Permitted Paid Engagement Visitors
On 6 April 2012 the UK Border Agency introduced a new visitor route, Permitted Paid Engagements (PPE), for limited groups of individuals who are invited to come to the UK because of their particular skills or expertise. These individuals will be able to come to the UK for up to one month to undertake pre-arranged engagements for which they will be paid
(note that there is no minimum level of payment that must be made).
As with the Business Visitor and Academic Visitor routes, migrants using the PPE route do not require a Certificate of Sponsorship from the University, but will require a formal letter of invitation from the University to be able to enter the UK under this route. Migrants will also be required to satisfy Immigration Officers that the pre-arranged engagement relates to their area of expertise and/or qualifications and to their occupation overseas.
Permissible activities
Only the following groups of individuals are able to come to the University under the Permitted Paid Engagement (PPE) Visitor route to undertake one or more of the following paid activities:
- Visiting lecturers – lecturers invited to give one or a short series of paid lectures in their field of expertise;
- Visiting examiners or assessors – academics who are highly qualified in their field of expertise to examine students or participate in and/or chair a selection panel as part of the institution’s quality assurance processes;
- Professional entertainers and performing artists giving a one-off or short series of performances.
The paid engagement must relate to the individual’s area of expertise and/or qualifications and must relate to their main occupation overseas.
Restrictions
PPE visitors are not allowed to carry out research, either on their own or in collaboration with others, or take part in any activity other than that for which they were granted entry to the UK.
As well as satisfying immigration officers that they are taking part in one or more of the above permissable activities, those intending to enter the UK as PPE Visitors must also satisfy immigration officers that they:
- are genuinely seeking entry as a PPE visitor undertaking a Permitted Paid Engagement for a limited period, not exceeding one month;
- will be working in their area of expertise and/or qualifications and that the paid engagement relates to their main occupation overseas;
- do not intend to take paid or unpaid employment, produce goods or provide services within the UK other than as permitted for the pre-aranged permitted paid engagement;
- intend to leave the UK at the end of the period of the visit;
- can maintain and accommodate themselves (and any dependants) without using public funds;
- can meet the cost of an onward or return journey;
- do not intend to live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits;
- do not intend to undertake a course of study;
- are not a child under the age of 18;
- do not intend to marry or form a civil partnership;
- do not intend to give notice of a marriage or civil partnership;
- do not intend to receive private medical treatment;
- are not in transit to a country outside the common travel area.
Application process
PPE Visitors who are not visa nationals do not require a PPE visa in advance of travel to the UK. However, they must announce the purpose of their visit (i.e. as a PPE Visitor) to immigration officers at the UK port of entry and satisfy the immigration officers that they meet the PPE Visitor requirements. If the migrant satisfies immigration officers that they meet the PPE Visitor requirements they will be approved entry to the UK as a PPE Visitor.
PPE Visitors who are visa nationals do require a visa in advance of travel to the UK. PPE Visitors who are visa nationals can find information on how to apply for a PPE Visitor visa on the UK Border Agency website.
All PPE Visitors (regardless of whether they require a visa in advance of travel to the UK, or not) will require a letter of invitation from the host department/ college to present with their visa application (for visa nationals) or to immigration officers at the port of entry (for non-visa nationals).
The Work Permits Desk has produced a PPE Visitor template letter of invitation 
(13kb) that can be copied onto department/faculty headed paper and amended accordingly. Please note that a letter of invitation will not guarantee a successful visa application/ successful entry to the UK. This decision is made solely by immigration officers overseas and/or at the UK port of entry.
Migrants, particularly non-visa nationals who do not require a visa in advance of travel, are strongly advised to raise any queries/concerns with their nearest Visa Application Centre/British Embassy to avoid potential problems at immigration on arrival to the UK.