Global Business Mobility Route

There are 5 Global Business Mobility routes:

Senior or Specialist Worker
Graduate Trainee
UK Expansion Worker
Service Supplier
Secondment Worker

The Senior or Specialist Worker route was designed for overseas employees who are assigned temporary work in the UK branch of an overseas business.

The Graduate Trainee route was designed for overseas employees who are assigned temporary work in the UK under a graduate training course leading to a senior management or specialist position.

The UK Expansion Worker route was designed for overseas employees who are assigned temporary work in the UK to set up a branch of an overseas business.

The Service Supplier route was designed for overseas employees who are assigned temporary work in the UK to provide services for a UK company as an employee for an overseas company or a self-employed independent professional based overseas.

The Secondment Worker route was designed for overseas employees who are transferred to the UK for temporary work as part of a high value contract or investment by their employer overseas.

Successful applicants are allowed to stay in the UK for a maximum of 5 years in any 6 year period if they have spent time on any of Global Business Mobility visas.

The time spend in the country under the Global Business Mobility routes do not lead to settlement.

The job undertaken by an employee applying under all routes should be on the list of eligible occupations.

Introducing Senior or Specialist Worker route

A Senior or Specialist Worker visa allows applicants to come to the UK to work at an employer’s UK branch.

Successful candidates are granted permission to live in the UK for the period of the certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days or 5 years, whichever is shorter. After that, they can extend the visa multiple times.

Requirements

To qualify for Senior or Specialist Worker visa you should be an employee of a company approved by the Home Office as a sponsor to provide you with a certificate of sponsorship and work letters confirming your employment status, job title and annual salary. Your income should be at least £42,400 per year and you should have worked with your employer at least for 12 months prior to application. You should also provide evidence that you have enough personal savings to support yourself in the UK (bank statements, sponsorship letters).

Permissions and restrictions

Applicants can bring their partner and children along as their ‘dependants’. However, senior or specialist workers are not allowed to change their job or have a second job unless they update their visa and apply to settle.

Processing time and fees

A decision is usually to be expected within 3 weeks if the applicant is outside the UK and within 8 weeks if the applicant is inside the UK. Priority service may be available.

Application for a visa for up to 3 years costs £625 per person, application for visa for more than 3 years is £1,235 per person. For applications made within the UK, the fees are £719 per person (up to 3 years) and £1,423 per person (more than 3 years).

You will be also expected to pay the healthcare surcharge, which is currently £624 per year.

Introducing Graduate Trainee route

A Graduate Trainee visa allows applicants to come to the UK to work at an employer’s UK branch as a participant of a graduate training programme for a managerial or specialist role.

Successful candidates are granted permission to live in the UK for the period of the certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days or 12 months, whichever is shorter. They are not allowed to extend the current visa inside the UK, but they still can apply with another Trainee programme outside the UK.

Requirements

In order to apply for Graduate Trainee visa you should provide proof that you are an employee of a company approved by the Home Office as a sponsor to provide you with a certificate of sponsorship and work letters confirming your employment status, job title and annual salary. You should have worked with your employer for 3 months prior to your application. Your income should be at least £23,100 per year. You should also provide evidence that you have enough personal savings to support yourself in the UK (bank statements, sponsorship letters).

Permissions and restrictions

Applicants can bring their partner and children along as their ‘dependants’. They are not allowed to change their job or have a second job.

Processing time and fees

Candidates can apply for this type of visa only outside the UK. A decision can usually be expected within 3 weeks. Priority service may be available.

Application fee is £625 per person. You will be also expected to pay the healthcare surcharge, which is currently £624 per year.

Introducing UK Expansion Worker route

A UK Expansion Worker visa allows applicants to come to the UK to set up a branch of an overseas business, given the UK branch of an overseas company not having started trading yet.

Successful candidates are granted permission to live in the UK for the period of the certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days or 12 months, whichever is shorter. UK Expansion Worker visa can be extended for another 12 months. The maximum total stay on this visa type is 2 years.

Requirements

UK Expansion Worker visa requires you to meet the following criteria. You should be an employee of a company approved by the Home Office as a sponsor to provide you with a certificate of sponsorship and work letters confirming your employment status, job title and annual salary. Your income should be at least £42,400 per year and you should have worked with your overseas employer at least for 12 months prior to application. You should also provide evidence that you have enough personal savings to support yourself in the UK (bank statements, sponsorship letters).

Permissions and restrictions

Applicants can bring their partner and children along as their ‘dependants’. However, expansion workers are not allowed to change their job or have a second job unless they update their visa and apply to settle.

Processing time and fees

A decision is usually to be expected within 3 weeks if the applicant is outside the UK and within 8 weeks if the applicant is inside the UK. Priority service may be available.

Application fee costs £259 per person. You will be also expected to pay the healthcare surcharge, which is currently £624 per year.

Introducing Secondment Worker route

A Secondment Worker visa allows applicants to come to the UK to work at UK organisation transferred by an overseas employer under a high-value contract.

Successful candidates are granted permission to live in the UK for the period of the certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days or 12 months, whichever is shorter. Secondment Worker visa can be extended for another 12 months. The maximum total stay on this visa type is 2 years.

Requirements

Secondment Worker visa requires you to provide proof of you being an employee for an overseas organisation that has a high-value contract (worth at least £50 million) with your UK sponsor that has been approved by the Home Office. Your employment should last at least 12 months prior to your application. You must provide your employer’s certificate of sponsorship and work letters confirming your employment status, job title and annual salary. You should also provide evidence that you have enough personal savings to support yourself in the UK (bank statements, sponsorship letters).

Permissions and restrictions

Applicants can bring their partner and children along as their ‘dependants’. They are not allowed to change their job or have a second job unless they update their visa and apply to settle.

Processing time and fees

A decision is usually to be expected within 3 weeks if the applicant is outside the UK and within 8 weeks if the applicant is inside the UK. Priority service may be available.

Application fee costs £259 per person. You will be also expected to pay the healthcare surcharge, which is currently £624 per year.

Introducing Service Supplier route

A Service Supplier visa allows applicants to come to the UK to provide their services as an employee for an overseas company or a self-employed professional based overseas.

Successful applicants are granted permission to live in the UK for the period of the certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days or 6/12 months, whichever is shorter. The visa period depends on the agreement with a UK company candidates are providing services for. The visa cannot be extended.

Requirements

To qualify for Service Supplier visa you must be an employee of an overseas business, or a self-employed service provider based overseas. You can provide services only to a company approved by the Home Office as a sponsor to provide you with a certificate of sponsorship. You should provide work letters confirming your employment status, job title and annual salary with an overseas company or on self-employed basis at least for 12 months prior to application. You should also provide evidence that you have enough personal savings to support yourself in the UK (bank statements, sponsorship letters).

Permissions and restrictions

Processing time and fees

A decision is usually to be expected within 3 weeks if the applicant is outside the UK and within 8 weeks if the applicant is inside the UK. Priority service may be available.

Application fee is £259 per person. You will be also expected to pay the healthcare surcharge, which is currently £624 per year.

Quick Consultation Form

Would you like to learn more about this visa or find out which UK immigration route best suits your needs? Speak to us at +44 (0) 020 808 73583 or fill out our Quick Consultation form.