CREATIVE WORKER VISA

The UK Creative Worker visa is a sponsored temporary work route for people coming to the UK to work in the creative industries, including actors, dancers, musicians, entertainers, film and television professionals, models and certain other creative workers.

To qualify, an applicant will normally need a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from an organisation authorised by the Home Office to sponsor Creative Workers. The sponsored role must satisfy the requirements of any applicable Creative Worker Code of Practice or, where there is no relevant Code of Practice, the worker must undertake an eligible creative occupation and make a unique contribution to creative life in the UK. The route cannot be used to fill a permanent position, even temporarily.

A Creative Worker can normally be granted permission for up to 12 months initially. An individual who continues working for the same sponsor may be able to extend their stay up to a maximum of 24 months in total. The Creative Worker route does not lead directly to settlement in the UK.

Qualifying non-visa nationals coming to the UK for engagements lasting no more than three months may be able to use the Creative Worker visa concession instead of obtaining entry clearance before travelling. The concession has important conditions, including Electronic Travel Authorisation requirements in appropriate cases and special procedures at the UK border.

1. Creative Worker Visa Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for a UK Creative Worker visa, an applicant must satisfy both the suitability and eligibility requirements contained in Appendix Temporary Work – Creative Worker of the Immigration Rules.

In broad terms, an applicant will need to demonstrate that:

• they have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from an approved Creative Worker sponsor;
• the sponsored role satisfies the applicable requirements for an eligible Creative Worker role;
• they will not be filling a permanent position, including on a temporary basis;
• the proposed employment complies with the National Minimum Wage Regulations and Working Time Regulations;
• they genuinely intend and are able to undertake the sponsored role;
• they do not intend to undertake employment other than their sponsored role or other employment specifically permitted by the conditions of the route;
• they satisfy the financial requirement, where applicable;
• they satisfy any applicable tuberculosis testing requirement;
• if they are under 18, they meet the relevant parental consent requirement; and
• they do not fall for refusal under Part Suitability of the Immigration Rules.

There is no separate English language requirement under the Creative Worker route.

Creative Worker Codes of Practice

Where a Creative Worker Code of Practice exists for the occupation concerned, the sponsor must demonstrate that the proposed role complies with that Code.

The current Codes of Practice cover:

• ballet;
• dancers in forms of dance other than ballet;
• performers in film and television;
• performers in opera;
• performers in theatre;
• workers in film and television; and
• models in the fashion industry.

The Codes contain occupation-specific requirements concerning matters such as appropriate rates of pay, recruitment or advertising considerations, continuity, international status and the evidence that the sponsor should retain.

The precise test therefore depends on the work being undertaken. It is important for sponsors not to assume that satisfying a general description of “creative work” is sufficient where a specific Code of Practice applies.

Roles Without a Creative Worker Code of Practice: The Unique Contribution Requirement

Where there is no relevant Creative Worker Code of Practice, the sponsored role must be both:

1. a role in the creative industries appearing in Appendix Skilled Occupations; and
2. one in which the worker will make a unique contribution to creative life in the UK.

Examples of occupations which may potentially qualify include artists, authors and writers, actors and entertainers, dancers and choreographers, musicians, producers and directors, photographers, certain broadcasting workers and a range of design occupations. Eligibility remains dependent on the particular role and circumstances rather than the occupation title alone.

Examples of factors which may support a unique contribution include the worker having international status in their field, possessing a particular skill or attribute that is not commonly available in the UK, being required for continuity in a production, or forming part of an established overseas unit company. The sponsor must explain on the Certificate of Sponsorship how the requirement is met and retain appropriate supporting evidence.

Creative Worker Salary and Pay Requirements

There is no single salary threshold that applies uniformly to every Creative Worker.

Where a Code of Practice applies, the sponsor must comply with the relevant remuneration requirements in that Code. Minimum salary rates established by industry bodies such as Equity, PACT and BECTU may apply, subject to the rules applicable to the particular creative occupation.

Separately, the Certificate of Sponsorship must contain information about the proposed pay and the Home Office must not have reasonable grounds to believe that the employment breaches the National Minimum Wage Regulations or Working Time Regulations.

Sponsors should therefore identify the correct Code of Practice and pay framework before assigning the Certificate of Sponsorship rather than treating the Creative Worker route as having a single generic salary requirement.

Creative Workers Cannot Fill Permanent Positions

A Creative Worker must not be filling a permanent position, including on a temporary basis.

Home Office sponsor guidance gives the example of a designer, make-up artist or stylist being sponsored temporarily into a position for which the organisation will continue to have an ongoing permanent need after the worker leaves. The Creative Worker route should not be used in this way.

Where the organisation genuinely needs to fill a permanent role, another immigration route, such as the Skilled Worker route, may be more appropriate.

Child Creative Workers and Parental Consent

There is no minimum age for the Creative Worker route. An applicant under the age of 18 must, however, satisfy the applicable parental consent requirements.

Sponsors of under-18s must also have appropriate safeguarding arrangements in place. Additional legal requirements may apply where a child below school-leaving age is taking part in performances or paid modelling work, including requirements relating to child performance licences.

These requirements should be considered well before the proposed performance or production dates.

2. Creative Worker Sponsorship and Certificate of Sponsorship Requirements

The Creative Worker route is a sponsored immigration route.

An applicant will normally need a valid Certificate of Sponsorship issued by an organisation that:

• operates, or intends to operate, in the creative sector;
• is authorised by the Home Office to sponsor workers on the Creative Worker route; and
• holds the appropriate sponsor rating.

Potential Creative Worker sponsors can include producers, venues, agents, promoters, production companies, media organisations, events organisers and national arts bodies.

Importantly, the sponsor does not necessarily have to be the worker’s direct employer. The structure of the creative industries means that, for example, a promoter, producer, venue or agent may sometimes act as sponsor. However, the organisation acting as sponsor must accept responsibility for the worker and comply with its Home Office sponsorship duties.

Certificate of Sponsorship Requirements

A Certificate of Sponsorship is an electronic sponsorship record rather than a paper certificate.

For a Creative Worker application, the CoS must contain the required information about the applicant, role, dates and pay, and must confirm that the role meets the Creative Worker requirements.

A CoS must normally be used within three months of being assigned. The worker must also not make their application more than three months before the employment start date recorded on the CoS.

The sponsor should ensure that the CoS accurately explains how any applicable Code of Practice has been satisfied or, where there is no applicable Code, how the individual will make a unique contribution to creative life in the UK.

Multiple Engagements With the Same Sponsor

Creative professionals frequently undertake several performances or engagements during one UK visit.

Where the same sponsor is responsible for several engagements, a single Certificate of Sponsorship can cover the entire period provided there is no more than 14 days between individual engagements.

When calculating the 14-day period, time spent outside the UK, including the dates of departure and return, is disregarded.

This arrangement can be particularly relevant to touring performers, musicians, theatre companies and other creative professionals working at several venues during the same UK engagement.

Consecutive Engagements With Different Sponsors

Where a Creative Worker will undertake engagements for different sponsors, each sponsor must assign its own Certificate of Sponsorship.

The Certificates of Sponsorship must not overlap and there must generally be no more than 14 days between the respective UK engagements, again disregarding qualifying periods spent outside the UK when calculating the gap.

Careful planning is important where a performer has a complicated UK touring schedule involving several venues, promoters or producers.

Group Sponsorship and Entourage

The sponsorship system also makes provision for groups such as ballet or dance companies, theatre companies, circuses, orchestras and groups of musicians.

A group arrangement can also cover members of an entourage whose work is directly related to that of an entertainer, cultural artist or production, although an entourage member must have relevant technical or other specialist skills. Each individual must still have the appropriate sponsorship record.

Where the Home Office refuses the application of the lead entertainer or artist in a group CoS arrangement, the associated group applications may also be refused. Sponsors should therefore ensure that both the lead applicant and the wider group arrangements satisfy the requirements before applications are submitted.

3. Financial Requirement for a Creative Worker Visa

A Creative Worker will normally need to demonstrate that they have at least £1,270 available to support themselves in the UK.

Where the applicant relies on their own funds, they must normally have held the required amount for at least 28 consecutive days, in accordance with Appendix Finance.

An applicant does not need to demonstrate the £1,270 through personal savings where:

• they are applying for permission to stay and have already been in the UK with permission for at least 12 months at the date of application; or
• an eligible A-rated sponsor certifies on the Certificate of Sponsorship that it will maintain and accommodate the applicant, if necessary, during their first month in the UK up to at least £1,270.

Different financial requirements apply to dependant partners and children.

4. Creative Worker Visa Concession: Working in the UK for Up to 3 Months Without a Visa

Some Creative Workers can enter the UK without obtaining a Creative Worker visa in advance under the Creative Worker visa concession.

The concession is not the same as entering the UK as an ordinary visitor. A person using it is seeking permission to enter specifically as a Creative Worker and must satisfy the Creative Worker requirements.

Who Can Use the Creative Worker Visa Concession?

The concession can potentially be used where the worker:

• is a non-visa national;
• has a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the Creative Worker route;
• intends to work in the UK for no more than three months;
• has an Electronic Travel Authorisation where one is required; and
• otherwise satisfies the requirements of the Creative Worker route.

A visa national cannot use the Creative Worker concession and will need to obtain entry clearance before travelling.

Where there are consecutive engagements, the engagements and relevant gaps must fit within the permitted three-month period.

Electronic Travel Authorisation for Creative Workers

A non-visa national using the Creative Worker concession will now normally need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling to the UK.

An ETA is a permission to travel; it does not itself give the individual permission to work as a Creative Worker. The worker must still obtain the correct Creative Worker permission to enter.

Do Not Use the ePassport Gates

A Creative Worker relying on the concession and entering the UK from outside the Common Travel Area must not use an automated ePassport gate.

Instead, the worker must see a Border Force officer, explain that they are entering under the Creative Worker concession, provide the relevant Certificate of Sponsorship number or numbers and satisfy the officer that the requirements are met.

The passport should then be endorsed to show that the worker has permission to enter and work under the concession. Using an eGate instead can mean that the individual enters without the immigration permission required to undertake the sponsored work.

This is a particularly important practical point for nationals who would ordinarily expect to use ePassport gates when entering the UK.

Entering the UK From Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man

Different arrangements apply where a Creative Worker intends to enter the UK directly from another part of the Common Travel Area: Ireland, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man.

As the individual may not encounter a Border Force officer on arrival in the UK, they must either obtain a UK visa before travel or, where eligible, use the Creative Worker remote clearance process.

An application for remote clearance must be made at least 72 hours before arrival in the UK, and permission must have been granted before the individual enters the UK.

Remote clearance is not suitable in every case. In particular, current sponsor guidance states that it is unavailable where the worker will commence a contract of employment for which the sponsor must conduct the relevant right to work check and requires a statutory excuse against illegal working. In such a case, the worker should obtain a visa before entering the UK.

How Long Can You Stay Under the Creative Worker Concession?

Permission granted under the Creative Worker concession cannot exceed three months.

The actual grant will be limited by the sponsored engagement dates and the periods permitted before and after those engagements.

A Creative Worker who entered under the concession cannot extend their Creative Worker permission from inside the UK. If the engagement is subsequently extended beyond the permitted period, the worker will normally need to leave the UK and make an entry clearance application.

What Happens if You Leave the UK During the Concession?

Permission granted under the concession automatically lapses when the Creative Worker leaves the Common Travel Area.

A worker who travels outside the Common Travel Area and later needs to return to complete the original UK engagement must obtain fresh permission to enter and continue to satisfy the relevant requirements.

International touring schedules therefore need to be planned carefully.

5. Documents Required for a Creative Worker Visa

The precise documents required will depend on the applicant’s circumstances.

Applicants will normally need to provide:

• their Certificate of Sponsorship reference number;
• a valid passport or other acceptable identity and nationality document;
• evidence that they satisfy the financial requirement, where required;
• evidence of their relationship to any partner or children applying as dependants;
• a tuberculosis test certificate, where the tuberculosis testing requirement applies; and
• certified translations of documents that are not in English or Welsh.

Additional documents may be required depending on the facts of the application.

There is an important distinction between documents that the applicant must submit and evidence that the sponsor must retain.

For example, where a Code of Practice applies or the sponsor relies on the worker making a unique contribution to creative life in the UK, the sponsor should retain the evidence required by the Immigration Rules and sponsor guidance. This may include contracts, evidence of previous performances or productions, professional credits, publicity, awards, references or other material demonstrating why the role qualifies.

Applicants and sponsors should therefore coordinate the immigration application and sponsorship evidence rather than treating them as entirely separate exercises.

6. How to Apply for a UK Creative Worker Visa

An applicant outside the UK who requires entry clearance must apply online for a Temporary Work – Creative Worker visa.

A person can generally apply up to three months before the day they are due to start work, as recorded on their Certificate of Sponsorship. The CoS itself must also have been issued no more than three months before the application.

Depending on the applicant’s nationality and circumstances, they will normally prove their identity either by using the UK Immigration: ID Check app or by attending a visa application centre to provide biometric information.

The application process will ordinarily involve:

1. confirming that the proposed engagement qualifies for the Creative Worker route;
2. ensuring that the sponsor holds the correct Creative Worker sponsor permission;
3. assigning a compliant Certificate of Sponsorship;
4. preparing the required supporting evidence;
5. completing the online visa application;
6. paying the relevant application fee and any Immigration Health Surcharge due;
7. proving identity and providing supporting documents; and
8. awaiting the Home Office decision.

Where the applicant is a non-visa national coming for no more than three months, it is important to consider separately whether using the Creative Worker concession would be appropriate.

7. Creative Worker Visa Fees and Immigration Health Surcharge

The Creative Worker visa application fee is currently £340 per applicant, whether the application is made from inside or outside the UK. The same application fee applies to dependant applications.

An applicant may also need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).

The standard IHS rate is currently:

• £1,035 per year for most adult immigration applications; and
• £776 per year for applicants who are under 18 when they apply.

The amount payable depends on the length and circumstances of the immigration permission being sought.

An important exception is that an applicant applying from outside the UK for a visa lasting six months or less does not normally pay the IHS. An applicant making an immigration application from inside the UK will generally be liable to the surcharge even where the period sought is six months or less, unless an exemption applies.

The exact amount should therefore be calculated for the particular application rather than assuming that every Creative Worker will pay a full year’s IHS.

8. How Long Does a Creative Worker Visa Take?

The Home Office currently states that, once an applicant has applied, proved their identity and provided their documents, a Creative Worker application is usually decided within:

• 3 weeks where the application is made from outside the UK; and
• 8 weeks where an eligible application is made from inside the UK.

These are standard processing times rather than guarantees.

A faster decision service may be available in some cases. Availability depends on the application circumstances and the services being offered when the application is made.

Applicants with fixed rehearsal, filming, performance or touring dates should build immigration processing into their production schedule and avoid making non-refundable arrangements on the assumption that a decision will necessarily be issued within the standard timeframe.

9. How Long Can You Stay in the UK as a Creative Worker?

An applicant granted entry clearance as a Creative Worker will be granted the shortest applicable period determined by the Immigration Rules.

For an ordinary sponsored engagement, this can include a period beginning up to 14 days before the sponsored work and ending 14 days afterwards, subject to an overall initial maximum of 12 months.

Special calculations apply where the worker has consecutive engagements.

A Creative Worker admitted under the visa concession can receive no more than three months’ permission.

The dates on the Certificate or Certificates of Sponsorship therefore have a direct impact on the immigration permission that can be granted.

10. Extending a Creative Worker Visa and Changing Sponsor

A person already in the UK with Creative Worker entry clearance or permission may be able to extend their stay, provided they continue to meet the requirements.

Extending With the Same Sponsor

Where the Creative Worker continues with the same sponsor as in the application which led to their existing permission, they can potentially extend their stay up to a maximum of 24 months in total on the route.

The actual extension will be limited by the length of the new sponsored engagement and the maximum periods permitted by the Immigration Rules.

A fresh Certificate of Sponsorship will normally be required for the extension.

Extending With a Different Sponsor

A Creative Worker can potentially make an in-country application involving a different sponsor, but changing sponsor does not create a fresh 24-month entitlement.

Where the application is to work for a different sponsor from the sponsor connected with the previous grant, the maximum period is instead calculated by reference to a total of 12 months already spent on the Creative Worker route.

The new sponsor must assign an appropriate Certificate of Sponsorship and the application should be made before the applicant’s existing permission expires.

Can a Creative Worker Extend After Using the 3-Month Concession?

No. A person admitted under the Creative Worker visa concession cannot extend their stay as a Creative Worker from within the UK.

If longer permission is required, they will normally have to leave the UK and make an application for Creative Worker entry clearance from overseas.

11. Can You Switch Into the Creative Worker Route From Inside the UK?

A person in the UK on another immigration route generally cannot switch into the Creative Worker route.

Under the current Immigration Rules, an applicant applying for permission to stay as a Creative Worker must have, or have last had, permission as a Creative Worker.

Accordingly, a person in the UK as, for example, a Visitor or on another work or study route cannot simply submit an in-country Creative Worker application.

They will normally need to leave the UK and either:

• apply for Creative Worker entry clearance from overseas; or
• if they are a qualifying non-visa national and the proposed engagement is for no more than three months, consider whether the Creative Worker visa concession is available.

This rule should be considered before a UK production engages someone who is already physically present in the UK under another immigration category.

12. Work, Supplementary Employment, Study and Other Visa Conditions

A Creative Worker is permitted to work in the role or roles for which they have been sponsored.

They may also undertake qualifying supplementary employment, but the conditions are specific.

Supplementary work must:

• be for no more than 20 hours per week;
• take place outside the hours during which the worker is contracted to undertake their sponsored employment;
• be undertaken while the worker continues to perform the job recorded on their Certificate of Sponsorship; and
• either be in the same profession and at the same professional level as the sponsored role or be in an occupation listed in the Immigration Salary List when the supplementary employment begins.

Qualifying supplementary employment does not itself have to be with a licensed sponsor.

A Creative Worker may also study, subject to the Academic Technology Approval Scheme requirement where relevant.

Creative Worker permission is subject to no access to public funds. GOV.UK also confirms that a Creative Worker cannot start their own business under the conditions of the route.

13. Creative Worker Visa Dependants

A Creative Worker may be accompanied or joined by eligible dependant family members.

A dependant can include:

• a husband, wife or civil partner;
• an unmarried partner who meets the applicable relationship requirements;
• a child under 18; or
• in some circumstances, a child aged 18 or over who already has immigration permission as the Creative Worker’s dependant.

A partner must normally demonstrate a qualifying marriage, civil partnership or durable relationship in accordance with the Immigration Rules.

Financial Requirement for Creative Worker Dependants

In addition to the Creative Worker’s own maintenance requirement, the following funds are currently required where the dependant financial requirement must be satisfied:

• £285 for a partner;
• £315 for the first child; and
• £200 for each additional child.

The funds must normally be held for the required 28-day period.

The financial evidence requirement may not apply where the relevant family members have already been in the UK with valid permission for at least 12 months or where the Creative Worker’s sponsor validly certifies family maintenance.

Can Creative Worker Dependants Work?

An eligible dependant partner or child can generally work in the UK, except as a professional sportsperson or sports coach. They can also study.

They will not normally have access to public funds.

Dependants Using the Creative Worker Concession

A Creative Worker’s partner and children can potentially accompany a worker using the three-month concession if they are also non-visa nationals who do not normally require a visa to enter the UK as visitors.

They will normally require an ETA where the ETA requirement applies.

Where family members are visa nationals, their immigration arrangements should be considered separately before travel.

14. Does the Creative Worker Visa Lead to Settlement?

The Creative Worker route is not a route to settlement in the UK.

Time spent as a Creative Worker does not, by itself, lead to indefinite leave to remain under this route.

Creative professionals who intend to build a longer-term career in the UK should therefore consider at an early stage whether another immigration category may be more appropriate.

Depending on their circumstances, potential alternatives can include the Global Talent route, including the Arts and Culture and Film and Television fields, or the Skilled Worker route where the individual has an eligible long-term sponsored role and satisfies the requirements.

The suitability of another route will depend on the individual’s career, proposed activities, sponsor arrangements and longer-term objectives.

15. Creative Worker Visa Refusals and Administrative Review

A Creative Worker application will be refused where the decision maker is not satisfied that the relevant suitability and eligibility requirements have been met.

Common areas of difficulty can include:

• an invalid or incorrectly completed Certificate of Sponsorship;
• failure to satisfy an applicable Creative Worker Code of Practice;
• insufficient evidence that the worker will make a unique contribution to creative life in the UK where no Code applies;
• an attempt to use the route to fill a permanent position;
• gaps or overlaps between multiple or consecutive engagements;
• failure to satisfy the financial requirement;
• concerns about the genuineness of the proposed role;
• breach of National Minimum Wage or Working Time requirements;
• failure to satisfy the rules governing an extension or change of sponsor; or
• suitability issues.

The Immigration Rules provide for an unsuccessful Creative Worker applicant to apply for Administrative Review where the relevant requirements are met.

Administrative Review is principally concerned with whether the Home Office made a caseworking error. It is therefore important to examine the refusal decision carefully before deciding whether Administrative Review, a fresh application or another legal remedy is the appropriate response.

16. Frequently Asked Questions: UK Creative Worker Visa

Who Can Apply for a UK Creative Worker Visa?

The Creative Worker route is available to eligible people coming to work temporarily in the UK creative industries, such as actors, dancers, musicians, entertainers, certain film and television professionals, models and other qualifying creative workers. The role must meet the applicable sponsorship and Creative Worker eligibility requirements.

Do I Need a Sponsor for a Creative Worker Visa?

Yes. The Creative Worker route is a sponsored route and you will normally need a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from an organisation authorised to sponsor Creative Workers. In the creative industries, the sponsor does not necessarily have to be your direct employer; a qualifying producer, agent, promoter or venue may sometimes act as sponsor.

Can I Work in the UK for 3 Months Without Applying for a Creative Worker Visa?

Potentially. A non-visa national with a valid Creative Worker Certificate of Sponsorship who is coming for no more than three months may be eligible for the Creative Worker visa concession. You must still satisfy the Creative Worker requirements and will usually need an ETA before travelling.

Can I Use the eGates Under the Creative Worker Visa Concession?

No. If you are entering from outside the Common Travel Area under the Creative Worker concession, you must see a Border Force officer and obtain the correct permission to work. Using an eGate can result in you entering without the permission required to undertake your sponsored Creative Worker employment.

Is There an English Language Requirement for the Creative Worker Visa?

No. Appendix Temporary Work – Creative Worker does not impose a separate English language requirement. You must, however, satisfy all of the sponsorship, financial, genuineness, suitability and other requirements that apply to your application.

Can I Switch to a Creative Worker Visa From Another UK Visa?

Generally not. An applicant applying for permission to stay as a Creative Worker must have, or have last had, Creative Worker permission. Someone currently in the UK on another immigration route will normally need to leave the UK before applying for Creative Worker entry clearance or using the concession if eligible.

Can a Creative Worker Stay in the UK for 2 Years?

Potentially. Initial permission is normally limited to no more than 12 months. A Creative Worker who continues to work for the same sponsor may be able to extend their stay to a maximum of 24 months in total. Different limits apply where the worker changes sponsor.

Can I Change Sponsor on a Creative Worker Visa?

Potentially, but a new Certificate of Sponsorship and immigration application may be required. Where an in-country application involves a different sponsor, the maximum period is generally calculated by reference to a total of 12 months on the Creative Worker route rather than the 24-month maximum available when continuing with the same sponsor.

Can a Creative Worker Have a Second Job?

Qualifying supplementary employment is permitted for up to 20 hours per week. The additional work must take place outside the contracted hours of the sponsored job and must normally be in the same profession and at the same professional level or in an occupation on the Immigration Salary List.

Can I Bring My Partner and Children on a Creative Worker Visa?

Yes, eligible partners and children can apply as dependants. They will normally need to satisfy relationship and financial requirements and make separate applications. A child aged over 18 may continue as a dependant in certain circumstances where they already hold qualifying dependant permission.

Does the Creative Worker Visa Lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain?

No. The Creative Worker route is not a settlement route. Creative professionals wishing to establish themselves permanently in the UK may wish to consider whether they qualify for another route, such as Global Talent or Skilled Worker.

What Is the Difference Between a Creative Worker Visa and a Visitor Visa?

The Creative Worker route permits sponsored work that satisfies its specific immigration requirements. Visitor rules permit only specified activities and contain significant restrictions on employment and payment from UK sources. Some artists, entertainers and musicians can undertake specified activities as Visitors, including certain permitted paid engagements, but the correct route depends on the nature, duration and payment arrangements for the proposed activities.