Global Business Mobility Visa UK

Introduced in April 2022, the new Global Business Mobility visa is aimed at overseas businesses who wish to establish a presence in the UK.

The variety of Global Business Mobility visas available allows businesses to send workers to the UK for temporary periods, with the possibility of switching to another type of visa if an individual wishes to be in the UK on a more permanent basis.

Securing a Global Business Mobility visa can be a complex process. Applicants will need to have a Certificate of Sponsorship issued by their employer, who will need to be a government-approved sponsor holding an A-rated sponsor licence. As an applicant, you will also have to satisfy a range of suitability and eligibility criteria, submit the correct application form, and provide a substantial amount of evidence in support of your application.

At IBB Law, our expert immigration solicitors represent clients in making all types of Global Business Mobility visa applications. We can ensure that your chosen route is the best choice for your situation and that your application includes the right supporting documents.

What is a UK Global Business Mobility visa?

A UK Global Business Mobility visa is a sponsored immigration route that allows overseas businesses to set up workers in the UK. The different subcategories mean that an organisation can send the following personnel:

Senior or Specialist workers to meet the needs of the business in the UK
Service suppliers
Senior employees who will be expanding a business into the UK
Overseas workers on secondment to the UK
Graduate trainees

Where a business is sending a graduate trainee, senior workers, or specialist workers to meet business needs in the UK, it will already have a presence in the UK. In respect of the other three categories, the organisation will not yet have a base in the UK.

The new UK Global Business Mobility visas replace the previous intra-company transfer visa, the representative of an overseas business visa, the international agreement visa and the intra-company graduate trainee visa.

Complete support for UK Global Business Mobility Visa applications

We deal with a full range of UK Global Business Mobility visa applications, to include the following services:

Assessing eligibility for a UK Global Business Mobility visa and advising you as to the best immigration route for yourself or your workers
Completing a Global Business Mobility visa application on your behalf
Compiling the right documents in support of your Global Business Mobility visa application
Dealing with Global Business Mobility visa rejections and refusals
Renewing a Global Business Mobility visa
Providing general Global Business Mobility visa guidance and advice

We also act for employers in securing sponsor licences, enabling them to issue certificates of sponsorship for workers they wish to send to the UK.

For more information, see UK business immigration lawyers.

Why choose IBB Law for UK Global Mobility visa guidance?

Our visas and immigration experts at IBB Law offer:

Exceptional legal expertise in respect of both visa requirements and the process of applying for a visa
Outstanding support while you go through the visa application process, ensuring you have guidance and expert advice from lawyers who have an in-depth understanding of the visas and immigration system
Specialist help if your case is complex, or if you have encountered difficulties in securing a visa
A competitive service from solicitors who will ensure there are no avoidable delays and work proactively to secure your visa as soon as possible
An immigration team that has been ranked by leading lawyer directory The Legal 500 for their expertise and high level of service in immigration law

Looking for immediate help with a UK Global Business Mobility visa application?

Our UK Global Business Mobility visa lawyers will go through your requirements with you and ensure that your application is as strong as it can be, answering your questions throughout and providing you with the advice that you need to successfully secure your visa.

To discuss your situation with our industry-leading business immigration solicitors, you can call us on 03456 381381 or email immigrationteam@ibblaw.co.uk.

How to get a UK Global Business Mobility visa in the UK

In the guidance below, you can find more information in the following key areas:

Who can apply for a Global Business Mobility visa?
How do I get a Global Business Mobility visa?
How long can I stay in the UK on a Global Business Mobility visa?
Choosing the right type of Global Business Mobility visa
Global Business Mobility visa refusals
Renewing a Global Business Mobility visa

Who can apply for a Global Business Mobility visa?

There are five subcategories of Global Business Mobility visa to choose from, each with its own eligibility criteria, as follows:

Senior or Specialist Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)

You should be working for your employer and sponsor and have worked for them outside of the UK for at least twelve months in total, unless you will be working in the UK on a gross salary of £73,900 or more
You will need to have a Certificate of Sponsorship issued by your employer who needs to hold a sponsor licence authorising them to sponsor senior or specialist workers
Your sponsorship should be for a job with a salary of at least £42,400 per annum or the going rate for that job, whichever is higher. The going rate can be checked on the UK government website

Service Supplier visa (Global Business Mobility)

You should currently work for an overseas service provider who will provide their services to an organisation holding a UK sponsor licence. You need to have held this position for at least twelve months
You should have been issued with a valid certificate of sponsorship and the service you will be providing should be covered by an international trade agreement
The sponsorship will be for a job with an appropriate minimum skill level or you should hold a university degree or other equivalent level qualification

UK Expansion Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)

You will need a certificate of sponsorship from your employer, who should hold a valid sponsor licence
You must have been employed by them outside of the UK for twelve months unless you earn over £73,900 or are a Japanese national working for a Japanese company that will be expanding into the UK
Your job should be on the UK list of eligible occupations, which you can check by asking your employer for the four-digit occupation code
The salary should be at least £42,400 per year or the going rate for the job, whichever is higher

Secondment Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)

To be eligible for a Secondment Worker visa you will need to be employed by an overseas organisation that has a high-value contract approved by the Home Office and held by a UK organisation that is able to provide you with a valid certificate of sponsorship, which should include information about the work you will be doing
You need to have worked for your employer for at least twelve months outside of the UK
The job you will be doing in the UK should be on the government’s list of eligible occupations

Graduate Trainee visa (Global Business Mobility)

You will need to be employed by an organisation that is able to provide a certificate of sponsorship and have worked for them outside of the UK for a minimum of three months directly before you apply
The job you will be taking up should be on the UK government’s list of eligible occupations and should offer a salary of at least £23,100 per year

You cannot switch to this visa from inside of the UK.

How do I get a Global Business Mobility visa?

You will need to apply online for your Global Business mobility visa, proving your identity as part of the process. This will either be done at a visa application centre, where you will apply for a biometric residence permit, or by using the UK Immigration: ID Check app.

Your visa application form should include relevant documents in support, such as:

Your certificate of sponsorship reference number
A valid passport
Details of your job, to include your job title and the occupation code
Your sponsor’s name and sponsor licence number
Bank statements or other evidence that you can support yourself financially while in the UK, unless your sponsor confirms on the certificate of sponsorship that they will be supporting you
Proof of your relationship with your partner or child if they will also be applying for a UK visa
Results of a tuberculosis test if you are from an affected country
Proof that you have worked for your employer outside of the UK, such as payslips, bank statements, invoices for work you have done, copies of your accounts and the lease for your business premises

How long can I stay in the UK on a Global Business Mobility visa?

If you are granted a Senior Specialist Worker visa, you can stay in the UK for either the time on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days or five years, whichever is the shorter.

For a Service Supplier visa, you can stay for six or twelve months, depending on your trade agreement or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.

If you hold a Secondment Worker visa, an Expansion Worker visa, or a Graduate Trainee visa, you can stay for twelve months after the start date on your certificate of sponsorship or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.

Choosing the right type of Global Business Mobility visa

You will need to carefully consider which type of Global Business Mobility visa is right for your circumstances and ensure you apply for the correct route. If mistakes are made, it could be expensive and take a lengthy amount of time to secure the right visa.

A Senior or Specialist Worker visa is for senior managers and employees who are specialists in their field who will undertake a temporary role in the UK.

A Service Supplier visa is for someone who holds a contract to provide services to a UK company. The applicant can be an employee of an overseas company or a self-employed professional based overseas.

Secondment Worker visa holders will be eligible to take up a temporary job in the UK to fulfil a high value contract for their overseas employer.

A UK Expansion Worker visa is for those wishing to come to the UK on behalf of an overseas business to set up a UK branch. In this case, the business will not yet have a UK presence. If the business is already trading in the UK, you will generally need to apply for a Senior or Specialist Worker visa.

If your job will be part of a graduate training programme for a managerial or specialist role and you will be working in the UK for your employer, the right visa is the Graduate Trainee visa.

Global Business Mobility visa refusals

Your visa application may be refused if you have not provided enough information or if the information you have provided is not correct. There could be other issues such as not establishing that you meet the skill requirement or not having the required minimum salary.

If you receive a letter refusing your visa application, it will set out the options open to you. You may be able to request an administrative review if you believe that the authorities have made an error in processing your application.

Where you have made errors in your original forms, you could make a fresh application. In some circumstances, you can ask for a judicial review of the decision, where you believe that the result was either unlawful or not reasonable.

Renewing a Global Business Mobility visa

You can generally renew a Global Business Mobility visa if you are a Senior or Specialist Worker, a Secondment Worker or an Expansion Worker if the following apply:

You still hold the same job as you did when you were originally granted your visa
The job has the same occupation code as it did originally
You are still working for the same employer who provided your current certificate of sponsorship
You have not reached the maximum total stay

If you hold a Service Supplier visa, you can renew this if:

You still work for your original sponsor
You have not reached the maximum total stay
You still have the job, qualifications and experience required under the eligibility criteria

A Graduate Trainee Global Business Mobility visa cannot be renewed, although it may be possible to apply for another Graduate Trainee visa from outside of the UK.

Get immediate expert advice on UK Global Business Mobility visas

If you need expert UK Global Business Mobility visa advice, our expert immigration lawyers will be happy to help.