for less than 24 months, which is the maximum time you are allowed to stay.
If you are coming to the United Kingdom for a business visit, for example, you are attending a conference, you can do some preaching and pastoral work as long as you are based overseas and do not plan to work here.
If you are a member of a religious order and studying for a qualification, a formal full-time course of study or training in an academic institution not looked after by the order, you should apply under the student category (TIER 4).
Teachers working in schools not looked after by their order must apply as a teacher under the sponsored skilled worker category of tier 2. They may be able to apply under TIER 2.
If your main reason for coming to the United Kingdom is to do preaching and pastoral work, you should apply under the minister or religion category of TIER 2. In this case you may consider TIER 5.
Switching is not allowed in or out of the religious worker category.
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