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Global Business Mobility visa

The Statement of Changes to the UK's Immigration Rules, issued by the Home Office on March 15, 2022, introduces several new business immigration channels, including the Global Business Mobility visa and its five distinct subcategories.

Content

  • An Overview of the Global Business Mobility visa route
  • What are the eligibility requirements for individuals seeking to obtain the Global Business Mobility visa?
  • What are the visa categories available under the Global Business Mobility route?
  • The Senior or Specialist Worker route
  • UK Expansion Worker visa
  • Visa for Graduate Trainees
  • Secondment Worker route
  • Service Provider route
  • Are spouses, children, or family members eligible to accompany visa holders under the Global Business Mobility route to the UK?
  • What makes LS Legal Solicitors a preferred choice for receiving guidance and assistance with immigration matters, including the Global Business Mobility visa route?

It is important to note that some previously available immigration routes for UK businesses are no longer viable. As such, it is crucial for businesses to carefully consider the creative and valuable opportunities presented by the new Global Business Mobility visa rather than simply rebranding current choices. Our team at LS Legal Solicitors can provide expert guidance on navigating these changes.

This page will focus on each Global Business Mobility visa subcategory, examining its requirements and eligibility conditions. We will also assess whether this visa pathway leads to permanent residence and whether dependants can accompany the main applicant.

With our extensive experience assisting candidates with seamless immigration to the United Kingdom, LS Legal Solicitors is well-equipped to provide professional and practical legal advice. Our team of skilled solicitors can swiftly identify and address any weaknesses in your application, ensuring a smooth and successful process.

An Overview of the Global Business Mobility visa route

The Global Business Mobility visa is a cutting-edge category of a sponsored route that offers unprecedented opportunities for companies seeking to establish a presence or engage in business activities in the United Kingdom. Specifically designed for those with contracts with overseas providers or looking to relocate employees for specific business objectives, this visa route is ideally suited for forward-thinking businesses.

As of 2022, the Global Business Mobility visa has been rolled out, creating a multi-category sponsored route that restructures and expands upon existing business visas. This includes the two types of Intra-Company visas, the Representative of an Overseas Business visa and Temporary Work - International Agreement route visas for contractual service providers and independent professionals. In addition, it introduces a new avenue for international workers to be sent to the UK as part of a high-value contract or investment by their overseas parent company.

What are the eligibility requirements for individuals seeking to obtain the Global Business Mobility visa?

The Global Business Mobility visa gives foreign enterprises various options for establishing a UK presence or relocating workers to the UK. These options include:

1. Senior or Specialist Worker: This category is designed to meet unique company demands with highly skilled senior or specialist workers.
2. Graduate Trainees: This category facilitates training programs for graduate trainees within UK-based companies.
3. Worker on Secondment: This category is for workers being seconded to UK companies with high-value contracts or investments.
4. Service Provider: This category is for suppliers of services to the UK in accordance with UK trade agreements.
5. UK Expansion Worker: This category is specifically for companies without a UK presence who are looking to create a presence in the UK.

It is important to note that all these options require sponsorship, regardless of whether the company already has a UK presence or not.

In practice, the Global Business Mobility visa route combines elements of the previous Intra-Company Transfer, Intra-Company Graduate Trainee, Overseas Business Representative, and International Agreement visas. However, there are significant differences between the five paths, with UK Expansion Workers and Secondments being notable examples. Notably, the Migration Advisory Committee's recommendation to allow Intra-Company Transfer visa holders (now Senior or Specialist Workers) to settle in the UK was not implemented.

What are the visa categories available under the Global Business Mobility route?

The Global Business Mobility visa route offers five distinct options for temporary job assignments, each catering to different types of workers:

1. Senior or Specialist Worker
2. Graduate Trainee
3. UK Expansion Worker
4. Service Provider
5. Seconded Worker

Each route has its qualifying conditions, including financial requirements and, in some cases, the need to produce a valid TB certificate. Our legal team at LS Legal Solicitors can provide comprehensive guidance on the specific prerequisites for each route, ensuring our clients are well informed and prepared for a successful visa application process.

The Senior or Specialist Worker route

The Senior or Specialist Worker route is specifically designed for senior managers and specialists assigned to work in the UK for a specific period in a company related to their overseas employer. This route has replaced the old Intra-Company Transfer visa.

To be eligible for this route, an applicant must meet the following requirements:

1. Cumulative overseas employment: Unless the applicant earns a gross income of £73,900 per year in the UK, they must have worked for the sponsor group outside the UK for at least 12 months.

2. Valid Certificate of Sponsorship: The applicant must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the position they seek, which must be provided by an employer authorised by the UK Home Office to sponsor a Senior or Specialist Worker. The applicant must be sponsored for approved employment that pays at least £42,400 per year or the 'going rate' for that particular position. The employer must have also paid the total Immigration Skills Charge.

If the applicant meets these requirements and is approved, they will be granted permission to stay in the UK for a period of either five years from the start date of the job specified in the Certificate of Sponsorship, 14 days after the end date of the job, or the date at which the applicant will have had cumulative permission on the Global Business Mobility and Intra-Company routes totalling five years in any six years (or nine years in any ten years if applying as a high earner), whichever comes first.

UK Expansion Worker visa

The UK Expansion Worker route is designed for foreign employees who wish to work temporarily in the UK and hold senior management or specialised roles in their company, specifically to assist with its expansion in the UK. This visa route replaces the Representative of an Overseas Business route and can only be utilised if the company has yet to commence operations in the UK. If the company already has a presence in the UK, workers should apply through the Senior or Specialist Worker route.

To be eligible for the UK Expansion Worker route, an applicant must meet the following requirements:

1. Valid Certificate of Sponsorship: The applicant must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the position they are applying for, which must be provided by a company approved by the UK Home Office to sponsor a UK Expansion Worker.

2. Cumulative overseas employment: Unless the applicant will be earning a gross income of £73,900 or more per year in the UK or is a Japanese national seeking to establish a UK branch or subsidiary under the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, they must be currently working for the sponsor group and have worked for that group outside the UK for at least 12 months.

3. Suitable employment: The applicant must be sponsored for suitable employment with a minimum wage of at least £42,400 per year or the 'going rate' for that particular position, whichever is greater. The employment must be at or above an appropriate minimum skill level.

Visa for Graduate Trainees

The Graduate Trainee route is designed for international employees who are enrolled in a graduate training programme that leads to senior management or specialised positions and who are required by their employer to complete a work placement in the United Kingdom. This route replaces the Intra-Company Graduate Trainee path.
To be eligible for the Graduate Trainee route, an applicant must meet the following requirements:

1. Employment with sponsoring organisation: The applicant must be employed by the sponsoring organisation at the time of application and must have worked for that organisation outside of the UK for at least three months before the application.

2. A qualified job with a standard salary: The applicant must have sponsorship for a skilled job with a standard salary of at least £23,100 per year for that position or the 'going rate' for the job role. The job must also have a clearly defined progression towards a management or specialist function within the sponsor organisation as part of a structured graduate training programme.

3. Valid Certificate of Sponsorship: The applicant must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the position they are applying for, which must be provided by an employer approved by the UK Home Office to sponsor a Graduate Trainee.

Secondment Worker route

The Secondment Worker route is a novel route for foreign employees seconded to the UK as part of a high-value contract or investment by their overseas company. This innovative pathway offers a unique opportunity for individuals seeking to enter the country through their employer's sponsorship.

To be considered for this route, applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. Employment with a Home Office-registered foreign company: The applicant must be actively employed by a foreign company with a UK sponsor licence. Additionally, the applicant must have worked for this company for at least 12 months outside the UK.

2. Valid Certificate of Sponsorship: The applicant must possess a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the position they are applying for. This certificate must be provided by an employer approved by the UK Home Office to sponsor a Secondment Worker and holds a Home Office-registered contract with the overseas company where the applicant will work.

3. Sponsored for qualifying employment: The applicant must be sponsored for qualifying employment that requires at least a minimal degree of ability. This signifies that the position requires a certain level of expertise or skill.

Service Provider route

The Temporary Work - International Agreement route is a new pathway for contractual service suppliers and self-employed independent professionals who wish to work temporarily in the UK to deliver services covered by a UK international trade agreement. This route replaces the previous provisions for contractual service providers and independent professionals under the Temporary Work category.

To be eligible for this route, applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. Employment with an overseas service provider: The applicant must be employed by or work for an overseas service provider offering services to their UK sponsor. The applicant must have a minimum of 12 months of experience working in this capacity outside the UK.

2. Sponsored for a qualifying position: The candidate must be sponsored for a qualifying position that requires a minimum skill level equivalent to a university degree or comparable technical qualification and experience. Alternatively, the candidate must possess a university degree or equivalent technical qualification and experience.

3. Valid Certificate of Sponsorship: The candidate must possess a valid Sponsorship Certificate for the job they are applying for. This certificate must be issued by an employer authorised by the UK Home Office to sponsor a Service Supplier and holds a relevant Home Office registered contract with the overseas service provider for which the applicant will work in the UK.

4. Nationality requirements: As a Service Supplier, the applicant must fulfil the nationality requirements as per the relevant regulations.

Are spouses, children, or family members eligible to accompany visa holders under the Global Business Mobility route to the UK?

Under the Global Business Mobility visa, applicants can be accompanied or joined by their partner and dependant children. However, the spouse or partner of the primary visa holder must meet specific eligibility criteria, including requirements related to their relationship and financial status, to travel to the UK through this route.
The eligibility criteria for the spouse or partner of the primary visa holder are carefully assessed and include factors such as the nature of the relationship and the financial capability to support themselves and any dependant children. Meeting these requirements is crucial to ensure a smooth and successful application process for accompanying or joining partners under the Global Business Mobility visa.

What makes LS Legal Solicitors a preferred choice for receiving guidance and assistance with immigration matters, including the Global Business Mobility visa route?

At LS Legal Solicitors, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive support during your Global Business Mobility visa application process and ensuring your ongoing compliance with all Home Office standards. As the requirements for immigration compliance are constantly changing and becoming more stringent, we remain effective in developing compliance practices to ensure our clients' peace of mind and positive outcomes.

Our team provides thorough and expert assistance, guiding you every step of the way so that you can be confident in the results. We cover all areas of sponsorship, offering a complete "hand-holding" approach to ensure that you are fully supported throughout the process. Our goal is to help you achieve compliance with Home Office requirements and achieve a successful outcome for your Global Business Mobility visa application.

LS Legal Solicitors' Immigration Team can provide expert assistance and guidance on UK visa matters. Please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or follow us on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to stay updated on the latest immigration news and insights.

Most immigration applications have strict factual and evidential requirements that are not necessarily straightforward to comprehend or satisfy. LS Legal Solicitors are well versed and highly experienced in providing advice and assistance on immigration applications. We appreciate that many of the requirements may seem overly complex and onerous. However, we guarantee to make your experience as smooth and stress-free as possible.

For the quickest response, please WhatsApp or call us on +44 (0) 75 3595 9450. You can also contact us via email at info@LSLegaLUK.com or use the contact form to discuss your requirements further or arrange an appointment with one of our experts.