You can do other work in addition to your main job (for which your certificate of sponsorship was assigned).

You do not need to inform us of this additional work (known as 'supplementary employment') if:

• it is in the same profession and at the same professional level as the work for which your certificate of sponsorship was assigned; and
• you do this work for no more than 20 hours per week; and
• outside your normal working hours for your main job.

If you want to do any other type of paid additional work (known as 'secondary employment'), the work must be with a licensed sponsor. That sponsor must assign a new certificate of sponsorship to you, and you must make a new application to us. This application must include a letter explaining that you want to change your current permission to stay. The letter must also state:

• your name
• your date of birth
• your first certificate of sponsorship reference number (from your current permission to stay)
• the date when your current permission to stay expires.

Your new application must meet all the Tier 2 criteria, so your sponsor may need to carry out a resident labour market test. We will consider your application separately from your first application.

You cannot apply for secondary employment until you have started work with your first sponsor, and you cannot start work with your second sponsor until we have approved your application for secondary employment.

You can do voluntary work in any sector, in addition to your job stated on your certificate of sponsorship.

You must not be paid for your voluntary work, except for reasonable expenses as outlined in section 44 of the National Minimum Wage Act.

You must apply to us for permission to change your employment if:

• there is a change to your core duties which means that your job is now in a different Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code; or
• there is a change to your core duties which means that your job is no longer on the shortage occupation list (if your certificate of sponsoirship was assigned on the basis that your job was on the shortage occupation list); or
• your salary reduces from the level indicated on your current certificate of sponsorship or work permit (unless this is caused by a temporary company-wide reduction in working hours and salaries - see below - or by maternity or adoption leave).

To find out how apply for permission to change your employment, see 'If you want to leave your job and start a new job'.

You do not need to apply to us if your job changes in other ways (for example, because you change to a new job with the same employer in the same SOC code, your pay increases, or you move to a new job under TUPE arrangements following a takeover, merger or de-merger).

Temporary reduction in working hours

If you reduce your working hours and your salary decreases as a result, you must normally apply to us for permission to change your employment. However, you will not need to apply to us if:

• you are currently a work permit holder or a Tier 2 worker; and
• you are continuing to work in the same job, with reduced working hours; and
• the reduced working hours are part of a company-wide policy to avoid redundancies; and
• your employer is not treating migrant workers more favourably than resident workers; and
• any reduction in your salary is proportionate to the reduction in your hours and is not more than 30 per cent; and
• the arrangements will be in place for no more than 1 year.