Global Business Mobility

Senior or Specialist Worker Visa

This visa route is designed for senior managers or specialist employees from overseas who are temporarily assigned to a UK branch of their employer as part of an intra-company transfer (ICT). It is not a route to settlement, but dependants are permitted.

✅ Eligibility – Points-Based System (60 Points Required):
You must score:

20 points – Valid sponsorship
20 points – Job at the appropriate skill level
20 points – Salary meets the minimum threshold (£48,500 or applicable rate)

🔗 Sponsorship Requirements (20 Points):
You must:

Hold a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a UK employer linked to your overseas employer
Be currently working for that sponsor group
Have worked outside the UK for at least 12 months (unless you’re a high earner)

Your sponsor must:

Be Home Office-approved and A-rated
Have paid the Immigration Skills Charge
Be assigning you to a genuine role, not one created just to facilitate a visa

The job must not:

Be a sham or non-existent
Be a placement with a third party to fill a vacancy or carry out routine contract work for another organisation

🧠 Job at Appropriate Skill Level (20 Points):
Your job must:

Match an eligible occupation code listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations for the Global Business Mobility route
Be accurately coded (not downgraded to meet salary thresholds or eligibility)

⚠️ If you’re extending your stay and were previously approved as a Senior or Specialist Worker (or under legacy categories such as Tier 2 ICT or Work Permit), certain creative roles (e.g., artists, actors, dancers) may still be valid.

💷 Salary Requirement (20 Points):
Your salary must meet both of the following thresholds:

General Salary Threshold:
£48,500 per year (unless you’re exempt based on historic visa status – e.g., Tier 2 ICT pre-2011)
Going Rate Threshold:
100% of the going rate for the occupation code listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations

Salary is pro-rated based on your weekly working hours

For health and education roles (Table 2), the going rate requirement is applied differently but still at 100%

📌 Quick Summary Table

Requirement Details

Route type Intra-company transfer (temporary)
Minimum salary £48,500 or 100% of going rate (whichever is higher)
Sponsor Must be Home Office licensed (A-rated)
Skill level Must match approved occupation codes
Settlement ❌ Not a route to ILR
Dependents ✅ Allowed
Public funds ❌ Not permitted

Graduate Trainee Visa

The Graduate Trainee route is for overseas employees on a structured graduate training programme that leads to a managerial or specialist role. This route allows you to carry out a temporary UK assignment as part of an intra-company transfer (ICT).

✅ Eligibility – You must score 60 points:

20 points – Valid sponsorship
20 points – Job at the required skill level
20 points – Meets the minimum salary threshold

🔗 Sponsorship Requirements (20 Points)
You must:

Hold a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for the job
Currently work for the same sponsor group
Have worked outside the UK for this sponsor group for at least 3 months before applying

Your sponsor must:

Be licensed by the Home Office to sponsor Graduate Trainees
Be A-rated on the list of licensed sponsors
The Home Office must be satisfied that:
The job is genuine, exists, and hasn’t been created just for visa purposes

The role does not involve:

Hiring you to work for a third party
Performing routine services for another organisation

🧠 Skill Level Requirement (20 Points)
The job must:

Be listed in the Appendix Skilled Occupations under Global Business Mobility routes
Be accurately coded – sponsors must not use a lower-paying code to reduce salary obligations
Be part of a structured graduate programme that leads to a specialist or managerial role

💷 Salary Requirement (20 Points)
Your salary must meet both of the following conditions:

Minimum General Salary:
At least £25,410 per year (for jobs in Table 1 of Appendix Skilled Occupations)
Going Rate Threshold:
At least 70% of the going rate (pro-rated by working hours) for jobs in Table 1

At least 100% of the going rate (pro-rated) for health and education jobs in Table 2

📌 Key Facts at a Glance

Requirement Summary
Route Type Graduate intra-company transfer
Min Salary £25,410 or 70%/100% of going rate (depending on job)
Sponsor Must be licensed & A-rated
Experience 3 months overseas with sponsor group
Skill Level Eligible occupation & part of graduate scheme
Settlement ❌ Not a route to ILR
Dependents ✅ Allowed
Public Funds ❌ Not permitted

Secondment Worker Visa

The Secondment Worker route is for overseas employees who are temporarily assigned to work in the UK as part of a high-value contract or investment deal made by their overseas employer with a UK company.

✅ Eligibility – Total of 40 Points Required:

20 points – Meeting the sponsorship criteria
20 points – Job at the appropriate skill level

🔗 Sponsorship Requirements (20 Points)
To qualify:

You must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) issued by an A-rated sponsor, unless you’ve been previously sponsored by them for the same job.

The CoS must confirm:

You have worked for your overseas employer for at least 12 months
The specific contract you’re seconded under, which must be registered with the Home Office

The Home Office must be satisfied that:

The job is genuine, not created just for the visa
The role is not a sham
It exists for legitimate business needs tied to the high-value contract

🧠 Job at Appropriate Skill Level (20 Points)
The role must:

Be included in the Skilled Occupations List (Appendix Skilled Occupations)
Be marked as eligible for the Secondment Worker route
Reflect a genuine need for your skills
Match your experience and qualifications
The Home Office will also consider:
The sponsor’s track record of immigration compliance
Any other supporting details from the sponsor to confirm the job’s legitimacy

📌 Key Facts at a Glance

Requirement Summary

Type of Route Intra-company secondment
Contract Requirement Must be part of a high-value UK contract
Work Experience At least 12 months with the overseas employer
Sponsor Rating A-rated, unless previously sponsored for same role
Job Type Must meet skilled role criteria
Settlement Route ❌ Not a route to settlement
Public Funds ❌ Cannot claim
Dependents ✅ Permitted to bring

Service Supplier Visa

This visa route is for overseas workers undertaking temporary assignments in the UK, either as contractual service suppliers employed by an overseas provider or as self-employed independent professionals. The assignment must involve providing services covered by one of the UK’s international trade agreements.

Eligibility Requirements – 40 Points Total:

20 Points for meeting the Sponsorship Requirement
20 Points for meeting the Job at Appropriate Skill Level Requirement

Sponsorship Requirement
To qualify, the UK employer must have a contract with an overseas service provider. This contract must be registered with the Home Office and relate to a service included in one of the UK’s international trade agreements.

The decision maker must not have reasonable grounds to believe that the job:

Does not exist
Is a sham
Was created primarily to support your visa application

Job at an Appropriate Skill Level
You must satisfy one of the following two options:

Option A:

The job is listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations

The decision maker may assess:

The genuine need for the role
Your suitability for the role
Any other relevant factors

Option B:

You must hold a university degree or an equivalent technical qualification, unless applying for certain specified roles

You must also have:

At least 3 years of professional experience in the sector
Or, if supplying chef de cuisine services under the CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement, 6 years of experience
Or, if self-employed, 6 years of experience

UK Expansion Worker Visa

This visa route is for overseas workers who are senior managers or specialist employees assigned to the UK to support the expansion of their business, which has not yet started trading in the UK. If the business is already trading in the UK, applications should be made under the Senior or Specialist Worker route instead.

Eligibility – You must score 60 points:

20 points – Sponsorship requirement
20 points – Job at an appropriate skill level
20 points – Salary at the required level

Sponsorship Requirement
You must:

Hold a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job you intend to do
Be currently employed by the sponsor group

Have worked outside the UK for the sponsor group for at least 12 cumulative months, unless you are:

A high earner
A Japanese national establishing a UK branch under the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

The sponsor must:

Be approved by the Home Office to sponsor UK Expansion Workers
Select a suitable occupation code
Be rated A on the Home Office register of licensed sponsors

Exceptions:

You’re extending your stay with the same sponsor as a UK Expansion Worker
You are the authorising officer for the sponsor and they have a provisional rating

The decision maker must not have reason to believe that the job:

Does not exist
Is a sham
Was created solely to facilitate your visa application

Additionally, they must not believe the role is:

Hire to a third party not listed as your sponsor
Routine contract work for a third party, regardless of any agreements

Skill Level Requirement

The job must fall under an eligible occupation code listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations for the Global Business Mobility route
The decision maker must be satisfied that the sponsor has not selected a less appropriate occupation code to:
Bypass ineligibility under this route, or
Offer a lower salary than the appropriate going rate

Salary Requirement
Your salary must meet or exceed both of the following:

General Salary Threshold:
£48,500 per year (for roles listed in Table 1 of Appendix Skilled Occupations)

Going Rate Requirement:

100% of the pro-rated going rate for roles in Table 1
100% of the pro-rated going rate for health or education roles listed in Table 2 (pro-rated based on working hours, as per Appendix Skilled Occupations)
As the rules are complex and case-specific, contact us for tailored guidance on your eligibility.

Global Business Mobility