Publishing a book and receiving payment when on tier 2

[himanshumodi]

Hello. I am on a Tier 2 ICT visa. If I were to publish a book, and get paid in GBP in UK, does it violate my visa terms? The book (art book) has nothing to do with my primary career/job with my employer. The book is in a completely different field.

[vinny]

Period and conditions of grant on the Intra-Company routes

IC 13.1.The grant will be subject to all the following conditions:

• (a) no access to public funds; and
• (b) work is permitted only in the job for which the applicant is being sponsored, subject to (c) to (e); and
• (c) supplementary employment is permitted; and
• (d) voluntary work is permitted; and
• (e) working out a contractual notice period is permitted, where the applicant was lawfully working in that job in the UK on the date of application; and
• (f) study is permitted, subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS; and
• (g) if Part 10 applies, the applicant will be required to register with the police.

“Supplementary employment” means employment in a job (other than the job for which the person is being sponsored) which appears on the Shortage Occupation Lists in Appendix Shortage Occupation Lists, or in the same profession and at the same professional level as the job for which the person is being sponsored, provided that:

• (a) the person remains working for the sponsor in the job for which the Certificate of Sponsorship records the person is being sponsored; and
• (b) the other employment does not exceed 20 hours per week and takes place outside of the hours when the person is contracted to work for the sponsor in the job for which the person is being sponsored.

“Employment” includes paid and unpaid employment, paid and unpaid work placements undertaken as part of a course or period of study, self-employment and engaging in business or any professional activity.

“Voluntary work” has the same meaning as applies to a voluntary worker in the National Minimum Wage Act 1998.

Writing and publishing

When you formally publish your writing or other written or visual work, including self-publishing on Amazon, you are usually hoping that that people will buy it and that you will earn some money. Therefore it is highly likely to be seen as a business activity and you may not do it under the Tier 4 work conditions.

To avoid this, if you want to publish your writing or other work purely as an artistic expression or leisure activity or to share it with the public, do it through a (non-monetised) blog, social media or personal website

I suspect you may breach your conditions, unless the Home Office gives written consent?

[secret.simon]

Alternatively, hold on to the idea behind the book until you acquire ILR (if that is your goal)?

[himanshumodi]

Thanks for the responses. Vinny- appreciate the linked cases. Some significant stories there

Holding off on the book might be too long term. Alternative might be to publish on my home country citizenship, and get the payment accordingly.

Alternatively, if my partner, who is on a tier 2 dependent visa, publishes in her name, and she is the one who gets paid for the work, would that be ok?

[vinny]

Conditions and period of grant for a dependent partner or dependent child on the Intra-Company routes

IC 23.1. The grant will be subject to all the following conditions:

• (a) no access to public funds; and
• (b) work (including self-employment and voluntary work) permitted; except for employment as a professional sportsperson (including as a sports coach); and
• (c) study is permitted, subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS; and
• (d) if Part 10 applies the applicant will be required to register with the police.