The UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa

This article is part of the ‘Global Business Mobility’ series, which provides a detailed summary of the UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa route.

There are 2 parts, which cover the following topics:

Part 1:

What is the Purpose of the UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa?

When Can You Apply?

3 Requirements to Satisfy

The Validity Requirements

The Suitability Requirements

 

Part 2:

The Eligibility Requirements

Points-Based Requirements

Non-Points-Based Requirements

The Decision

Conditions

 

This is part 1. You can jump to part 2 HERE.

 

What is the Purpose of the UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa?

The UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa
The UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa

The UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa was born on 11 April 2022. This route is for overseas workers undertaking temporary work assignments in the UK. The worker must be a senior manager or specialist employee, and their employer should have assigned them to a UK business linked to their business overseas.

This type of assignment was often called an intra-company transfer (the ICT) because this visa has replaced the Intra-company Transfer visa, previously the Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) Long-term Staff visa.

When Can You Apply?

You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. You’ll find this date on your certificate of sponsorship.

 

3 Requirements to Satisfy

As with all points-based system visa applications, you’ll need to meet 3 requirements to succeed:

  1. The Validity Requirements
  2. The Suitability Requirement
  3. The Eligibility Requirements

 

The Validity Requirements

The Validity requirements consist of the rules on

  1. Procedure
  2. Switching

 

Procedure

The procedural rules are simple and straightforward. They consist of 4 steps:

 

  1. The Online Form

You’ll need to complete the correct online form. If you are outside the UK, you’ll need to complete the “Global Business Mobility visa” form. If you are in the UK, it is the “Global Business Mobility” form (without the word ‘VISA’).

  1. The Fee

The standard fee ranges from £625 to £1,423, depending on the circumstances of your case.

If you’re applying from outside the UK, the fee depends on whether you’ll be in the UK for:

up to 3 years – £625 per person

more than 3 years – £1,235 per person

If you’re applying from inside the UK to extend, switch or update your visa, the fee depends on whether you’ll be in the UK for:

up to 3 years – £719 per person

more than 3 years – £1,423 per person

Also, you’ll need to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge at the rate of £624 per year.

  1. Your Passport and Supporting Documents

As with all visa applications, you’ll have to provide your passport to prove your identity, age and nationality. You’ll have to be over 18 when applying.

Also, you’ll need to submit other documents in support of your application. Also, when applying, you’ll have to provide evidence confirming that your Sponsor issued a Certificate of Sponsorship within 3 months or less before the date of the application.

If your country is on Appendix T list, you’ll also need to submit a tuberculosis test certificate.

  1. Biometrics

Then you’ll have to submit your biometrics (fingerprints, a scan and a photo of your face) at one of the Visa Applications Centres.

 

Switching

If you are applying from the UK, you should understand the switching rules.

Switching is a legal process allowing you to change ‘to switch’ immigration categories. For example, if you came here to the UK as a student but now would like to ‘switch’ to the UK Secondment Worker Visa (when still in the UK), switching rules will apply.

Those who are in the UK in the following categories:

(a) as a Visitor; or

(b) as a Short-term Student; or

(c) as a Parent of a Child Student; or

(d) as a Seasonal Worker; or

(e) as a Domestic Worker in a Private Household; or

(f) outside the Immigration Rules

cannot switch to the UK Secondment Worker Visa (or any other visa category). If you are in the UK in one of the categories above, your only option is to leave the UK and reapply under a different UK immigration route.

 

 

The Suitability Requirements

After ensuring that you meet the Validity requirement, the decision maker will check if you meet the Suitability requirements for the application.

In simple or alternative terms, these are ‘the good character requirements’ to check if you:

  • had any exclusions or deportation orders
  • or criminal convictions
  • were excluded from asylum or humanitarian protection grounds
  • were involved in a sham marriage
  • made any false representations
  • previously breached immigration laws
  • failed to provide the requested information
  • have any debts to NHS or unpaid litigations costs

 

You’ll find a full list of grounds for refusal on the basis of suitability at part 9 of the Immigration Rules.

If you are applying from the UK, in addition to meeting the requirements listed at Part 9 of the Immigration Rules, you’ll need to prove that your meet paragraph 39E and are not on immigration bail.

 

Continue reading: PART 2

The UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa