Your Guide to the UK Global Business Mobility Visa

The United Kingdom offers a diverse range of immigration routes for skilled professionals seeking to contribute to its vibrant economy. Among these, the Global Business Mobility (Senior or Specialist Worker) visa stands out as a crucial pathway for established international businesses to transfer key talent to their UK operations. This visa, which superseded the previous Intra-company Transfer visa, is meticulously designed for senior managers and specialist employees embarking on temporary work assignments within the UK. It’s a mechanism that facilitates global business connectivity, allowing overseas companies with a UK presence to leverage their experienced personnel. However, it’s vital to understand from the outset that, unlike some other routes such as the Skilled Worker visa, this particular visa does not offer a direct path to permanent residency in the UK, often referred to as settlement.

What is the Global Business Mobility (Senior or Specialist Worker) Visa?

At its core, the Global Business Mobility (Senior or Specialist Worker) route is tailored for individuals undertaking temporary work assignments in the UK. This means the visa is not for those looking to permanently relocate or find new employment within the UK; rather, it serves as a conduit for an existing employee of an overseas company to work at their employer’s UK branch for a defined period. These assignments are frequently described as intra-company transfers (ICTs), highlighting the movement of personnel within the same corporate group.

The primary beneficiaries of this visa are senior managers and specialist employees. Senior managers are typically those who hold significant decision-making responsibilities, managing departments, projects, or teams, and contributing to the strategic direction of the business. Specialist employees, on the other hand, possess highly specific skills, knowledge, or expertise that are critical to the UK organisation’s operations and cannot easily be sourced locally. The visa ensures that these vital roles can be filled by individuals who already have an established relationship and understanding of the parent company's ethos and operations.

Eligibility Requirements: Navigating the Criteria

To successfully apply for the Global Business Mobility (Senior or Specialist Worker) visa, applicants must satisfy a stringent set of eligibility criteria laid out by the Home Office. These requirements are designed to ensure that the visa route is used for its intended purpose – facilitating legitimate intra-company transfers of key personnel.

Overseas Employment and Sponsor Link

A fundamental requirement is that the applicant must be a current employee of an overseas company that is linked by common ownership or control to the UK organisation. This UK organisation must hold a valid Global Business Mobility (Senior or Specialist Worker) sponsor licence. This ensures that the transfer is genuinely internal to a single, albeit multi-national, corporate entity. Without this established link and a licensed sponsor, an application cannot proceed.

The Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)

Central to the application is the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). This electronic document is assigned to the applicant by their UK sponsor and acts as a confirmation that the sponsor intends to employ them. The CoS must contain specific, crucial details about the proposed role, including:

• The applicant's job title.
• The salary they will receive in the UK.
• The start date of their employment.
• Any allowances offered by the sponsor.
• PAYE details, if required by HMRC.

It is imperative that the CoS is issued no more than three months before the date of the visa application, as older certificates will not be accepted. The CoS also confirms that the sponsor is authorised by the Home Office to sponsor a Senior or Specialist Worker and is typically an A-rated sponsor on the Home Office’s register, unless the applicant is continuing to work for the same sponsor.

Eligible Occupations and Skill Level

The job the applicant will undertake in the UK must be listed as an occupation eligible for sponsorship under the Global Business Mobility (Senior or Specialist Worker) route. This is defined by specific SOC 2020 occupation codes found in Appendix Skilled Occupations. The sponsor must choose an appropriate code that accurately reflects the duties and responsibilities of the role. The Home Office may scrutinise this choice to ensure it's not a less appropriate code chosen to circumvent salary requirements or eligibility.

Salary Requirements

Applicants must meet two distinct salary requirements: a general salary threshold and a going rate for their specific occupation, taking the higher of the two. The general salary requirement is currently set at £52,500 annually. However, if the applicant is sponsored to work more than 48 hours a week, only the salary for the first 48 hours will be considered towards this general requirement. For example, someone working 60 hours a week at £20/hour would have their salary assessed as (£20 x 48 x 52) = £49,920, not £62,400.

The going rate requirement is 100% of the pro-rated going rate for the relevant SOC 2020 occupation code. Unlike the general salary requirement, when checking against the going rate, the applicant’s full weekly hours will be included, even if they work more than 48 hours. So, for a 60-hour week in an occupation with a £75,000 going rate (based on 37.5 hours), the applicant must be paid £120,000 (1 x £75,000 x 60 ÷ 37.5) per year.

Salary, for these purposes, includes guaranteed basic gross pay and certain allowances (e.g., London weighting, mobility premium, cost of living allowances). Crucially, allowances for accommodation are only counted up to 30% of the total salary package. Other benefits like flexible pay, overtime, bonuses, in-kind benefits (e.g., health insurance, company cars), and one-off payments are generally not included.

Employment History with the Sponsor Group

Unless applying as a high earner (earning £73,900 or more annually in the UK), applicants must have worked for the employer group outside the UK for a cumulative period of at least 12 months. This 12-month period can be accumulated over any timeframe, provided the applicant was continuously working for the sponsor group (whether in or out of the UK) from the start of the 12 months to the application date. Certain breaks, such as statutory maternity/paternity leave, sick leave, or assisting with humanitarian crises, are permitted and do not break the continuity.

Other Key Requirements

• Age: Applicants must be 18 or over on the date of application.
• Genuineness: The applicant must genuinely intend to undertake the sponsored role and no other employment, unless otherwise permitted. The Home Office must not have reasonable grounds to believe the job is a sham or created solely for immigration purposes.
• Financial Requirement: Unless the sponsor certifies maintenance on the CoS, or the applicant has been living in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer, the applicant must show they have at least £1,270 in funds, held for a 28-day period.
• Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS): If the job requires an ATAS certificate (for certain sensitive research roles), a valid certificate must be provided.
• Tuberculosis Certificate: If applying for entry clearance from a country where TB screening is required, a valid medical certificate is necessary.

The Application Process: A Step-by-Step Overview

Applying for the Global Business Mobility (Senior or Specialist Worker) visa involves a structured online process, whether you are applying from outside or within the UK.

Applying Online

All applications must be made online via the gov.uk website. The specific form depends on your location:

• Outside the UK: Use the "Global Business Mobility visa" form.
• Inside the UK: Use the "Global Business Mobility" form.

Validity Requirements

For an application to be considered valid, several prerequisites must be met:

• Payment of any required visa fee and the Immigration Health Charge.
• Provision of biometrics (fingerprints and a photograph).
• Submission of a valid passport or other travel document.
• A Certificate of Sponsorship issued no more than three months before the application date.
• If you received a scholarship covering fees and living costs from a government or international agency in the last 12 months, you must provide their written consent.

Applying from Within the UK

If applying for permission to stay from within the UK, you must be in the UK on the date of application. There are also restrictions on switching from certain visa categories; for instance, you cannot switch from a Visitor, Short-term Student, or Seasonal Worker visa. If you are currently on a Student visa, specific conditions apply regarding the completion of your course or the start date of your sponsored job relative to your course.

The Points-Based System: Earning Your Visa

The Global Business Mobility (Senior or Specialist Worker) visa operates under a points-based system, where applicants must accumulate a total of 60 points across three key areas:

Sponsorship (20 Points)

To gain these points, your CoS must confirm you are sponsored as a Senior or Specialist Worker, detail your job and salary, and indicate a job start date within three months of your application. The sponsor must be authorised by the Home Office, be A-rated (unless continuing with the same sponsor), and have paid the Immigration Skills Charge. Critically, the Home Office must be satisfied that the job is genuine and not a sham, nor created primarily for immigration purposes. It must also not involve hiring you out to a third party or undertaking ongoing routine contract work for a third party.

Job at Appropriate Skill Level (20 Points)

Your sponsored job must correspond to an occupation code listed in the relevant tables of Appendix Skilled Occupations. The sponsor's choice of occupation code will be assessed to ensure it is appropriate and not chosen to avoid higher salary thresholds. The Home Office may consider the genuine need for the job and your suitability for it.

Salary at Required Level (20 Points)

As detailed earlier, your salary must meet both the general salary threshold (£52,500 or £73,900 for high earners) and the occupation-specific going rate. The rules around what constitutes 'salary' are strict, focusing on guaranteed basic gross pay and specific allowances, excluding most other forms of remuneration. Meeting these criteria is essential for securing the necessary points.

Duration of Stay and Maximum Periods

The Global Business Mobility (Senior or Specialist Worker) visa is inherently temporary. The period of permission granted is the shortest of:

• The period specified on your CoS plus 14 days.
• Five years.

While you can renew your visa, there are strict limits on the maximum cumulative length of stay on the Global Business Mobility routes and previous Intra-Company routes:

• For high earners (earning £73,900 or more annually): A maximum of 9 years in any 10-year period.
• For non-high earners: A maximum of 5 years in any 6-year period.

These cumulative periods include all previous permissions granted under the Global Business Mobility and Intra-Company routes. There are transitional arrangements for those previously granted permission under older rules (e.g., Tier 2 (Intra-Company Transfer) Migrant before April 2011), where these maximum period restrictions may not apply.

Bringing Your Family: Dependents

One significant advantage of the Global Business Mobility (Senior or Specialist Worker) route is the ability to bring eligible family members to the UK. Your partner and dependent children can apply to join you.

Eligibility for Dependents

To qualify, your partner and children must apply online using the specified dependent visa forms. They must pay the relevant fees and the Immigration Health Charge, provide biometrics, and submit a valid passport. Crucially, they must be the partner or child of a person who either has valid permission as a Senior or Specialist Worker or is applying for (and is granted) entry clearance or permission at the same time.

For partners, the relationship requirements in Appendix Relationship with Partner must be met, proving a genuine and subsisting relationship. For children, the requirements in Appendix Children (relationship, care, and age/independent life) must be satisfied.

Financial Requirements for Dependents

Similar to the main applicant, dependents also have a financial requirement. If they have been living in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer, they will generally meet this requirement without showing funds. Otherwise, funds must be held collectively by the applicant, the Senior or Specialist Worker, or (for children) their other parent, or the sponsor can certify maintenance. The required funds are:

These funds must be held in addition to any funds required for the main Senior or Specialist Worker applicant and must have been held for a 28-day period.

Conditions for Dependents

Dependents granted a visa on this route will have permission that ends on the same date as the main Senior or Specialist Worker. They will also be subject to the condition of 'no access to public funds'.

Key Differences and Limitations

It is important to reiterate that the Global Business Mobility (Senior or Specialist Worker) visa is a temporary work route and does not lead to permanent residency in the UK. This is a critical distinction when compared to other visa categories like the Skilled Worker visa, which can offer a pathway to settlement after a qualifying period.

The conditions of grant for the main applicant are also specific:

• No access to public funds.
• Work is generally restricted to the sponsored job. Supplementary employment is only permitted for certain transitional cases who were previously on Intra-Company routes under older rules. Voluntary work and working out a contractual notice period are also allowed under specific conditions.
• Study is permitted, subject to any ATAS condition.

Refusal and Administrative Review

If an application fails to meet all suitability and eligibility requirements, it will be refused. Suitability requirements primarily relate to an applicant's immigration history, ensuring they do not fall under general grounds for refusal (e.g., past breaches of immigration laws, criminal record). In the event of a refusal, applicants generally have the right to apply for an Administrative Review, allowing them to challenge the decision if they believe there has been an error in processing or applying the immigration rules.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Can I apply for permanent residency in the UK with a Global Business Mobility (Senior or Specialist Worker) visa?

A: No, this visa route does not provide a direct pathway to permanent residency (settlement) in the UK. It is strictly for temporary work assignments.

Q: What if my salary is below the general requirement of £52,500 but above the going rate for my occupation?

A: Your salary must meet both the general salary requirement and the going rate for your occupation, whichever is higher. If your salary falls below the general threshold, even if it meets the going rate, it will not be sufficient unless specific transitional arrangements apply.

Q: Can my family (partner and children) join me in the UK on this visa?

A: Yes, your partner and dependent children are eligible to apply to join you in the UK under this route, provided they meet the specific validity, suitability, eligibility, and financial requirements for dependents.

Q: How long do I need to have worked for my overseas employer before I can apply?

A: Unless you are a 'high earner' (earning £73,900 or more annually in the UK), you must have worked for the employer group outside the UK for a cumulative period of at least 12 months. High earners are exempt from this 12-month employment history requirement.

Q: What is the Immigration Health Charge?

A: The Immigration Health Charge (IHC) is an upfront payment that most visa applicants pay as part of their application. It grants access to the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK for the duration of their visa, similar to a UK resident, without having to pay for most services at the point of use.

Q: Can I switch to a Global Business Mobility (Senior or Specialist Worker) visa from a Student visa while in the UK?

A: Yes, it is possible to switch from a Student visa, but you must meet specific conditions. These typically involve having completed your course, or if you're still studying, the start date of your sponsored job must be no earlier than your course completion date (or 24 months after the start date for PhD students).

Q: What types of pay and benefits count towards the salary requirement for the visa?

A: Only guaranteed basic gross pay and specific allowances, such as London weighting, mobility premiums, or allowances to cover the additional cost of living in the UK, are counted. Accommodation allowances are capped at 30% of the total salary package. Other benefits like flexible working pay, overtime, bonuses, in-kind benefits (e.g., health insurance, company cars), and one-off payments are generally excluded.

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