Business Immigration Lawyers in London

Trusted Business Immigration Lawyers Supporting UK & International Businesses

At Jan Manuel Solicitors, we are trusted business immigration lawyers in London, supporting both UK and international businesses. We specialise in providing practical, tailored immigration advice for companies of all sizes — from ambitious start-ups and growing SMEs to well-established multinational corporations. Our experienced team of lawyers in London are dedicated to helping you navigate the complexities of UK immigration law, enabling you to attract, retain, and manage the international talent your business needs to thrive.

Whether you are establishing a new business, expanding into the UK market, or managing an existing workforce, our London lawyers deliver clear and reliable solutions designed to meet your objectives.

Scale-up Visa Route

The Scale-up Visa Route opened up to businesses on 22^nd August 2022…

The Scale-up Visa Route opened up to business on 22^nd August 2022. In comparison to the Skilled Worker Route and the Global Business Mobility Senior or Specialist Worker Route, the Scale-up Route offers businesses a more flexible work visa.

Unlike other sponsored routes, employers sponsoring workers under the Scale-up route need only confirm that an applicant will work for them for at least the initial six months of their visa. After this period, the immigration status of Scale-up visa holders is not tied to their sponsoring employer. This means that Scale-up workers can undertake additional or alternative work (including employment, self-employment and voluntary work) without being sponsored.

Scale-up workers also have the flexibility to remain without sponsorship after 2 years based on previous PAYE earnings, settle in the UK after 5 years and be joined or accompanied by a dependent partner and dependent children.

Scale-up sponsors are also not required to pay the Immigration Skills Charge.

This flexibility should enable UK businesses to compete more effectively for the internationally sought-after and highly skilled workers they need.

Is My Business Eligible for a Scale-up Sponsor Licence

The Scale-up visa route is open to existing UK businesses that hold a Scale-up sponsor licence issued by the Home Office.

Businesses will be eligible for a Scale-up sponsor licence if they meet the published definition of a scale-up, which can be verified through checks with HMRC.

Qualifying scale-up businesses must be VAT-registered, and should have:

an annual average revenue or employment growth rate over a 3-year period greater than 20%; and
a minimum of 10 employees at the start of the 3-year period.

Once your business has been authorised by the Home Office as an A-rated Scale-up sponsor, you will be able to assign a Certificate of Sponsorship. A Certificate of Sponsorship (‘CoS’) is an electronic certificate which must be assigned for each migrant worker who wishes to apply for a Scale-up visa.

If you have any questions about the process or would like to make an application, please contact our specialist immigration team on 0203 761 3993 or use our online contact form for a first consultation. We only charge you if you decide to become our client and if we can assist you.

What Are the Requirements for a Scale-up Visa for an Employee

In addition to having a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from an A-rated Scale-up sponsor, Scale-up visa applicants must also satisfy skill level, salary, English language and financial requirements.

Scale-up Visa Skill Level Requirement

The job you offer will need to be a graduate level role (skilled to at least RQF level 6).

This is higher than the Skilled Worker route, where the role must be skilled to at least RQF level 3 (roughly equivalent to A-levels), but the same as the skill level under the Global Business Mobility Senior or Specialist Worker route.

Eligible occupations are listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations of the Immigration Rules.

As with other sponsored routes, Scale-up visa applicants will need to satisfy the Home Office that they are being sponsored to fill a genuine vacancy.

Scale-up Visa Salary Requirement

The salary that you intend to pay the Scale-up worker must equal or exceed £33,000 per year (which is higher than the £25,600 per year general salary threshold under the Skilled Worker route), the ‘going rate’ for the job and £10.58 per hour.

The applicable ‘going rate’ for each eligible Scale-up Visa occupation is set out in Appendix Skilled Occupations.

The assessment of salary is based on guaranteed basic gross pay (up to 48 hours per week) and cannot include any other pay or benefits.

Scale-up Visa English Language Requirement

The Scale-up visa applicant will need to demonstrate English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in all 4 components (reading, writing, speaking and listening) to at least level B1 (intermediate).

Scale-up Visa Financial Requirement

The Scale-up visa applicant will also need to have cash funds of at least £1,270 available, held for at least 28 consecutive days ending not more than 31 days before the date of their Scale-up visa application. This requirement will be met if you, as the sponsoring employer, are willing to certify that you will meet the applicant’s maintenance costs up to the end of their first month of employment.

What Are the Processing Times for a Scale-up Sponsor Licence Application/Scale Visa Application?

What are the Processing Times for a Scale-up Sponsor Licence Application /Scale-up Visa Applications typically take up to 8 weeks to be decided by the Home Office. There is a priority service which costs £500.00, and will return a decision within 10 working days.

Scale-up visa applications are normally decided within 3 weeks for those outside the UK, or within 8 weeks for those inside the UK.

What Are the Requirements for a Scale-up Worker to Extend Their Stay in the UK?

Sponsored Scale-up workers are granted entry clearance or permission to stay for a period of 2 years initially. Before their leave expires they will be able to apply to extend their stay on the Scale-up route for a further 3 years.

Uniquely, Scale-up workers can extend their stay without needing to be sponsored. Instead, they are required to demonstrate PAYE earnings in the UK equivalent to at least £33,000 per year during at least 50% of their most recent grant of permission as a Scale-up Worker.

The Home Office will consider guaranteed basic gross pay, recorded through UK-based PAYE. Other sources of income (including earnings from self-employment and earnings from outside the UK) will not be considered.

However, if the Scale-up worker was absent from work in a job with PAYE earnings of at least £33,000 per year due to statutory maternity leave, paternity leave, parental leave, shared parental leave, statutory adoption leave or sick leave then these periods of absence will be treated as periods during which they were paid the equivalent of at least £33,000 per year.

There is also an English language requirement, but since the required level of proficiency is the same as for an initial sponsored Scale-up visa application, this requirement is likely to be automatically met.

What Are the Requirements for a Scale-up Worker to Settle in the UK

In order to qualify for indefinite leave to remain as a Scale-up Worker, your employee will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that they have spent a continuous period of 5 years in the UK with permission in any of the following routes (alone or in combination): Scale-up, Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Innovator, T2 Minister of Religion, International Sportsperson, Representative of an Overseas Business or as a Tier 1 Migrant, other than as a Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur).

They will also need to be in employment in the UK on the date of application with a salary paid through PAYE of at least £33,000 per year and have had monthly PAYE earnings in the UK equivalent to at least £33,000 per year during at least 24 months of the last 3 years immediately before the date of application.

Scale–up visa applicants applying for indefinite leave to remain also need to pass the Knowledge of Life in the UK test (unless an exemption applies).

Global Business Mobility Sponsor Licence Application

The Global Business Mobility routes are open to businesses of all sizes…

The Global Business Mobility routes are open to businesses of all sizes, providing they have a trading presence outside the UK and a qualifying link to a UK business.

In order to hold a Global Business Mobility sponsor licence, the UK business that will be receiving the worker must:

Have an existing presence in the UK;
Have qualifying links to an overseas business from which it will receive workers;
Have suitable key personnel who will be responsible for the managing the licence; and
Have systems in place to meet the sponsor licence duties.

Qualifying links to UK businesses are specific to the type of work assignment which is being undertaken in the UK.

In the case of a Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker sponsor the UK business must provide credible evidence that it intends, and is able, to establish a new UK branch or wholly-owned subsidiary of an established overseas business. The overseas business must normally have been trading overseas for a minimum of 3 years (although there are some exceptions to this requirement).

Businesses that wish to apply for a UK Expansion Worker sponsor licence are required to have a UK footprint rather than a trading presence. This means that they should be able to provide evidence of either a UK premises or Companies House Registration, but they should not yet have begun trading in the UK.

The overseas business, on the other hand, will need to be active and trading. The Home Office will normally expect the overseas business to have traded for at least 3 years (although there are some exceptions).

The overseas business will also need to satisfy the Home Office that it is capable of successfully expanding into the UK. It will need to provide a credible business plan for expansion and demonstrate that it can finance its expansion plans. The Home Office will normally expect the overseas business to be a stable or growing business that has undertaken preparatory work towards expansion.

UK Expansion Worker sponsors will need to identify key personnel who will be responsible for managing the sponsor licence. If there is no suitable settled worker in the UK to take the role of the Authorising Officer (a senior and competent person responsible for the actions of staff and representatives who use the Sponsor Management System) then, exceptionally, the rules for UK Expansion Worker sponsors allow for a Proposed Authorising Officer to be outside the UK. In this situation the UK sponsor will be given a ‘provisional rating’ and just 1 Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) initially. The Proposed Authorising Officer will then need to be the first worker that is sponsored. Once the Proposed Authorising Officer is in the UK, the sponsor will be able to re-rate to an ‘A-rating’ and request additional CoS (up to 5 maximum).

If there is a suitable settled worker in the UK who can act as the Authorising Officer then there is no need to rely on this exception and the UK Expansion Worker sponsor can be awarded an ‘A-rating’ and up to 5 CoS initially.

If you have any questions about the process or you would like to make an application, please contact our specialist immigration team on 0203 761 3993 or use our online contact form for a first consultation. We will only charge you if you decide to become our client and we can assist you.

UK Global Business Mobility Visa Senior or Specialist Worker

This visa is for senior managers and specialist employees…

The UK Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker Visa is for senior managers and specialist employees who wish to undertake a temporary work assignment in the UK. The overseas worker must be assigned to a UK business linked to their employer overseas (also known as an intra-company transfer).

The Senior or Specialist Worker Visa does not lead directly to settlement in the UK. However, you may be able to switch into another immigration route which does lead to settlement. Applicants may be joined or accompanied by a partner and dependent children.

Requirements for a UK Global Business Mobility Visa: Senior or Specialist Worker

In order to qualify for a Senior or Specialist Worker Visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

You are aged 18 or over;
You are currently working for a business or organisation that is linked to your UK sponsor by common ownership or control, or by a joint venture on which you are sponsored to work;
You have worked outside the UK for the linked business or organisation for a cumulative period of at least 12 months, unless you are a high earner earning £73,900 per year or more;
You have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship issued by your UK sponsor for the job you are planning to do;
The job you are planning to do is genuine;
The job you are planning to do is skilled to at least RQF Level 6 (graduate equivalent);
Your salary will be equal to or exceed both £42,400 per year and the ‘going rate’ for the job;
Your UK sponsor has paid any required Immigration Skills Charge;
You have enough money to support yourself without relying on public funds;
You have provided a valid TB certificate, if required.

The exact requirements you will need to satisfy may vary depending on your circumstances. You may want to speak to an immigration lawyer for expert advice.

Senior or Specialist Worker Visa Overseas Work Requirement

If you are applying for a UK Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker Visa and your gross annual salary is less than £73,900 (based on working a maximum of 48 hours per week) then you must be currently working for a business or organisation that is linked to your UK sponsor by common ownership or control, or by a joint venture on which you are sponsored to work, and have worked outside the UK for this business or organisation for a cumulative period of at least 12 months.

The 12 months’ work outside the UK may have been accumulated over a historic period if you were continuously working for the linked business or organisation, in the UK or overseas, for at least 12 months prior to the date of application and any breaks have only been for statutory maternity, paternity, parental or shared parental leave, statutory adoption leave, sick leave, assisting with a national or international humanitarian or environmental crisis with the agreement of the sponsor group or taking part in lawful industrial action.

If you are earning £73,900 per year or more then you must be currently working for a business or organisation that is linked to your UK sponsor by common ownership or control, or by a joint venture on which you are sponsored to work, but you do not need to have been employed outside the UK for any specific period of time.

UK Global Business Mobility Visa: Senior or Specialist Worker Visa Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) Requirement

In order to obtain a Senior or Specialist Worker Visa you will need to have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job you are planning to do. Your Certificate of Sponsorship will need to have been issued by an employer that is authorised by the Home Office to sponsor a Senior or Specialist Worker.

Your sponsor must be listed as A-rated on the Home Office’s register of licensed sponsors, unless you were last granted permission as a Senior or Specialist Worker and are applying to continue working for the same sponsor as in your last permission.

Your Certificate of Sponsorship must have been issued not more than 3 months before the date of your Senior or Specialist Worker Visa application.

Your Certificate of Sponsorship must include certain mandatory information, including:

Details of your name, job and salary;
Confirmation that you have worked for your employer outside the UK for at least 12 months, unless you are a high earner earning £73,900 per year or more;
A start date which is no more than 3 months after the date of your Senior or Specialist Worker Visa application;
Confirmation that the Certificate of Sponsorship has not been used in a previous application which was either granted or refused and has not been withdrawn by the sponsor or cancelled by the Home Office.

Genuine Job Requirement

In order to be granted a Senior or Specialist Worker Visa, you will need to satisfy the Home Office that you are being sponsored to undertake a genuine job.

If there are reasonable grounds to believe that the job you are being sponsored to do does not exist, is a sham or has been created mainly so that you can apply for a UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa then your application will be refused.

The Home Office will also want to be satisfied that you have not entered into an arrangement whereby you will fill a temporary or permanent position with a third party who is not the sponsor or undertake contract work which involves undertaking an ongoing routine role or providing an ongoing routine service to a third party who is not your sponsor.

Senior or Specialist Worker Job Skill Level Requirement

In order to qualify for a Senior or Specialist Worker Visa, the job you are being sponsored to do must be an eligible job at or above a minimum skill level.

The job you are planning to do must be skilled to at least RQF Level 6 (graduate equivalent). You do not necessarily need to hold a degree, but the role must be equivalent to a graduate level role.

The Home Office has published a list of jobs that are eligible for a Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker Visa. The list includes the relevant occupation code, job type and related job titles.

You will usually meet the job skill level requirement if the job you are being sponsored for is on the list.

However, your sponsor must choose an appropriate occupation code. If the Home Office has reasonable grounds to believe that your sponsor has not chosen the most appropriate occupation code then your application for a Global Business Mobility Visa will be refused.

In assessing whether your sponsor has chosen the most appropriate occupation code, the Home Office will consider factors such as whether they have shown a genuine need for the job as described, whether you have the appropriate skills, qualifications and experience needed to do the job as described and the sponsor’s history of compliance with the immigration system.

Senior or Specialist Worker Salary Requirement

Employers seeking to transfer an employee under the Senior or Specialist Worker route must pay their skilled workers a salary which equals or exceeds both a general salary requirement and the ‘going rate’ for the occupation (as set out in the relevant occupation code mentioned above).

The general salary requirement under the Senior or Specialist Worker route is £42,400 a year. Therefore, in most cases an applicant for a UK Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker Visa must 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.

The assessment of salary is based on guaranteed basic gross pay (up to 48 hours per week) plus allowances which are guaranteed to be paid for the duration of the employment in the UK (such as London weighting) or are paid as a mobility premium or to cover the additional cost of living in the UK.

The Home Office has published a list of going rates for eligible Global Business Mobility occupation codes. The annual salaries stated are based on a 39-hour working week and must be pro-rated for other working patterns.

Your full weekly hours will be included when checking your salary against the going rate, even if you work more than 48 hours per week.

Immigration Skills Charge Requirement

Your sponsor must also have paid in full any required Immigration Skills Charge.

The Immigration Skills Charge is a charge for each foreign worker that a sponsoring employer seeks to employ. The Immigration Skills Charge must be paid each time a sponsoring employer assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship to a migrant.

Senior or Specialist Worker Visa Financial Requirement

Subject to the exemptions below, you will need to have cash funds of at least £1,270 available.

You will need to have held the money for at least 28 consecutive days ending not more than 31 days before the date of your Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker Visa application.

You will be exempt from the financial requirement if your sponsor is willing to meet your maintenance costs up to the end of the first month of your employment, to an amount of at least £1,270, if necessary. Your sponsor will need to confirm this on your Certificate of Sponsorship.

If you are applying for permission to stay and have been in the UK with permission for 12 months or more at the date of application, you will meet the financial requirement and will not need to show funds.

Senior or Specialist Worker Visa English Language Requirement

Senior or Specialist Worker Visa applicants do not need to satisfy an English language requirement.

Duration of Senior or Specialist Worker Visa

If your application for a Senior or Specialist Worker Visa is approved, you will be granted entry clearance for either the time given on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days or a period of 5 years, whichever is shorter.

You will be able to apply to extend your Senior or Specialist Worker Visa or apply for another one as many times as you like, up to the maximum time period allowed in the category (see below).

Maximum Time in the Global Business Mobility Routes

If your application for a Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker Visa is successful you will be able to extend your stay in the UK up to a maximum period of:

5 years in any 6 year period if you are paid less than £73,900 per year; or
9 years in any 10 year period if you are paid £73,900 or more per year.

Settlement on the Global Business Mobility Visa: Senior or Specialist Worker Route

The Senior or Specialist Worker Visa does not lead directly to settlement in the UK. However, once in the UK, you may be able to switch into another immigration route which does lead to settlement, such as the skilled worker route or the start-up route when combined with innovator route. You will need to satisfy the requirements of the immigration route that you wish to extend into. Details of all the main immigration routes, including whether they lead to settlement, are available on our website.

You may also be eligible to extend your stay until you qualify for settlement based on long residence.

Dependent Senior or Specialist Worker Visa applicants

Senior or Specialist Worker Visa holders can be joined or accompanied by a dependent partner over the age of 18 and dependent children under the age of 18.

UK Global Business Mobility Visa UK Expansion Worker

The UK Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker Visa is for senior managers…

The UK Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker Visa is for senior managers and specialist employees who wish to be assigned to the UK temporarily to undertake work related to the expansion of an overseas business in the UK. Sponsors may send a maximum of 5 workers at a time.

The UK Expansion Worker route can only be used when the UK business has not yet started trading. If the business is already trading in the UK, you should apply for Global Business Mobility UK- Senior or Specialist Worker instead.

In order to secure a UK Expansion Worker Visa, you will need to be sponsored to do a specific job, which meets certain skill and salary requirements, by an employer that has been licensed by the Home Office. We have published separate guidance for employers who are considering applying for a UK Expansion Worker Sponsor Licence.

The UK Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker Visa does not lead directly to settlement. Applicants may be joined or accompanied by a partner and dependent children.

Requirements for a UK Global Business Mobility Visa: UK Expansion Worker

In order to qualify for a UK Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker Visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

You are aged 18 or over;
You are currently working for a business or organisation that is linked to your UK sponsor by common ownership or control;
You have worked outside the UK for the linked business or organisation for a cumulative period of at least 12 months, unless you are a high earner earning £73,900 per year or more or you are a Japanese national seeking to establish a UK branch or subsidiary of the linked business or organisation under the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement;
You have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship issued by your UK sponsor for the job you are planning to do;
The job you are planning to do is genuine;
The job you are planning to do is skilled to at least RQF Level 6 (graduate equivalent);
Your salary will be equal to or exceed both £42,400 per year and the ‘going rate’ for the job;
You have enough money to support yourself without relying on public funds;
You have provided a valid TB certificate, if required.

The exact requirements you will need to satisfy may vary depending on your circumstances. You may want to speak to an immigration lawyer for expert advice.

UK Expansion Worker Visa Overseas Work Requirement

If you are applying for a UK Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker Visa, your gross annual salary is less than £73,900 (based on working a maximum of 48 hours per week) and you are not a Japanese national seeking to establish a UK branch or subsidiary of the linked business or organisation under the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement then you must be currently working for a business or organisation that is linked to your UK sponsor by common ownership or control and have worked outside the UK for this business or organisation for a cumulative period of at least 12 months.

The 12 months’ work outside the UK can have been accumulated over a historic period if you were continuously working for the linked business or organisation, in the UK or overseas, for at least 12 months prior to the date of application and any breaks have only been for statutory maternity, paternity, parental or shared parental leave, statutory adoption leave, sick leave, assisting with a national or international humanitarian or environmental crisis with the agreement of the sponsor group or taking part in lawful industrial action.

If you are earning £73,900 per year or more or you are a Japanese national seeking to establish a UK branch or subsidiary of the linked business or organisation under the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement then you must be currently working for a business or organisation that is linked to your UK sponsor by common ownership or control, but you do not need to have been employed overseas for any specific period of time.

UK Expansion Worker Visa Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) Requirement

In order to obtain a UK Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker Visa you will need to have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job you are planning to do. Your Certificate of Sponsorship will need to have been issued by an employer that is authorised by the Home Office to sponsor a UK Expansion Worker.

Your sponsor must be listed as A-rated on the Home Office’s register of licensed sponsors, unless you were last granted permission as a UK Expansion Worker and are applying to continue working for the same sponsor as in your last permission or you are the Authorising Officer for the sponsor and the sponsor has a provisional rating on the Home Office’s register of licensed sponsors.

Your Certificate of Sponsorship must have been issued not more than 3 months before the date of your UK Global Business Mobility – UK Expansions Worker Visa application.

Your Certificate of Sponsorship must include certain mandatory information, including:

Details of your name, job and salary;
Confirmation that you have worked for your employer outside the UK for at least 12 months, unless you are a high earner earning £73,900 per year or more or you are a Japanese national seeking to establish a UK branch or subsidiary of the linked business or organisation under the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement;
A start date which is no more than 3 months after the date of your Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker Visa application;
Confirmation that the Certificate of Sponsorship has not been used in a previous application which was either granted or refused and has not been withdrawn by the sponsor or cancelled by the Home Office.

Genuine Job Requirement

In order to be granted a UK Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker Visa, you will need to satisfy the Home Office that you are being sponsored to undertake a genuine job.

If there are reasonable grounds to believe that the job you are being sponsored to do does not exist, is a sham or has been created mainly so that you can apply for a UK Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker Visa then your application will be refused.

The Home Office will also want to be satisfied that you have not entered into an arrangement whereby you will fill a temporary or permanent position with a third party who is not the sponsor, or undertake contract work which involves undertaking an ongoing routine role or providing an ongoing routine service to a third party who is not your sponsor.

UK Expansion Worker Job Skill Level Requirement

In order to qualify for a UK Expansion Worker Visa, the job you are being sponsored to do must be an eligible job at or above a minimum skill level.

The job you are planning to do must be skilled to at least RQF Level 6 (graduate equivalent). You do not necessarily need to hold a degree, but the role must be equivalent to a graduate level role.

The Home Office has published a list of jobs that are eligible for the Global Business Mobility routes. The list includes the relevant occupation code, job type and related job titles.

You will usually meet the job skill level requirement if the job you are being sponsored for is on the list.

UK Expansion Worker Salary Requirement

Employers seeking to transfer an employee under the UK Global Business Mobility Visa: UK Expansion Worker route must pay their skilled worker a salary which equals or exceeds both a general salary requirement and the ‘going rate’ for the occupation (as set out in the relevant occupation code mentioned above).

The general salary requirement under the UK Global Business Mobility Visa UK Expansion Worker route is £42,400 a year. Therefore, in most cases an applicant for a UK Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker Visa must 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.

Your full weekly hours will be included when checking your salary against the going rate, even if you work more than 48 hours per week.

Immigration Skills Charge Requirement

Employers that are authorised by the Home Office to sponsor a UK Expansion Worker are not required to pay the Immigration Skills Charge.

UK Expansion Worker Visa Financial Requirement

Subject to the exemption below, you will need to have cash funds of at least £1,270 available.

You will need to have held the money for at least 28 consecutive days ending not more than 31 days before the date of your UK Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker Visa application.

UK Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker Visa English Language Requirement

UK Expansion Worker Visa applicants do not need to satisfy an English language requirement.

Duration of UK Expansion Worker Route

If your application for a UK Expansion Worker Visa is approved, you will be granted entry clearance for either 1 year after the start date of the job detailed in your Certificate of Sponsorship or the time given on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.

If you want to stay longer in the UK, you will be able to apply to extend your visa for a further 12 months. You will be able to stay in the UK for a maximum of 2 years on a UK Expansion Worker Visa.

UK Expansion Worker Route

UK Expansion Worker Visa does not lead directly to settlement in the UK. However, once in the UK, you may be able to switch into another immigration route which does lead to settlement, such as the Skilled Worker route or the Start-up route when combined with the Innovator route. You will need to satisfy the requirements of the immigration route that you wish to extend into. Details of all the main immigration routes, including whether they lead to settlement, are available on our website.

You may also be eligible to extend your stay until you qualify for settlement on the basis of Long Residence.

Dependants of UK Global Business Mobility Visa: UK Expansion Worker Visa applicants

Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker Visa holders can be joined or accompanied by a dependent partner over the age of 18 and dependent children under the age of 18.

UK Global Business Mobility Visa Graduate Trainee

This visa is for overseas workers who wish to be transferred to the UK…

The UK Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee Visa is for overseas workers who wish to be transferred to the UK by their employer for a work placement in the UK as part of a graduate training course leading to a senior managerial or specialist role (also known as an intra-company transfer graduate trainee).

The Graduate Trainee Visa does not lead directly to settlement in the UK. However, you may be able to switch into another immigration route which does lead to settlement. Applicants may be joined or accompanied by a partner and dependent children. There is no limit on the number of graduate trainees that a UK sponsor may sponsor.

Requirements for a Graduate Trainee Visa

In order to qualify for a UK Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee Visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

You are aged 18 or over;
You are currently working for a business or organisation that is linked to your UK sponsor by common ownership or control, or by a joint venture on which you are sponsored to work, and have worked outside the UK for this business or organisation for at least 3 months immediately before the date of your visa application;
You have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship issued by your UK sponsor for the job you are planning to do;
The job you are planning to do is genuine;
The job you are planning to do is skilled to at least RQF Level 6 (graduate equivalent);
You will 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 have enough money to support yourself without relying on public funds.
You have provided a valid TB certificate, if required.

The exact requirements you will need to satisfy will vary depending on your circumstances. You may want to speak to an immigration lawyer for expert advice.

Graduate Trainee Visa Overseas Work Requirement

If you are applying for a UK Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee Visa, you must be currently working for a business or organisation that is linked to your UK sponsor by common ownership or control, or by a joint venture on which you are sponsored to work, and have worked outside the UK for this business or organisation for at least 3 months immediately before the date of your visa application.

This 3 month period of work must have been continuous with no breaks and cannot include time spent working in the UK.

Graduate Trainee Visa Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) Requirement

In order to obtain a Graduate Trainee Visa you must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job you are planning to do. Your Certificate of Sponsorship will need to have been issued by an employer that is authorised by the Home Office to sponsor the job in question under the Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee route.

Your sponsor must be listed as A-rated on the Home Office’s register of licensed sponsors, unless you were last granted permission as a Graduate Trainee and are applying to continue working for the same sponsor as in your last permission.

Your Certificate of Sponsorship must have been issued not more than 3 months before the date of your Graduate Trainee Visa application.

Your Certificate of Sponsorship must include certain mandatory information, including:

Details of your name, job and salary;
Confirmation that you are currently working for a business or organisation that is linked to your UK sponsor by common ownership or control, or by a joint venture on which you are sponsored to work, and have worked outside the UK for this business or organisation for at least 3 months immediately before the date of your visa application;
A start date which is no more than 3 months after the date of your Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee Visa application;
Confirmation that the Certificate of Sponsorship has not been used in a previous application which was either granted or refused and has not been withdrawn by your sponsor or cancelled by the Home Office.

Genuine Job Requirement

In order to be granted a UK Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee Visa, you will need to satisfy the Home Office that you are being sponsored to undertake a genuine job.

If there are reasonable grounds to believe that the job you are being sponsored to do does not exist, is a sham or has been created mainly so that you can apply for a UK Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee Visa then your application will be refused.

The Home Office will also want to be satisfied that you have not entered into an arrangement whereby you will fill a temporary or permanent position, or undertake contract work which involves undertaking an ongoing routine role or providing an ongoing routine service to a third party who is not your sponsor.

Graduate Trainee Visa Job Skill Level Requirement

In order to qualify for a Graduate Trainee Visa, the job you are being sponsored to do must be an eligible job at or above a minimum skill level.

The job you are planning to do must be skilled to at least RQF Level 6 (graduate equivalent). You do not necessarily need to hold a degree, but the role must be equivalent to a graduate level role.

The Home Office has published a list of jobs that are eligible for a Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee Visa. The list includes the relevant occupation code, job type and related job titles.

You will usually meet the job skill level requirement if the job you are being sponsored for is on the list.

In order to qualify for a Graduate Trainee Visa, the job you are being sponsored to do must be part of a structured graduate training programme, with clearly defined progression towards a managerial or specialist role within your sponsor organisation.

Graduate Trainee Visa Salary Requirement

Employers seeking to transfer an employee under the Graduate Trainee Visa route must pay their skilled workers a salary which equals or exceeds both a general salary requirement and, in most cases, 70% of the ‘going rate’ for the occupation (as set out in the relevant occupation code mentioned above).

The general salary requirement under the UK Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee Visa route is £23,100 a year. Therefore, in most cases, an applicant for a Graduate Trainee Visa must 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.

If the applicant is being sponsored for a job in one of the health or education occupation codes, the going rate requirement is 100% of the pro-rated going rate.

Your full weekly hours will be included when checking your salary against the going rate, even if you work more than 48 hours per week.

Immigration Skills Charge Requirement

Employers that are authorised by the Home Office to sponsor a Graduate Trainee are not required to pay the Immigration Skills Charge.

Graduate Trainee Visa Financial Requirement

Subject to the exemptions below, you will need to have cash funds of at least £1,270 available.

You will need to have held the money for at least 28 consecutive days ending not more than 31 days before the date of your Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee Visa application.

Graduate Trainee Visa English Language Requirement

Graduate Trainee Visa applicants do not need to satisfy an English language requirement.

Duration of Graduate Trainee Visa

If your application for a Graduate Trainee Visa is approved, you will be granted entry clearance for either 1 year from the start date of the job detailed in your Certificate of Sponsorship or the time given on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.

You will not be able to extend your visa, but you will be able to apply for another Graduate Trainee visa from outside the UK.

Maximum Time in the Global Business Mobility Routes

If your application for a Graduate Trainee Visa is successful, you will be able to stay in the UK up to a maximum period of 5 years in any 6 year period.

When calculating the period of time spent on the routes the Home Office will consider all previous periods of permission granted on the Global Business Mobility routes and all previous periods of permission granted on the Intra-Company routes.

Settlement on the UK Global Business Mobility Visa: Graduate Trainee Route

The UK Global Business Mobility Visa: Graduate Trainee Visa does not lead directly to settlement in the UK. However, once in the UK, you may be able to switch into another immigration route which does lead to settlement, such as the Skilled Worker route or the Start-up route when combined with the Innovator route. You will need to satisfy the requirements of the immigration route that you wish to extend into. Details of all the main immigration routes, including whether they lead to settlement, are available on our website.

You may also be eligible to extend your stay until you qualify for settlement on the basis of Long Residence.

Dependants of Graduate Trainee Visa Applicants

UK Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee Visa holders can be joined or accompanied by a dependent partner over the age of 18 and dependent children under the age of 18.

UK Global Business Mobility Visa Service Supplier

This is for overseas workers who are either a contractual service supplier employed…

The UK Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa is for overseas workers who are either a contractual service supplier employed by an overseas service provider or a self-employed independent professional 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.

The UK Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa does not lead directly to settlement in the UK. However, you may be able to switch into another immigration route which does lead to settlement. Applicants may be joined or accompanied by a partner and dependent children.

Requirements for a UK Global Business Mobility Visa: Service Supplier

In order to qualify for a Service Supplier Visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

You are aged 18 or over;
You are currently working as or for an overseas service provider that will provide services to your UK sponsor;
You have worked as or for the overseas service provider outside the UK for a cumulative period of 12 months;
Your UK sponsor has a contract with an overseas service provider, where that contract has been registered with the Home Office, and on which you as a Service Supplier will work;
You have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship issued by your UK sponsor for the job you are planning to do;
The job you are planning to do is genuine;
The job you are planning to do is skilled to at least RQF Level 6 (graduate equivalent) or you have a degree and 3 to 6 years’ experience;
You satisfy a nationality requirement;
You have enough money to support yourself without relying on public funds;
You have provided a valid TB certificate, if required.

The exact requirements you will need to satisfy may vary depending on your circumstances. You may want to speak to an immigration lawyer for expert advice.

Service Supplier Visa Overseas Work Requirement

If you are applying for a Service Supplier Visa then you must be currently working as or for an overseas service provider that will provide services to your UK sponsor and have worked as or for the overseas service provider outside the UK for a cumulative period of 12 months.

The 12 months’ work outside the UK can have been accumulated over any period provided that you were either continuously working for your overseas service provider, whether in or out of the UK, for at least 12 months before the date of application; or if you are a self-employed overseas service provider, continuously working in the same sector as the service you will provide to your sponsor, whether in or out of the UK, in the 12 months immediately before the date of application.

Any breaks in the 12 months period can only have been for statutory maternity, paternity, parental or shared parental leave, statutory adoption leave, sick leave, assisting with a national or international humanitarian or environmental crisis with the agreement of the sponsor group or taking part in lawful industrial action.

UK Global Business Mobility Visa: Service Supplier Visa Contract Requirement

Your UK sponsor must have a contract with an overseas service provider, where that contract has been registered with the Home Office, and on which you, as a Service Supplier, will work.

UK Global Business Mobility Visa: Service Supplier Visa Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) Requirement

In order to obtain a UK Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa you will need to have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job you are planning to do. Your Certificate of Sponsorship will need to have been issued by an employer that is authorised by the Home Office to sponsor a Service Supplier.

Your sponsor must be listed as A-rated on the Home Office’s register of licensed sponsors, unless you were last granted permission as a Service Supplier and are applying to continue working for the same sponsor as in your last permission.

Your Certificate of Sponsorship must have been issued not more than 3 months before the date of your UK Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa application.

Your Certificate of Sponsorship must include certain mandatory information, including:

Details of your name, job and salary;
Confirmation that you have worked as or for your overseas service provider outside the UK for a cumulative period of 12 months;
A start date which is no more than 3 months after the date of your Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa application;
Confirmation that the Certificate of Sponsorship has not been used in a previous application which was either granted or refused and has not been withdrawn by the sponsor or cancelled by the Home Office.

Genuine Job Requirement

In order to be granted a UK Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa, you will need to satisfy the Home Office that you are being sponsored to undertake a genuine job.

If there are reasonable grounds to believe that the job you are being sponsored to do does not exist, is a sham or has been created mainly so that you can apply for a UK Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa then your application will be refused.

The Home Office will also want to be satisfied that you have not entered into an arrangement whereby you will fill a temporary or permanent position with a third party who is not the sponsor, or undertake contract work which involves undertaking an ongoing routine role or providing an ongoing routine service to a third party who is not your sponsor.

UK Global Business Mobility Visa: Service Supplier Job Skill Level Requirement

Option A

In order to qualify for a UK Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa, the job you are being sponsored to do must be an eligible job at or above a minimum skill level.

The job you are planning to do must be skilled to at least RQF Level 6 (graduate equivalent). You do not necessarily need to hold a degree, but the role must be equivalent to a graduate level role.

The Home Office has published a list of jobs that are eligible for the Global Business Mobility routes. The list includes the relevant occupation code, job type and related job titles.

You will usually meet the job skill level requirement if the job you are being sponsored for is on the list.

Option B

In order to qualify for a Service Supplier Visa, you must have a university degree or equivalent level technical qualification unless you are employed by an overseas service provider supplying one of the following types of services, in which case the qualification requirements in parentheses apply:

Fashion and modelling (none required)
Chef de cuisine (an advanced technical qualification)
Entertainment services (excluding audio-visual services under the CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement) (none required)
Management consulting services and services related to management consulting (managers and senior consultants) (university degree (equivalent level technical qualification not permitted)
Advertising or translation (relevant qualifications)
Technical testing and analysis (university degree or a relevant technical qualification)

You will need to hold any professional qualifications or registrations required to provide the services under UK law or sectoral requirements.

You must have professional experience in the sector in which you will supply services as follows:

3 years’ experience; or
If you are supplying chef de cuisine services under the CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement, 6 years’ experience; or
If you are a self-employed overseas service provider, 6 years’ experience.

Service Supplier Salary Requirement

Employers that are authorised by the Home Office to sponsor a Service Supplier under the UK Global Business Mobility Visa: Service Supplier route do not need to satisfy either a general salary requirement or the ‘going rate’ for the occupation (as set out in the relevant occupation code mentioned above).

Service Supplier Nationality Requirement

In order to qualify for a Service Supplier Visa, you must be:

A national of the country or territory in which the overseas service provider is based; or
Where the service that you will provide is covered by a commitment in the General Agreement on Trade in Services and your employer is established in a country or territory that has made a notification under Article XXVIII(k)(ii)(2) of that agreement, a permanent resident of that country or territory; or
Where the service that you will provide is covered by a commitment in the Temporary Agreement between the Swiss Confederation and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Services Mobility, a permanent resident of Switzerland; or
Where the service that you will provide is covered by a commitment in the United Kingdom-European Union Trade and Cooperation Agreement, a national of any Member State of the European Union or any other person included in the definition of “natural person of a Party” for the European Union in Article 512(k) of that agreement; or
Where the service that you will provide is covered by a contractual service supplier commitment in the CARIFORUM-United Kingdom Economic Partnership Agreement, a national of any CARIFORUM State that has provisionally applied or brought into force that agreement.

Immigration Skills Charge Requirement

Employers that are authorised by the Home Office to sponsor a Service Supplier are not required to pay the Immigration Skills Charge.

UK Global Business Mobility Visa: Service Supplier Visa Financial Requirement

Subject to the exemptions below, you will need to have cash funds of at least £1,270 available.

You will need to have held the money for at least 28 consecutive days ending not more than 31 days before the date of your UK Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa application.

Service Supplier Visa English Language Requirement

Service Supplier Visa applicants do not need to satisfy an English language requirement.

Duration of a Service Supplier Visa

If your application for a Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa is approved, you will be granted entry clearance for either the time given on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days or the maximum single assignment period (which is either 6 months or 12 months if covered by a relevant UK international trade commitment), whichever is shorter.

Maximum Time in the Global Business Mobility Routes

The maximum period of time allowed in the Global Business Mobility Routes is 5 years in any 6 year period.

Settlement on the Service Supplier Route

Service Supplier Visa does not lead directly to settlement in the UK. However, once in the UK, you may be able to switch into another immigration route which does lead to settlement, such as the Skilled Worker route or the Start-up route when combined with the Innovator route. You will need to satisfy the requirements of the immigration route that you wish to extend into. Details of all the main immigration routes, including whether they lead to settlement, are available on our website.

You may also be eligible to extend your stay until you qualify for settlement on the basis of Long Residence.

Dependants of UK Global Business Mobility Visa: Service Supplier Visa Applicants

Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa holders can be joined or accompanied by a dependent partner over the age of 18 and dependent children under the age of 18.

UK Global Business Mobility Visa Secondment Worker

This is for overseas workers who wish to be temporarily seconded to the UK…

Secondment Worker Visa is for overseas workers who wish to be temporarily seconded to the UK by their overseas employer as part of a high value contract or investment.

Secondment Worker Visa does not lead directly to settlement in the UK. However, you may be able to switch into another immigration route which does lead to settlement. Applicants may be joined or accompanied by a partner and dependent children.

Requirements for a Secondment Worker

In order to qualify for Secondment Worker Visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

You are aged 18 or over;
You are currently working for an overseas business that has a contract with your sponsor worth at least £50 million that has been registered with the Home Office by the sponsor (unless you are applying for an extension to work for the same sponsor);
You have worked outside the UK for that overseas business for a cumulative period of at least 12 months (unless you are applying for an extension to work for the same sponsor);
You have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship issued by your UK sponsor for the job you are planning to do;
The job you are planning to do is genuine;
The job you are planning to do is skilled to at least RQF Level 6 (graduate equivalent);
You have enough money to support yourself without relying on public funds;
You have provided a valid TB certificate, if required.

The exact requirements you will need to satisfy may vary depending on your circumstances. You may want to speak to an immigration lawyer for expert advice.

Secondment Worker Visa Overseas Work Requirement

If you are making an initial application for a Secondment Worker Visa then you must be currently working for an overseas business that has a contract with your UK sponsor that has been registered with the Home Office by the UK sponsor and have worked outside the UK for that overseas business for a cumulative period of at least 12 months.

The 12 months’ work outside the UK can have been accumulated over a historic period if you were continuously working for the overseas business, whether inside or outside of the UK, for at least 12 months prior to the date of application and any breaks have only been for statutory maternity, paternity, parental or shared parental leave, statutory adoption leave, sick leave, assisting with a national or international humanitarian or environmental crisis with the agreement of the sponsor group or taking part in lawful industrial action.

If you are applying for permission to stay as a Secondment Worker and you have, or last had, permission as a Secondment Worker and you are applying to continue working for the same sponsor then you do not need to satisfy the overseas work requirement.

Secondment Worker Visa Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) Requirement

Secondment Worker Visa you will need to have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job you are planning to do. Your Certificate of Sponsorship will need to have been issued by a UK-based employer that is authorised by the Home Office to sponsor a Secondment Worker.

Your sponsor must be listed as A-rated on the Home Office’s register of licensed sponsors, unless you were last granted permission as a Secondment Worker and are applying to continue working for the same sponsor as in your last permission.

Your sponsor must have a contract with the overseas business that you are working for, that contract must have been registered with the Home Office and you must be planning to work as a Secondment Worker on that contract.

Your Certificate of Sponsorship must have been issued not more than 3 months before the date of your UK Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker Visa application.

Your Certificate of Sponsorship must include certain mandatory information, including:

Details of your name, job and salary;
Confirmation that you are currently working for an overseas business that has a contract with your sponsor that has been registered with the Home Office by the sponsor and have worked outside the UK for that overseas business for a cumulative period of at least 12 months (unless you are applying for an extension to work for the same sponsor);.
A start date which is no more than 3 months after the date of your Secondment Worker Visa application;
Confirmation that the Certificate of Sponsorship has not been used in a previous application which was either granted or refused and has not been withdrawn by the sponsor or cancelled by the Home Office.

Genuine Job Requirement

Secondment Worker Visa, you will need to satisfy the Home Office that you are being sponsored to undertake a genuine job.

If there are reasonable grounds to believe that the job you are being sponsored to do does not exist, is a sham or has been created mainly so that you can apply for a UK a Global

Secondment Worker Visa then your application will be refused.

The Home Office will also want to be satisfied that you have not entered into an arrangement whereby you will fill a temporary or permanent position with a third party who is not your UK sponsor, or undertake contract work which involves undertaking an ongoing routine role or providing an ongoing routine service to a third party who is not your sponsor.

Secondment Worker Job Skill Level Requirement

In order to qualify for a UK Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker Visa, the job you are being sponsored to do must be an eligible job at or above a minimum skill level.

The job you are planning to do must be skilled to at least RQF Level 6 (graduate equivalent). You do not necessarily need to hold a degree, but the role must be equivalent to a graduate level role.

The Home Office has published a list of jobs that are eligible for the Global Business Mobility routes. The list includes the relevant occupation code, job type and related job titles.

You will usually meet the job skill level requirement if the job you are being sponsored for is on the list.

However, your UK sponsor must choose an appropriate occupation code. If the Home Office has reasonable grounds to believe that your sponsor has not chosen the most appropriate occupation code then your application for a Global Business Mobility Visa will be refused.

Secondment Worker Salary Requirement

UK-based employers that are authorised by the Home Office to sponsor a Secondment Worker under the UK Global Business Mobility Visa: Secondment Worker route do not need to satisfy either a general salary requirement or the ‘going rate’ for the occupation (as set out in the relevant occupation code mentioned above).

Immigration Skills Charge Requirement

UK-based employers that are authorised by the Home Office to sponsor a Secondment Worker are not required to pay the Immigration Skills Charge/

Secondment Worker Financial Requirement

Subject to the exemptions below, you will need to have cash funds of at least £1,270 available.

You will need to have held the money for at least 28 consecutive days ending not more than 31 days before the date of your UK Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker Visa application.

UK Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker Visa English Language Requirement

UK Secondment Worker Visa applicants do not need to satisfy an English language requirement.

If you currently have leave to remain in the UK in another immigration category, you may extend your stay by switching into the UK Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker route unless you have, or were last granted, permission as a Visitor, Short-term student, Parent of a Child Student, Seasonal Worker, Domestic Worker in a Private Household or outside the Immigration Rules.

Duration of a UK Global Business Mobility Visa: Secondment Worker Visa

If your application for a UK Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker Visa is approved, you will be granted entry clearance for either 1 year from the start date of the job detailed in your Certificate of Sponsorship or the time given on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.

You will be able to apply to extend your visa by a further 12 months. The maximum time you can stay in the UK on a Secondment Worker visa is 2 years.

Settlement on the Secondment Worker Route

The Secondment Worker Visa does not lead directly to settlement in the UK. However, once in the UK, you may be able to switch into another immigration route which does lead to settlement, such as the Skilled Worker route or the Start-up route when combined with the Innovator route. You will need to satisfy the requirements of the immigration route that you wish to extend into. Details of all the main immigration routes, including whether they lead to settlement, are available on our website.

You may also be eligible to extend your stay until you qualify for settlement on the basis of Long Residence

Dependants of Secondment Worker Visa Applicants

Secondment Worker Visa holders can be joined or accompanied by a dependent partner over the age of 18 and dependent children under the age of 18.

The Global Talent Visa

This route is open to talented and promising applicants within the fields of science, engineering, medicine, humanities, digital technology and…

This route is open to talented and promising applicants within the fields of science, engineering, medicine, humanities, digital technology and arts and culture (including film and television, fashion design and architecture) who wish to work in the UK.

‘Talent’ applicants will already be leaders in their respective field, while ‘promise’ applicants will be able to show the potential to become leaders in their field.

The Global Talent category is not subject to a cap on the number of applicants, does not require a job offer and can lead to settlement in the UK. A dependent partner and dependent children under 18 can apply under this route.

Global Talent Visa Requirements

In order to qualify for a Global Talent visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

You are aged 18 or over;
You have been issued with an endorsement letter by a Home Office approved endorsing body or have been awarded a prize listed in Appendix Global Talent: Prestigious Prizes;
Your application does not fall under the general grounds for refusal;
You have provided a valid TB certificate, if required.

The exact requirements you will need to satisfy may vary depending on your circumstances. You may want to speak to an immigration lawyer for expert advice.

Global Talent Endorsement Application

In order to apply for a Global Talent visa, most applicants will need to receive an endorsement from an appropriate endorsing body as evidence of their exceptional talent or promise. You can be endorsed in the fields of science, engineering, medicine, humanities, digital technology and arts and culture (including film and television, fashion design and agriculture).

Each endorsing body has its own set of criteria for a Global Talent endorsement, but in each case you will need a substantial body of work and support from experts in your field.

Once you have been endorsed, you will be able to apply for a Global Talent visa.

Alternatively, if you have been awarded a qualifying Prestigious Prize, you will be able to make a single visa application without needing to obtain an endorsement from one of the Global Talent endorsing bodies.

Global Talent Prestigious Prize Route

If you have won a qualifying prestigious award, you will be able to fast-track the endorsement application and instead proceed directly to making a single visa application.

The list of prestigious prizes is set in Appendix Global Talent: Prestigious Prizes. This list is kept under review and updated from time-to-time.

To be eligible as a prestigious prize, a prize must be given to a named individual and clearly recognise the exceptional talent of that individual. Therefore, the list does not include prestigious awards for specific works, such as an award-winning film, or prizes given to whole organisations.

Prizes must also be open to all nationalities and winners must be determined by experts or peers, rather than the public.

Global Talent Category English Language Requirement

Global Talent applicants applying to enter the category or extend their stay in the Global Talent route do not need to satisfy an English language requirement. However, Global Talent migrants must demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the English language in order to qualify for settlement in the UK.

Global Talent Route Maintenance Funds Requirement

Global Talent visa applicants do not need to satisfy a maintenance funds requirement.

How Long Is a UK Global Talent Visa For

Global Talent visa applicants can choose how much leave, in whole years, up to a maximum of 5 years, they wish to be granted in a single application.

This flexibility allows Global Talent visa applicants to minimise their Immigration Health Surcharge payment where, for example, they only wish to come to the UK for 2 years.

Global Talent Visa Extension

If you decide that you want to stay in the UK for longer than you anticipated, or if for any reason you are not able to apply for settlement following your initial grant of leave, for example due to excessive absences, then it is possible to extend your stay in the UK. There is no maximum number of years that you are able to remain in the UK in the Global Talent visa category.

In order to qualify for an extension of stay on the Global Talent route you will need to have earned money in the UK during your last grant of leave and these earnings will need to have been linked to the field which led to your initial Global Talent endorsement (if your initial application was granted using an endorsement) or a field related to the subject matter of your prize (if your initial application was granted using a prize listed in Appendix Global Talent: Prestigious Prizes). You will need to provide evidence from an independent source that is verifiable by the Home Office.

If your initial application was granted using an endorsement you must also not have had your endorsement withdrawn by the endorsing body and the endorsing body must continue to be approved by the Home Office. The Home Office will also check your character and immigration history to check that you do not fall for refusal under the general grounds.

Global Talent ILR

If you continue to satisfy the requirements for an extension of stay set out above and demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the English language and life in the UK then you will be eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain after spending a continuous period of 3 years in the UK if:

You were endorsed by the Royal Society, British Academy, Royal Academy of Engineering or UKRI; or
You were endorsed under the exceptional talent criteria by Arts Council England or Tech Nation; or
You were granted your initial application using a prize listed in Appendix Global Talent: Prestigious Prizes.

If you were last endorsed under the “exceptional promise” criteria for Arts Council England or Tech Nation you will need to spend a continuous period of 5 years in the UK before being eligible to apply for settlement.

The relevant continuous period can include time spent in the following immigration categories: Global Talent, Innovator, Tier 1 (excluding Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur)), Skilled Worker, T2 Minister of Religion, T2 Sportsperson or Scale-up.

Residence Requirement for ILR as a Global Talent Migrant

In order to qualify for indefinite leave to remain in the Global Talent category you will need to have spent not more than 180 days outside the UK during any rolling 12 months during the continuous period of leave relied upon.

Global Talent migrants who hold leave following an endorsement by one of the endorsing bodies for science, engineering, humanities and medicine and who have undertaken research overseas directly related to their grant of leave, will not have such absences counted when they apply for settlement. Partners of Global Talent migrants will be treated in the same way.

When Should I Apply for a Global Talent Visa?

Your Global Talent visa application must be made within three months of the date that you receive your endorsement and can be made up to three months before you intend to travel. You should therefore plan ahead to the date that you intend to arrive in the UK and work backwards.

Working in the UK on a Global Talent Visa

When you enter the UK in the Global Talent category, you will have a full right to work (including self-employment and voluntary work) but you will not be permitted to be employed as a professional sportsperson or coach.

There is no requirement that you complete a certain amount of work, though you will need to do some, if you intend to settle in the UK permanently.

You will also have a right to study in the UK, if you wish to, but you will not be permitted to access public funds.

Tier 1 (Investor)

This visa was for individuals who could make a substantial financial investment in the UK. Applicants were required to have access to at least £2,000,000.

Sponsorship Licence

As a UK based company currently looking to hire A non- EU migrant, your organisation would need to go through process of applying for a Tier 2 sponsor licence.

Audit and Compliance

Tier 2 sponsorship licence holders need to comply with their obligations as set out in Home Office published guidance on Tier 2 and 5 points-based system.

Sponsor Licence Suspensions and Revocations

If UKVI believe that you are breaching your duties and pose a threat to immigration control, your sponsor licence may be suspended.

Innovator Founder Visa

This visa is for experienced business people seeking to establish a business in UK, the business must be innovative, viable and scalable (capable of speedy growth) .

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