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The short answer
Most work visas tie you to a sponsor or an employer and limit extra work. In the UK, a Skilled Worker can usually take up to 20 hours a week of other work in an eligible job, including self-employment counted within those hours; in the US, unauthorised employment by a nonimmigrant is a failure to maintain status; in Canada, an employer-specific permit lets you work only for the employer named on it. Check your own visa conditions before taking any paid side work.
A second income is common among Nigerians abroad: weekend shifts, freelance design for clients in Lagos, a small food business, rides on a delivery app. On a work visa, these are not only tax questions but immigration ones. Breaking a work condition can cost you the visa and affect future applications, even if the side job is small. This guide sets out the usual rules in three major destinations and the questions to ask before you start. It is information, not immigration advice.
United Kingdom
GOV.UK's Skilled Worker second job page says you can do up to 20 hours a week in another job or your own business while doing your sponsored job, as long as the second job is in an occupation at the right skill level on the relevant list, or in the same sector and level as your main job. Working more than 20 hours needs a visa update with a new certificate of sponsorship. Overtime in the sponsored job is unlimited. You can be a sole trader, and time spent on admin counts towards the 20 hours.
Other routes differ: GOV.UK says the Senior or Specialist Worker visa does not allow a second job except in limited cases. Dependants' conditions are separate, so check each family member's own visa.
United States
Federal rules are strict. 8 CFR 214.1(e) says "any unauthorized employment by a nonimmigrant constitutes a failure to maintain status." In practice, that means confirming your status authorises the specific work, for the specific payer, before you start, and keeping written evidence of that. The State Department's Foreign Affairs Manual says F-1 students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week while school is in session and full time otherwise, with off-campus work only through authorised routes such as Curricular Practical Training and Optional Practical Training, each with its own approval steps. Dependants hold their own status, and whether they may work depends on that status, not on the main visa holder's job.
Canada
IRCC says most work permits are employer-specific and only allow you to work for the employer named on the permit; an open work permit lets you work for any eligible employer, with exceptions for employers on the non-compliant list and certain sectors. IRCC's help pages do not address self-employment for employer-specific permit holders, so treat it as not allowed unless your permit says otherwise.
Grey areas people ask about
- Freelancing for Nigerian clients from abroad. Doing the work while physically in your host country is usually treated as working there, whoever pays you. Check whether your visa allows self-employment.
- Selling things you own. Selling your own used items is not usually work; buying to resell regularly can be a business.
- Gig and delivery apps. These are generally self-employment; on many work visas that is restricted.
- Passive income. Interest, dividends or rent from a property in Nigeria are generally not employment, but must be declared for tax where you are resident.
If you have already done side work
If you realise you may have worked outside your conditions, stop the work and get advice from a regulated immigration adviser or lawyer before your next application, rather than leaving it to be found later. Keep records of what you did, when and for whom. Applications often ask about past breaches, and an honest, documented account is usually treated better than a discovery.
Tax, separately from immigration
Any side income allowed by your visa still needs declaring. In the UK, GOV.UK's guidance on self-employed expenses notes that you cannot claim expenses if you use the £1,000 trading allowance; above that, you register for Self Assessment. Other countries have similar thresholds and filing rules. Income from Nigeria may also raise Nigerian tax questions; see where freelancers abroad pay tax on Nigerian client income.
Worked example
Example only. Musa is a software engineer on a UK Skilled Worker visa, working 37.5 hours a week. He wants to build websites for two Lagos clients. If web design is an eligible occupation under the second-job rules, he can do up to 20 hours a week of that work, including invoicing and admin. If he goes above 20 hours, or the occupation does not qualify, he would need to update his visa first.
Where Pryme fits
If your visa allows paid side work for Nigerian clients, keeping that income separate helps with tax records. A Pryme Business account can receive payments with its own account details, and the Finance agent prepares records for you to approve (business multicurrency, invoicing). Outside Nigeria, Pryme's activities are carried out through regulated partners. Opening an account does not change what your visa allows. For freelancers, see proving income from Nigerian clients.
What to check first
- The exact conditions on your visa or permit, including your eVisa or permit document.
- Whether self-employment is allowed or only employment.
- Any hours cap and which jobs qualify.
- Whether a dependant's visa has different conditions.
Questions people ask
Can I have a second job on a UK Skilled Worker visa?
Usually up to 20 hours a week in an eligible occupation, according to GOV.UK. More than that needs a visa update with a new certificate of sponsorship.
Can I freelance for Nigerian clients while on an H-1B?
Generally not without authorisation. 8 CFR 214.1(e) says unauthorised employment by a nonimmigrant is a failure to maintain status.
Can I drive for a delivery app on a Canadian work permit?
Not on an employer-specific permit, which IRCC says only allows work for the employer named on it. Check your permit's conditions.
Do I need to pay tax on small side income?
Usually yes, above local thresholds. In the UK, the £1,000 trading allowance can cover very small amounts.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Skilled Worker visa, taking a second job · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Senior or Specialist Worker visa · accessed Oct 2026
- Cornell LII: 8 CFR 214.1 · accessed Oct 2026
- US State Department: 9 FAM 402.5 Students · accessed Oct 2026
- IRCC Help Centre: Employer-specific and open work permits · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Expenses if you're self-employed, office, property and equipment · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.