If you are a religious worker within a recognised religion who ministers and/or performs pastoral duties, whether regularly or occasionally, you will be able to make an application to travel to the United Kingdom as a Tier 2 Minister of Religion.
This category is for people who have been offered employment or posts or roles within their faith communities in the UK as:
- ministers of religion undertaking preaching and pastoral work;
- missionaries;
- members of religious orders.
Pastoral duties include:
- leading worship regularly and on special occasions;
- giving religious education to children and adults by preaching or teaching;
- officiating at marriages, funerals and other special services;
- offering counselling and welfare support to members of the congregation;
- recruiting, training and co-ordinating the work of any local volunteers and lay preachers.
Work as a missionary can include:
- the organization of missionary activity (but should not be administrative or clerical, unless filling a senior post);
- supervising staff;
- co-ordinating the organisation of missionary work;
- being in charge of a particular activity such as accounts/finance, personnel management or IT;
- translating religious texts – this is missionary work, not clerical work.
The work in a religious order must be in the order itself, or outside work directed by the order.
Working full-time as a teacher in a school run by a church or missionary organization does not count as missionary work. If this is the work that you will be doing, you must apply as a teacher under the Tier 2 (General).
If you want to come to the UK as a religious worker for a shorter time, you should apply under Tier 5 – Temporary Worker – Religious Worker.
Please, Download Guide to know the requirements and advantages of Tier 2 – Minister of Religion.
