What happens if I work over 20 hours on a student visa UK?
If you are from overseas and you are studying in the UK, you may be wondering what happens if you work over 20 hours on a student visa. There are strict rules surrounding what you can do under the terms of a student visa and it is important not to breach these. We take a look at the hours you can work and what will happen if you work more than the maximum number of hours on a student visa.
At Halliday Reeves, we secure visas for students from across the globe, enabling them to live and study in the UK. We specialise in visas and immigration and have an exceptional level of legal expertise in this complex area. We are also known for the high level of service we provide to our clients.
If you need a student visa, we can put together the strongest possible application on your behalf. We will also ensure that all of the necessary paperwork is included alongside your application by way of proof that you satisfy the eligibility criteria.
To talk to us about our services or for student visa guidance and advice, please feel free to ring us on 0330 133 7777, email us at enquiries@hallidayreeves.com or fill in our Contact Form.
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How Many Hours Can I Work On A Student Visa UK?
If you have a UK student visa, you can work in certain jobs for up to 20 hours per week if you are studying on a full time course at degree level or above. Less than degree level on a full time course and the maximum is 10 hours. This includes both paid and unpaid work. If you work in more than one job, you must add up the hours from both jobs and the total must not exceed 20 hours. You cannot carry unused hours over to another week.
Other restrictions include:
- You cannot be self-employed. This includes trading on Ebay (other than selling the occasional unwanted item), carrying out online business or e-commerce or babysitting
- You cannot work as a professional sportsperson or as a sports coach
- You cannot work as a paid or unpaid entertainer
- You cannot work in a business in which you have an interest unless you own less than 10% of the shares and you work as an employee
- You cannot take on a full-time job with a permanent contract
You are permitted to work full-time during official holiday periods, but only on a fixed-term contract, ie. a contract with a specified end date. You need to check what official holiday your course includes. Some post-graduate research qualifications do not have any official holiday, so you would not be able to work more than 20/10 hours per week at any time during the year.
What Happens If I Work More Than 20/10 Hours On A Student Visa UK?
If you work more than the maximum number of hours on a UK student visa during the term time or outside of official holiday time, you will be in breach of the conditions of your student visa.
If the Home Office was alerted to this, which could happen through employment or tax records, you could be asked to leave the UK. You are likely to also receive a ban on re-entry for a specified period of time.
The employer could also face penalties. If your university were to discover that you were working for more than the maximum number of hours during term time, they would have a duty to report this to the Home Office.
Contact Our Student Visa Solicitors
At Halliday Reeves, our immigration solicitors offer a full range of personal immigration services. If you need a UK student visa, we can represent you to make sure your application has the best possible chance of success.
To speak to one of our expert UK Immigration lawyers, ring us on 0330 133 7777, email us at enquiries@hallidayreeves.com or fill in our Contact Form.
“Can we also take this opportunity to thank you for how you handled our enquiry. We were both feeling anxious about making contact with a solicitor to discuss our circumstances. You were so warm, friendly and understanding when we spoke.”
