Tier 2 Minister of Religion

This immigration route was created for persons who are given employment to take up a Position/Role/Post in the United Kingdom within his/her faith community either as a Minister of Religion who will partake in giving sermons and other clerical work, a Missionary, or a Religious Order member.

To make an application under this route, the applicant is expected to carryout the following duties:

• Lead prayer and religious meetings.
• Teaching or preaching religious values.
• Officiate events including weddings,burial and special services.
• Offer counselling to members and welfare support to members.
• Conduct HR activities for the purpose of coordinating the work of volunteers in including the training of preachers.

Taking up work as a missionary is not just preaching and teaching it also includes:

• Coordinate the missionary activities with exception to clerical or administrative activities unless filling a position for a senior.
• Observe and direct the activities of other staff.
• Planning and Putting the missionary work in order
• Take charge of activities such as Personnel management, IT, Accounts or Finance; and
• Interpretation of Religious Text

If you seek to study further for a qualification either a full-time course of study or training in an educational institution, which is not overseen by the order, you should not make an application for Tier 2 Minister of Religion but apply for the Tier 4 Student of the Points-Based System.

If you intend to take up work as a Teacher in a School that is overseen by the religious institution or missionary organization, you are required to make an application as a Teacher under the Tier 2 (General) category because working full-time as teacher does not count as missionary work.

In a situation where you were issued Certificate of Sponsorship on the 6th of April 2012 or after, it is required that confirmation is gotten from your sponsor that a resident labour market test was indicated as complete on the Certificate of Sponsorship; or that the role which you will undertake is supernumerary and that you will not be occupying a position that can be occupied by a resident employee; and you have the intension to reside in the United Kingdom for the length time that you will be authorized to stay.

More so, your sponsor will be required to confirm that you will be supported through funds and/or accommodation which will be adequate for your maintenance through your employment period as contained on the Certificate of Sponsorship issued to you. They should also confirm that you will be paid (a traditional salary, lodgings, board, stipend or a fusion of these) equal to or more as resident workers who take up the same role as you.