Senior or Specialist Worker Visa (Global Business Mobility)
Do you work for a multinational company?
Senior or Specialist Worker Visa
This route has replaced what was previously known as the Tier 2 Intra Company Transfer.
This a visa route is used by applicants who work for a multinational company that requires them to work in another branch. If you are a part of large company and are being transferred to a branch to the UK, then this would be the visa for you.
Requirement For Senior or Specialist Worker Visa
Unfortunately, it is not as easy as just wanting to transfer to another branch. The Home Office have set requirements that need to be met for an applicant to be eligible. These are as followed:
- The applicant must be an existing employee of an organisation that’s been approved by the Home Office as a sponsor
- The applicant must have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your employer with information about the work you will do in the UK
- The applicant must do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations
- The applicant be paid at least £42,400 per year
- The applicant must show that they have at least £1,270 to support themselves
It is very important that the applicant has a sponsorship. Generally, the individuals who use this route have already been employed and wish to work at their company’s UK branch. As well as being employed, the company must provide a certificate of sponsorship no more than 3 months before the application.
Can I switch from another visa?
If you are currently in the UK on another visa, it is possible for you to switch to this route. However, an applicant cannot switch to this visa if they are any of the following:
- Visitor
- Short-term student
- Parent of a child student
- Seasonal worker
- Domestic worker in a private household
- Outside the immigration rules
Can my family join me?
When an applicant applies under this route, they can also apply for their dependants to join them. A separate application will need to be completed for each dependant and where the applications are successful, they will be the same leave as the applicant. A dependent can be:
- A spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner
- Dependent children
Where an applicant wishes to apply with his dependants, he must show he has the relevant funds to support them in addition to the £1,270 to support himself. The required funds are as followed:
- £285 for a dependant spouse, civil partner or unmarried partner
- £315 for a first child
- £200 for each subsequent child
Settlement
This visa does not count as a route towards settlement, and nor will the leave under this route count towards any other leave towards settlement. You can however extend your current leave once this expires.
If you wish for further information regarding this route, and help with a certificate of sponsorship, we are more than happy to advise and assist you with this.