On the 15th March 2022 in a Statement of Changes to the UK’s Immigration Rules, the Home Office revealed several new business immigration routes, including the Global Business Mobility Visa which in itself has 5 individual subcategories.
This article will look at the Global Business Mobility Visa in more detail and what it will mean for overseas businesses wishing to set up a subsidiary in the UK.
What is the Global Business Mobility visa?
Opening for applications on the 11th April 2022, the UK Government’s new Global Business Mobility visa offers different categories of routes into the UK for overseas businesses who are looking to transfer staff to the UK for specific business purposes or to establish a business presence in the UK.
Creating a multi-category sponsored route, the new visa will not only create a brand-new route for secondment of overseas workers to a UK subsidiary or branch as part of a high value investment or contract but will also reform and expand on some of the already existing business visas.
There will be 5 different global business mobility routes and visas that correspond to different temporary work assignment types, including:
- Senior or Specialist Worker Visa
- Graduate Trainee Visa
- UK Expansion Worker Visa
- Service Supplier Visa
- Secondment Worker Visa
Below we look in more detail at who each route is for:
Senior or Specialist Worker Visa
The Senior or Specialist Worker Visa is for specialist employees and senior managers who have been appointed to a UK business that is owned by their employer overseas and who wants to work in the UK for temporary period on a temporary contract.
Graduate Trainee Visa
The Graduate Trainee Visa is for overseas workers who are enrolled in a graduate training syllabus or programme leading to a senior management or specialist position and are required by their employer to complete a work placement in the UK.
UK Expansion Worker Visa
The UK Expansion Worker Visa is for overseas workers looking to take on temporary assigned tasks in the UK, where the worker is either a senior manager or a specialist employee appointed to the UK to help with business expansion. This route will replace the Representative of an Overseas Business Visa and will be available only if the business has not yet begun trading in the UK. If the company already has a presence in the UK, workers should apply through the Senior or Specialist Worker route.
Service Supplier Visa
The Service Supplier Visa is for contracted service suppliers employed by overseas service providers or independent, self-employed professionals based in other countries who want to work in the UK on temporary assignments and provide services included in an international trade agreement in the UK.
Secondment Worker Visa
The Secondment Worker Visa would be for overseas workers looking for temporary assignments in the UK who are being seconded to the UK as part of a high-value investment or contract by their overseas employer. This is an entirely new immigration route.
You might like: – Immigration Rules for a UK Expansion Worker Visa
What are the Eligibility Requirements?
The eligibility requirements for each of the categories is vast and there are slightly different requirements for each one pertaining to levels of sponsorship.
The following two points however are eligibility requirements for each new route:
- be employed by the sponsoring organisation and have worked for that organisation for at least 12 months outside the UK, unless they will be employed inside the UK as a high earner earning £73,900 or more per year.
- have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job they want to do, issued by an employer authorised by the Home Office in the UK to sponsor a Senior or Specialist Worker, and who has paid in full any Immigration Skills Charge required.
For a full list of eligibility requirements for each route it is probably best to speak to someone who is an expert when it comes to Immigration, such as The One World, who offer professional business concierge services and immigration assistance to overseas businesses wishing to set up a subsidiary in the UK.
Can a Global Business Mobility visa be extended?
The Global Business Mobility visa is intended for overseas workers on temporary assignments in the UK, but it will still be possible to extend this new type of visa from inside the UK for the maximum length of time allowed under each route.
However, none of these routes, including the UK Expansion Worker route, which has essentially replaced the Representative of an Overseas Business visa; a route that used to allow eligible visa holders to apply for indefinite leave to remain, will lead directly to settlement in the UK.
Does the Global Business Mobility visa allow Dependents to enter the UK?
Under a Global Business Mobility visa, applicants may be accompanied or followed by a partner as well as any dependent children. However, to enter the UK through this route, the spouse or partner of the primary visa holder must meet a number of entry requirements, which include a relationship and financial requirement. In addition, any child applicant must meet supplementary age and care prerequisites.
Do you Need Some Help?
Immigration and Business Concierge specialists The One World are experts when it comes to helping overseas businesses set up a subsidiary in the UK. With the Home Office making entry a lot more complicated for overseas businesses, they are on hand to guide you through the whole process and can help to simplify your transition into the UK.
They have a wealth of experience in business relocation and immigration and can help you to understand all the eligibility requirements for visas and work permits as well as the UK Immigration regulations.
