UK Visitors Can Now Attend Workshops, Skills Competitions and Rehearsals

What happened

Statement of Changes HC 584, laid on 3 September 2026, widens the list of activities visitors may do in the UK (Appendix Visitor: Permitted Activities). According to the explanatory memorandum, the changes took effect on 8 October 2026.

The main changes are:

• Workshops and debates are added to the meetings, conferences and similar events visitors may attend (PA 4).
• Training no longer has to be something that is “not available in their home country” (PA 10.2).
• Skills competitions are now a permitted activity (PA 11.3).
• Rehearsals: artists, entertainers and musicians can attend rehearsals (PA 14.1), and a new category of “entertainment staff” can assist with permitted entertainment activities (PA 14.2).

Separate changes allow Erasmus+ participants to do short traineeships, job shadowing and sports coaching as visitors (see our Erasmus+ report).

Who is affected

The changes apply to anyone entering as a visitor. That means non-visa nationals travelling with an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) and visa nationals holding a Standard Visitor visa. They are most relevant to people coming for professional development, competitions, festivals and performances.

What it means for your move

These are visitor rules, not work or residence rules. Visitors still cannot take paid or unpaid work for a UK organisation, cannot live in the UK through frequent or back-to-back visits, and usually stay up to six months. Time spent as a visitor does not count towards settlement.

For people planning a permanent move, the changes make it easier to attend training or industry events before applying for a work visa. They do not let you start a job. A role with a UK employer still needs the right visa, such as a Skilled Worker visa.

What to do now

• If you are a non-visa national, get an ETA before you travel (£20). See our ETA guide.
• If you need a visa, apply for a Standard Visitor visa and describe the activity clearly, for example “attending a skills competition” or “rehearsals for a performance on [date]”. See our visitor visa guide.
• Carry evidence at the border: an invitation letter, event details and proof that you will leave.
• If an organisation will pay you, check whether the activity falls under “permitted paid engagements” before you travel.

What happens next

No further visitor changes have been announced. Follow the UK hub and the updates page for new Statements of Changes.