Global Business Mobility Visa
The Global Business Mobility Visa is a new immigration route designed for overseas businesses that wish to establish their presence in the UK, transfer overseas staff to the UK, or for specific business purposes. It is a combined category of sponsored routes that streamlines the intra-company transfer and sole representative routes.
Overview
The Migration Advisory Committee proposed the Global Business Mobility Visa to improve the UK’s “mobility offer” for businesses. The visa provides a more straightforward process for foreign-based firms to set up UK offices and transfer staff to the UK. There is no limit on the number of applications a business can make.
The Home Office has identified five sub-categories for several types of foreign employees and graduate trainees under the Global Business Mobility Visa:
Senior or Specialist Employees Visa (Replaces the Intra-Company Transfer Route)
The Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker Visa is for senior managers and specialist employees seeking a temporary work assignments in the UK. To qualify, you must currently work for a business or organisation linked to your UK sponsor by common ownership or control or by a joint venture on which you are sponsored to work. The job must be genuine, and the job you are hired for must be at a suitable skill level. You must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship issued by your UK sponsor for the job you plan to do. The job must have a salary of £42,400 per year or higher, and you must have worked outside the UK for the linked business or organisation for a cumulative period of at least 12 months. Our immigration experts can help you apply for the Senior or Specialist Employees Visa. Please contact our business immigration team on 0161 694 8280 or complete our enquiry form for assistance.
Graduate Trainee Visa (Replaces the Intra-Company Graduate Trainee Route)
The Graduate Trainee Visa is for overseas workers who desire to be transferred to the UK by their employer for a work placement in the UK as a member of a graduate training course, eventually leading to a senior managerial or specialist role. To qualify, you must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job you plan to do, issued by a licensed employer. The job will need to be eligible at or above a minimum skill level, and the applicant will need to be paid a salary which equals or exceeds £23,100 per year and 70% of the pro-rated going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher. You must have worked outside the UK for at least 3 months continuously before the date of your visa application. Our immigration experts can help you apply for the Graduate Trainee Visa. Please contact our business immigration team on 0161 694 8280 or complete our enquiry form for assistance.
UK Expansion Worker Visa (Replaces the Sole Representative of an Overseas Business Route)
The UK Expansion Worker Visa is for senior managers and specialist employees who wish to be moved to the UK temporarily to undertake work related to expanding an overseas business in the UK. To qualify, you must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job you plan to do, issued by a licensed employer. The job will need to be eligible at or above a minimum skill level, and the applicant will need to be paid a salary which equals or exceeds £42,400 per year and 100% of the pro-rated going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher. You must have worked outside the UK for the linked business or organisation for at least 12 months. Our immigration experts can help you apply for the UK Expansion Worker Visa. Please contact our business immigration team on 0161 694 8280 or complete our enquiry form for assistance.
Secondment Worker Visa (New Route)
The Secondment Worker Visa is for overseas workers being seconded to the UK by their overseas employer to work temporarily as part of a high-value contract or investment. This new visa category does not require a minimum salary but a Certificate of Sponsorship issued by a licensed employer for an eligible job at or above the minimum skill level. Secondment Worker Visa holders will be allowed to work for their sponsor in the job described on their Certificate of Sponsorship. Permission will be granted for up to 1 year from the start date of the job detailed in the Certificate of Sponsorship, the time given on the Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days, the date on which the applicant will have had continuous permission as a Secondment Worker totalling 2 years, or the length of time that will take them to the most significant period allowed in the category, whichever is shorter. The maximum time allowed in the category is 5 years or 6 years.
Service Supplier Visa (This visa category replaces the Temporary Worker – International Agreement route)
The UK Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa is for foreign workers who are contractual service suppliers employed by an overseas service provider or self-employed independent professionals based overseas who need to undertake a temporary assignment in the UK to provide services covered by one of the UK’s international trade commitments. Applicants must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship issued by their UK sponsor for the job they are planning to do, and the job must be genuine, at a suitable skill level, and meet the going rate requirement. Applicants must also have enough money to support themselves without relying on public funds and provide a valid TB certificate if needed. Permission will be granted for up to 1 year from the start date of the job detailed in the Certificate of Sponsorship, the time given on the Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days, or the length of time that will take them to the most significant period allowed in the category, whichever is shorter. The maximum time allowed in the category is 2 years.
