Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the music sector to discuss the requirement, particularly for self-employed musicians, of a flexible and affordable mechanism allowing short-term visa-free work travel.

The UK’s Points-Based Immigration System has been designed with businesses and employers given huge consideration, including the music sector.

The Visitor route includes provision for professional artists entertainers and musicians to undertake paid engagements for up to a month. We expect to treat EEA and Swiss nationals as non-visa nationals, meaning they can undertake these engagements without needing to apply for a visa in advance of travel.

As non-visa nationals, EEA citizens will be in scope for the concession for temporary creative workers looking to remain in the UK for up to three months, without the need to apply for a visa in advance, provided they first secure a certificate of sponsorship. This is a popular and generous concession available only to non-visa nationals working in the creative industries.

We will continue to engage with the creative industries as we review the routes for creatives going forward.