Workers on a UK Student visa are permitted to work up to 20 hours per week during term time and full-time during official vacation periods. As an employer, you must verify their right to work using the online share code service, confirm any hour restrictions shown, and conduct a follow-up check before their student visa expires. Allowing a student visa holder to exceed their permitted hours is itself an immigration offence.
What is the 20-hour rule?
Workers on a Student visa (formerly Tier 4) are generally permitted to work in the UK, but only within the hours stated on their visa conditions.
The standard restriction is:
| Period | Permitted hours | |---|---| | During term time | Up to 20 hours per week | | During official vacation periods (Christmas, Easter, summer) | Full-time (no hour cap) | | After the course ends (if visa still valid) | Depends on the visa conditions |
The 20-hour limit applies to all paid work combined — including a second job with another employer. If the worker already works 15 hours elsewhere, they can only work 5 hours for you.
How to check a student worker's right to work
Student visa holders must use the online share code service to prove their right to work. You cannot accept a physical document (student ID, BRP card) as right-to-work evidence.
Step 1: The worker generates a share code at gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status
Step 2: You check the share code at gov.uk/view-right-to-work using the code and the worker's date of birth
Step 3: The result will show:
- That the worker has the right to work
- Any hour restrictions on their right to work
- The expiry date of their Student visa
Step 4: Screenshot the result and keep it on file
The hour restriction is shown in the share code result. If it says "20 hours per week during term time", that is the cap. You are responsible for ensuring the worker does not exceed it.
What counts as term time?
The 20-hour restriction applies during the term time of the educational institution the student attends — not a standard academic calendar. Each university or college sets its own term dates.
As an employer, you should:
- Ask the worker for their institution's term dates at the start of each academic year
- Keep a note of when term time starts and ends
- Adjust rotas accordingly so the worker does not exceed 20 hours during term
If in doubt about whether a period is term time or vacation, treat it as term time.
When can student visa holders work full-time?
A Student visa holder can work full-time during official vacation periods — but only if their course is a full-time course at a higher education institution (university or college). Students on short courses or lower-level study may face different restrictions.
The share code result will confirm the applicable restrictions. Do not assume vacation-time full-time working is permitted without checking the share code.
Additionally, if the student has finished their course and is waiting for results or a graduation, they may be able to work full-time — but again, check the share code result for the specific permission.
Graduate visa — no hour restrictions
Once a student completes their course, they may apply for a Graduate visa, which allows them to work full-time with no hour restrictions for 2 years (3 years for PhD graduates).
When a worker moves from a Student visa to a Graduate visa, you must conduct a fresh right-to-work check — the share code result will show the updated permission.
Employer responsibilities: the hour limit
Knowing the hour restriction is not enough — you must actively manage it. Employers who allow Student visa workers to exceed their permitted hours can face:
- Civil penalties of up to £60,000 per worker
- Criminal prosecution if knowingly employing a student in breach of their visa conditions
- Loss of the employer's statutory excuse
Best practice:
- Flag Student visa holders in your scheduling system
- Set a maximum hours cap per week for term-time periods
- Conduct the follow-up check before the student visa expires
Follow-up checks for student visa workers
Student visas have an expiry date — typically the end of the academic course plus a short period to arrange departure or visa extension. You must conduct a follow-up right-to-work check before the visa expires.
If the worker has applied for a Graduate visa or other extension, use the Employer Checking Service (ECS) to confirm their continued right to work while the application is pending.
KornerIQ records the expiry date from the share code result and sends alerts at 90, 60, 30 and 7 days before expiry — so follow-up checks are never missed for student workers.
Frequently asked questions
Can a student on a UK Student visa work for two employers at the same time? Yes — but the 20-hour weekly limit applies to all paid work combined across all employers. If they work 12 hours for you and 10 hours elsewhere during term time, they are in breach of their visa conditions.
What if the student tells me they are in vacation but I am not sure? Ask them to confirm their institution's official term dates in writing. If you are still uncertain, treat the period as term time and limit hours to 20 per week. The risk of exceeding the limit is greater than the inconvenience of unnecessary caution.
Does the 20-hour rule apply to weekends? Yes. The 20-hour limit is a weekly cap across all days, including weekends. There is no separate weekend allowance.
What do I do if I discover a student has already exceeded their hours? Seek legal advice immediately. Do not simply reduce their hours going forward without considering whether the employer's position needs to be addressed. Continuing to employ someone in breach of their visa conditions after becoming aware of it removes any statutory excuse.
What share code result should I see for a student visa holder? The result should confirm the right to work and show a condition similar to "limited to 20 hours per week except during vacation periods of the institution." Note this condition and keep the screenshot.