New UK Global Business Mobility visas introduced for overseas workers

5 new UK Global Business Mobility visas routes were introduced on 11th April 2022.

1. Senior or Specialist Worker route
2. Graduate Trainee route
3. UK Expansion Worker route
4. Service Supplier Worker route
5. Secondment Worker route

For each of these roles, an applicant must be sponsored by a company that has a UK sponsor licence. The sponsor will provide a Certificate of Sponsorship to the applicant which must be submitted to the Home Office as part of the application. 

Senior or Specialist Worker route

Key points:

This visa is for people who usually work overseas as senior managers or specialist employees that are doing temporary work assignments in the UK for their overseas employer. This visa replaced the intra-company transfer or ICT visa.

Requirements:

• The worker must have worked outside of the UK for their employer known as the “sponsor group” continuously for at least 12 months.
• If the worker has not worked continuously for the employer for 12 months or more, it must be for legitimate reasons such as statutory maternity, paternity, adoption leave or sick leave. 
• The applicant must be sponsored by a licenced sponsor company for a job that appears in the list of approved occupations. 
• Applicants must earn a salary of at least £42,400 per year. 
• If the applicant is applying from outside of the UK, they will need to show that they have funds of at least £1,270 that they have kept in their bank account for a minimum of 28 days continuously.

Graduate Trainee route

Key points:

This visa is designed for people who ordinarily work overseas but are needing to work temporarily in the UK for a graduate training course that is preparing them to be in a senior management or specialist position. This visa will allow applicable applicants to do a temporary work placement in the UK that is necessary for their course. This route replaced the intra-company transfer- graduate trainee or ICT visa.

Requirements:

• The worker must be currently employed by the sponsoring employer and must have worked for them overseas for at least 3 months immediately before applying for the visa. 
• The applicant must be sponsored for a role within the Home Office list of occupations and the job must be part of a structured graduate training programme with a clear route to a managerial or specialist role. 
• Graduate workers must earn an annual salary of £23,100 and/or 70% of the “going rate” for the occupational code.
• If the applicant is applying as a health or education worker, the salary requirement will be 100% of the going rate. 
• If the applicant is applying from outside of the UK, they will need to show that they have funds of at least £1,270 that they have kept in their bank account for a minimum of 28 days continuously.

How to calculate 70% of the “going rate”

Each occupational code has what is called a “going rate” which is a minimum level of pay that a worker should receive for a particular job. 

If for instance the going rate is £30,000, to work out 70% of the going rate, you need to do the following equation:

0.7 x £30,000 x the number of weekly working hours that the sponsor requires ÷ 39 

0.7 x £30,000 x 48 ÷ 39 = £25,846 annual required salary

How to calculate 100% of the “going rate”

If for instance the going rate is £30,000, to work out 100% of the going rate, you need to do the following equation:

1 x £30,000 x the number of weekly working hours that the sponsor requires ÷ 39 

1 x £30,000 x 48 ÷ 39 = £36,923 annual required salary

UK Expansion Worker route

Key points:

This visa is aimed at overseas senior managers or specialist workers that need to do temporary work in the UK for the purpose of business expansion. This visa replaced the Sole Representative visa and applicants can only apply if the company has not started trading in the UK yet.

Requirements:

• In order to be eligible, the applicant must have worked outside of the UK for the overseas employer continuously for at least 12 months.
• Applicants must do a role that is displayed in the list of occupations and receive a salary of £42,400 per year and/or 100% of the going rate.
• If the applicant is applying from outside of the UK, they will need to show that they have funds of at least £1,270 that they have kept in their bank account for a minimum of 28 days continuously.

Service Supplier Worker route

Key points:

This visa is for overseas contractual service suppliers or self-employed independent professionals that need to do temporary work assignments in the UK to provide services outlined by one of the UK’s international trade agreements.

Requirements:

• In order to be eligible, the applicant must have a university degree or equivalent level technical qualification.

• Applicants must have 3 years of experience in their field, if they are providing chef de cuisine services they will need 6 years of experience and if they are a self-employed overseas service provider, they will be required to have 6 years of experience.
• If the applicant is applying from outside of the UK, they will need to show that they have funds of at least £1,270 that they have kept in their bank account for a minimum of 28 days continuously.

Secondment Worker route

Key points:

This visa is for overseas workers that have been temporarily seconded to the UK on behalf of their employer as part of a high-value contract or investment. 

Requirements:

• In order to be eligible, the applicant must have been sponsored for a job within the list of occupations and must have worked outside of the UK for the overseas employer continuously for at least 12 months.
• There is no salary requirement for this visa.
• If the applicant is applying from outside of the UK, they will need to show that they have funds of at least £1,270 that they have kept in their bank account for a minimum of 28 days continuously.

How much do these visas cost?

Each visa costs £259 except for the Senior or Specialist Worker visa route which costs between £625 and £1,423 depending on the number of years required to work. In addition, applicants will need to pay the healthcare surcharge fee of £624 per year. 

At Ackroyd, we can help with immigration matters. Every case has its own unique intricacies to consider, and our skilled and experienced team of immigration experts are available to support you through your application. Please do not hesitate to contact us today.