Global Business Mobility Visa Guide 2025

Global Business Mobility Visa Guide 2025

Blog Article

The Global Business Mobility Visa is a key UK immigration route designed for overseas businesses aiming to temporarily transfer workers to the UK for specific business purposes. Introduced in 2022 and continuously refined since, it consolidates five distinct pathways to streamline the UK’s temporary copyright offering under a single, business-focused category.

The visa route supports international trade, skills transfer, and global expansion, aligning with the UK's strategy to attract top talent while controlling migration numbers through sponsor compliance. It is particularly useful for multinational companies and service providers engaging with UK clients or launching UK branches.

The Global Business Mobility Visa in 2025 continues to function under five sub-categories:

1. Senior or Specialist Worker
   
   


2. Graduate Trainee
   
   


3. UK Expansion Worker
   
   


4. Secondment Worker
   
   


5. Service Supplier

Understanding the Five Global Business Mobility Visa Routes

The Global Business Mobility Visa is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It is a collection of five tailored sub-categories designed to accommodate a variety of international business scenarios. Each route serves a specific purpose, caters to distinct applicant profiles, and has unique eligibility requirements. Below is a breakdown of each:

1. Senior or Specialist Worker Route

This route is for senior executives or highly skilled specialists being transferred to a UK branch of an overseas business.

Key Features:

• Replaces the former Intra-Company Transfer visa.
  
  


• Applicants must be working for the overseas business and have at least 12 months' experience (unless earning £73,900+).
  
  


• Minimum salary requirement: £48,500 or the "going rate" for the occupation (whichever is higher).
  
  


• No English language requirement.
  
  

2. Graduate Trainee Route

This route is designed for employees enrolled in a structured graduate training programme who are being transferred to the UK branch for a temporary work placement.

Key Features:

• Replaces the Intra-Company Graduate Trainee visa.
  
  


• Applicants must be recent graduates with at least 3 months’ experience at the overseas entity.
  
  


• Maximum stay is 12 months.
  
  


• Minimum salary requirement: £24,220 or 70% of the "going rate" for the occupation.
  
  

3. UK Expansion Worker Route

This visa supports overseas companies looking to set up a branch or subsidiary in the UK.

Key Features:

• Replaces the Representative of an Overseas Business visa.
  
  


• Applicants must be senior employees or specialists tasked with launching the UK entity.
  
  


• Sponsor Licence required — the overseas business must not have begun trading in the UK yet.
  
  


• Maximum stay is 12 months initially (renewable up to 2 years total).
  
  

4. Secondment Worker Route

This visa supports workers being seconded to a UK organisation as part of a high-value contract or joint venture.

Key Features:

• Newly introduced route in the Global Business Mobility category.
  
  


• Secondments must be based on a genuine commercial contract worth at least £50 million.
  
  


• Workers must have been employed overseas for at least 12 months.
  
  

5. Service Supplier Route

This route is for overseas self-employed professionals or employees delivering services in the UK under a UK trade agreement.

Key Features:

• Replaces parts of the International Agreement route.
  
  


• Applicants must work for a service provider with a UK contract covered by a relevant trade agreement (e.g., UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement).
  
  


• May be self-employed or employed.
  
  


• English language ability required (Level A1 CEFR).
  
  

General Eligibility Criteria for the Global Business Mobility Visa

Understanding the eligibility criteria is essential for any business or applicant considering one of the five Global Business Mobility routes. While each route has its specific criteria, the Home Office has outlined overarching standards that every applicant must meet. Below, we break down these general criteria in greater detail.

1. Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)

A valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is the foundation of any Global Business Mobility copyright. The sponsoring UK business must:

• Hold a valid Sponsor Licence under the correct category (e.g. Senior or Specialist Worker, UK Expansion Worker, etc.).
  
  


• Issue the CoS not more than 3 months before the date of application.
  
  


• Clearly outline job title, SOC code, start and end dates, salary, and job location.
  
  


• Indicate whether maintenance will be certified by the employer.
  
  

2. Genuine Vacancy Requirement

The job being offered must be genuine and not created to simply facilitate entry to the UK.

• The Home Office will assess whether the role matches the duties outlined in the SOC code.
  
  


• The job should not be a sham or overly tailored to a specific individual.
  
  


• The employer must be able to justify the business need for transferring this role to the UK.
  
  

3. Appropriate Skill Level

The job must meet the minimum skill level assigned to the visa route:

• RQF Level 6 (graduate-level roles) for Senior or Specialist Worker and Secondment Worker routes.
  
  


• RQF Level 3 or 4 may apply for the Graduate Trainee route.
  
  


• The Service Supplier route may follow specific requirements under international trade agreements.
  
  

4. Salary Thresholds and Going Rates

As of 2025, general salary benchmarks include:

• Senior or Specialist Worker: £45,800 or £23.00/hour
  
  


• UK Expansion Worker: £42,000
  
  


• Graduate Trainee: £24,220
  
  


• Service Supplier: Depends on trade agreement
  
  


• Secondment Worker: Determined by SOC code
  
  

5. Overseas Employment History

Proof of employment with the overseas business is mandatory and must be demonstrated through:

• Employment contracts
  
  


• Payslips
  
  


• Letters of confirmation from the employer
  
  


• Evidence of company relationship if part of a group or joint venture
  
  

Minimum overseas employment periods:

• 12 months for Senior or Specialist Worker, Secondment Worker, and UK Expansion Worker
  
  


• 3 months for Graduate Trainee
  
  


• Varies for Service Suppliers depending on sector and trade agreement

6. Financial Maintenance

To prevent the UK public purse from being burdened, applicants must demonstrate financial self-sufficiency by showing:

• At least £1,270 in personal savings.
  
  


• Funds must have been held for a minimum of 28 consecutive days before application.
  
  


• The financial requirement can be waived if the UK sponsor certifies maintenance on the CoS.
  
  

Dependants: Additional funds are required per dependant:

• Partner: £285
  
  


• First child: £315
  
  


• Each additional child: £200
  
  

7. Clean Immigration Record

The applicant must be a law-abiding migrant with no serious immigration or criminal history:

• No history of visa overstaying or unlawful stay in the UK.
  
  


• Must not be subject to a re-entry ban.
  
  


• No past visa refusals on the basis of deception or false documentation.

8. Tuberculosis (TB) Certificate

Applicants from countries listed on the UK Home Office TB testing list must provide a certificate from a recognised clinic if:

• They are applying from outside the UK, and
  
  


• The intended stay exceeds 6 months.
  
  

The test must be completed at a clinic approved by the Home Office. Certificates are valid for 6 months.

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