Global Business Mobility routes

UK Expansion Worker route

A new route has opened for overseas businesses to send senior managers or workers for a specialist employee role on a temporary assignment to the UK for the purpose of expanding that business in the UK.

To qualify, the worker/applicant must:

• Be assigned to a role which is at an appropriate skill level of at least Level 6 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework for England and Northern Ireland;
• Be assigned to a role which is at the appropriate salary level which is either a) at least the going rate for that role or b) £42,400 per year;
• Be issued a certificate of sponsorship by their sponsor no more than 3 months before applying under this route;
• Have a sponsor who is authorised by the Home Office;
• Be employed by the sponsor group;
• Have worked for the sponsor group for a cumulative period of at least 12 months, outside of the UK, unless they are either a) a high earner (gross annual salary of £73,900 or more) or b) a Japanese national seeking to establish a UK branch or subsidiary of the sponsor group under the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement;
• Meet the financial requirement of either a) having funds of at least £1,270 or b) having lived in the UK for 12 months or longer on the date of the application, with permission.

There is no English language requirement to satisfy.

If this visa is granted, permission is given for the worker to stay which is the shortest of the following:

• The end date of the job as on the certificate sponsorship, plus 14 days;
• The date when the applicant will have had continuous permission for 2 years as a UK Expansion Worker;
• 1 year after the start of the job as on the certificate of sponsorship;
• The date when the applicant will have had permission totalling 5 years, cumulatively, in any 6-year period under any of the Global Business Mobility routes.

An applicant will not be able to switch to this route if they already have had permission granted as a visitor, short-term student, parent of a child student (or other specified permission).

A Global Business Mobility route holder may be able to ‘switch’ (i.e. change route) into another route if they meet the relevant requirements.

A dependent partner and dependent children of the worker can also apply via this route.

This route does not lead to settlement.

There are further requirements, some of which may apply depending on your circumstances. Please get in touch for our advice in obtaining a UK Expansion Worker Visa, we will be happy to help.

Service Supplier

A new route has opened allowing temporary work assignments in the UK for overseas workers who are undertaking an assignment in the UK to provide a service covered by a UK international trade agreement.

The worker needs to be either a:

• contractual service supplier employed by an overseas service provider; or
• self-employed independent professional based overseas.

To qualify, the following must also apply (along with other requirements depending on the circumstances):

• The applicant must have worked as, or for, the overseas service provider outside of the UK for a cumulative period of 12 months. Or if the applicant is self-employed, they must have undertaken 12 months continuous work in that sector;
• The applicant must be sponsored for the role they are to undertake, and that role must fall under an appropriate occupation code;
• The sponsor must be authorised by the Home Office and listed as A-rated;
• The applicant must have a valid certificate of sponsorship for the work;
• The applicant must show that they have sufficient funds to maintain themselves in the UK (unless they are applying for permission to stay and have been living in the UK with permission for at least 12 months).

There is no English language requirement to satisfy.

If this visa is granted, the applicant will be allowed leave of 6 to 12 months depending on which international agreement the assignment falls under.

The grant of this visa cannot allow the applicant to have, cumulatively, a period of leave totalling more than 5 years in any 6-year period. This is under any of the Global Business Mobility routes.

An applicant will not be able to switch to this route if they already have had permission granted as a visitor, short-term student, parent of a child student (or other specified permission).

A Global Business Mobility route holder may be able to ‘switch’ (i.e. change route) into another route if they meet the relevant requirements.

A dependent partner and dependent children can also apply via this route.

This route does not lead to settlement.

There are further requirements, some of which may apply depending on your circumstances. Please get in touch for our advice in obtaining a Service Supplier Visa, we will be happy to help.

Secondment Worker

A new route has opened which allows temporary work assignments to be undertaken in the UK by overseas workers on secondment. This should be part of a high value investment or contract.

To qualify, the following must also apply (along with other requirements depending on the circumstances):

• The applicant must have been employed by the overseas business for at least a cumulative period of 12 months;
• The applicant must have been issued a certificate of sponsorship no more than 3 months before the date of the application. The sponsor must be registered with the Home Office and be A-rated;
• The applicant must work for an overseas employer which has a contract with the applicant’s sponsor;
• The job the applicant is to undertake must be in an eligible occupation code and at least Level 6 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework for England and Northern Ireland;
• The applicant must show that they have the requisite funds to maintain themselves in the UK.

There is no English language requirement to satisfy.

If this visa is granted, permission is given for a period of leave which is the shortest of the following:

• The end date of the job as on the certificate sponsorship, plus 14 days;
• The date of continuous permission as a secondment worker;
• 1 year after the start of the job as on the certificate of sponsorship;
• The date when the applicant will have had permission totalling 5 years, cumulatively, in any 6-year period.

The grant of this visa cannot allow the applicant to have, cumulatively, a period of leave totalling more than 5 years in any 6-year period. This is under any of the Global Business Mobility routes.

An applicant will not be able to switch to this route if they already have had permission granted as a visitor, short-term student, parent of a child student (or any other specified permission).

A Global Business Mobility route holder may be able to ‘switch’ (i.e. change route) into another route if they meet the relevant requirements.

A dependent partner and dependent children can also apply via this route.

This route does not lead to settlement.

There are further requirements, some of which may apply depending on your circumstances. Please get in touch for our advice in obtaining a Service Supplier Visa, we will be happy to help.

Senior or Specialist Worker

A new route has opened which allows overseas senior or specialist workers to carry out temporary work assignments in the UK. The worker must be assigned to a UK business linked to their overseas employer (aka an ‘intra-company transfer’/’ICT’).

To qualify, the following must also apply (along with other requirements depending on the circumstances):

• The applicant must have worked for the overseas employer for at least 12 months, cumulatively. If the applicant is a higher earner (earning at least £73,900 per year), this does not apply;
• The applicant must have been issued a certificate of sponsorship by their sponsor no more than 3 months before applying under this route;
• The job the applicant is to undertake must be in an eligible occupation code and at least Level 6 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework for England and Northern Ireland;
• The applicant can show they have sufficient funds to maintain themselves in the UK (unless they are applying for permission to stay and have been living in the UK with permission for at least 12 months);
• The salary requirement for the job in question must be at least £42,400 or the ‘going rate’ for that role.

There is no English language requirement to satisfy.

If this visa is granted, permission is given for a period of leave which is the shortest of the following:

• The end date of the job as on the certificate sponsorship, plus 14 days; or
• 5 years after the start of the job as on the certificate of sponsorship.

The grant of this visa cannot allow the applicant to have, cumulatively, a period of leave totalling more than 5 years in any 6-year period. This is under any of the Global Business Mobility routes. If the applicant is a higher earner, the limit is permission totalling 9 years in any 10-year period.

An applicant will not be able to switch to this route if they already have had permission granted as a visitor, short-term student, parent of a child student (or any other specified permission).

A Global Business Mobility route holder may be able to ‘switch’ (i.e. change route) into another route if they meet the relevant requirements.

A dependent partner and dependent children can also apply via this route.

This route does not lead to settlement.

There are further requirements, some of which may apply depending on your circumstances. Please get in touch for our advice in obtaining a Service Supplier Visa, we will be happy to help.

Graduate Trainee

A new route has opened for overseas workers who are on temporary work assignments in the UK where those workers are on graduate training courses which require them to do a work placement in the UK. The course must lead to a senior management or specialist position.

To qualify, the following must also apply (along with other requirements depending on the circumstances):

• The applicant must have a certificate of sponsorship. The sponsor must be authorised by the Home Office and be A-rated;
• The applicant must be working for the sponsor organisation for at the least 3 months immediately preceding the application date;
• The job must be within the list of eligible occupations;
• The salary must be at least £23,100 per year or 70% of the ‘going rate’ for that role;
• The applicant can show they have sufficient funds to maintain themselves in the UK.

There is no English language requirement to satisfy.

The grant of this visa allows the applicant stay in the UK for whichever is the shorter of:

• 14 days after the date on the certificate of sponsorship; or
• 12 months.

The grant of this visa cannot allow the applicant to have, cumulatively, a period of leave totalling more than 5 years in any 6-year period. This is under any of the Global Business Mobility routes.

You are not able to ‘switch’ (move from a different route) to this route from inside the UK.

An applicant will not be able to switch to this route if they already have had permission granted as a visitor, short-term student, parent of a child student (or any other specified permission).

A Global Business Mobility route holder may be able to ‘switch’ (i.e. change route) into another route if they meet the relevant requirements.

A dependent partner and dependent children can also apply via this route.

This route does not lead to settlement.

There are further requirements, some of which may apply depending on your circumstances. Please get in touch for our advice in obtaining a Service Supplier Visa, we will be happy to help.