What is the difference between a business visit and working in the UK?
A business visit allows a limited set of activities such as meetings, negotiations and conferences, and it does not allow work for a UK employer or paid services in the UK. Doing work requires a route that permits it.
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How it works
Permitted activities for visitors are listed in the immigration rules, and anything outside that list needs a work route with a sponsor or an eligible category. Border officers assess the purpose of the trip on arrival.
Commonly mixed up with
Being paid abroad does not make UK work permissible: what matters is the activity carried out in the UK.
What is the difference between a business visit and working in the UK?
| Knowledge, London | Business and finance |
|---|---|
| Short answer | A business visit allows a limited set of activities such as meetings, negotiations and conferences, and it does not allow work for a UK employer or paid services in the UK. Doing work requires a route that permits it. |
| How it works | Permitted activities for visitors are listed in the immigration rules, and anything outside that list needs a work route with a sponsor or an eligible category. Border officers assess the purpose of the trip on arrival. |
| Commonly mixed up with | Being paid abroad does not make UK work permissible: what matters is the activity carried out in the UK. |
| Last reviewed | 2026-08-08 |
Short questions
- Can I attend meetings on a visit?
- Meetings and negotiations are listed as permitted activities.
- Can I deliver services to a client?
- Paid work for a UK client generally requires a work route.
- Is remote work for a foreign employer allowed?
- Rules on incidental remote work are set out in the visitor guidance.
- Who decides at the border?
- Border Force assesses the stated purpose on entry.
- Where are the rules?
- GOV.UK publishes the visitor and work route rules.
Sources
More in this track
- How do you register a company in the UK?
- Can a foreign founder open a UK business bank account?
- When does a UK business have to register for VAT?
- How does UK corporation tax work?
- What does an employer need before hiring in the UK?
- What decides office costs in London?
- What accounts must a UK company file?
- Why is London a financial centre?
- Branch or subsidiary: how does a foreign company enter the UK?
These pages explain how the rules work and link the authority that owns them. They are not legal, tax or immigration advice, and amounts and thresholds change, so open the source before you act.
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