WH Solicitors
Global Mobility
The Secondment Worker visa is intended for overseas workers who are taking up a temporary work position in the UK as part of a high-value contract, investment, or project. This is a brand-new visa scheme that was launched by the Government alongside reforms to other types of Global Mobility Visa.
There are strict entry requirements for anyone who wishes to apply for a Secondment Worker visa. This makes it even more important to put forward the strongest possible application with supporting evidence to demonstrate exactly why you qualify and how you’ll be an asset to your employer and the organisation you’ll be on secondment to.
This guide explains more about the Global Business Mobility: Secondment Worker visa. Read on to learn more about how the experienced WH Solicitors team could help you to file a successful visa application.
Contact the Team
H2: What is the Global Business Mobility Visa Scheme?
On 15 March 2022, the UK Government launched a new set of visa schemes under the revised points-based immigration system. The Global Mobility visa scheme was established at this time, and provides skilled workers with a variety of routes to enter and work in the UK for a temporary period.
H2: Global Business Mobility Visa –Requirements for Secondment Workers
To qualify for a Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker Visa, you will need to show that you meet the relevant requirements. You must:
- Get a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from a UK employer with a sponsor licence from the Home Office.
- Have been approved for a secondment to a UK business or organisation that has a contract with your overseas employer for the work that you will do.
- Have worked for your overseas employer, or a member of the same business group, for at least 12 months before making an application.
- Have been sponsored for a job that is on the government’s list of eligible occupations.
- Be paid at least the minimum eligible salary for the role you are taking.
- Be able to show that you have sufficient funds to maintain yourself when you come to the UK.
H2: Getting a Certificate of Sponsorship
To get approved for a Secondment Worker visa, you will need a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from a UK business that has received a sponsorship licence from the Home Office. The sponsorship certificate will provide details of the work that you will do whilst in the UK, and show that your overseas employer is connected to the secondment business by common ownership or control.
In some cases, the Home Office may consider whether there is a genuine need for the job described in the Certificate of Sponsorship. They may also wish to investigate the sponsor’s history with the immigration system to determine whether they are likely to comply with the relevant rules including those relating to pay and working conditions for migrant workers.
H2: Visa Conditions
Once you have been approved for a Secondment Worker visa, you will be able to stay in the UK for the shorter of either a period of 12 months, or for a maximum of 14 days longer than the date shown on your sponsorship certificate.
Whilst in the UK, you will be permitted to work for your sponsor in the job that is described on your certificate of sponsorship, start an educational course and study, bring your dependant partner, spouse or children to the UK if they are eligible, undertake voluntary or charity work, and travel overseas and return to the UK.
Secondment Worker visa holders are not permitted to do the following:
- apply for public funds, most benefits, or the State Pension;
- change to another job without updating their visa;
- take on a second job;
- apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain to stay in the UK permanently.
H2: How We Can Help
WH Solicitors is a specialist immigration law practice that offers expert advice and practical help that allows businesses and individual migrants to navigate the UK legal system. We make it easy for clients to apply for a visa and assist companies as they apply for a sponsorship licence.
For a personal, professional approach to immigration law, contact our expert team today by calling (+44) 01483 608 786 or by emailing contact@whsolicitors.co.uk.
Contact the Team
Secondment Worker Visa
FAQs
Yes, all Global Business Mobility visa routes require sponsorship from an employer with a valid sponsorship licence. You will not be able to gain leave to remain as a secondment worker without a valid certificate of sponsorship.
When applying for a Secondment Worker visa, you will usually need to pay:
- the £259 application fee; and
- the healthcare surcharge for each year of your stay in the UK.
You will also need to show that you have enough money to support yourself and any dependants when you come to the UK.
If you will not be coming to the UK on secondment for a project or major contract, you will need to apply for leave to remain under another visa category and will not be able to attain a valid certificate of sponsorship.
Applications for a Secondment Worker visa can be made up to 3 months before the day you intend to start work in the UK. This date should be listed on your certificate of sponsorship.
Once your application has been submitted, it could take up to three weeks for a decision to be made if you are applying from outside the UK, or 8 weeks if you’re already in the country.
Once your application for a Secondment Worker visa is approved, you will usually be granted leave to remain in the UK for a period of one year. It may be possible to apply to extend your visa for a further period of one year after this.
It is important not to spend more than the maximum cumulative time allowed in the UK under any Global Business Mobility route. This is usually a maximum of five years in any six-year period. If you earn £73,900 or more each year, the limit is nine years in any ten-year period.
Yes – you may be able to apply for an extension of one year after having completed a year in the UK on a Secondment Worker visa. The requirements for extending a visa are very similar to those for new applicants.
Yes, the Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker visa allows you to bring your dependant spouse or partner along with any children to the UK. They will also need to meet specific criteria, such as proving their relationship to you, providing an overseas criminal record certificate, and showing a valid Tuberculosis testing certificate if they are coming from a country listed on the government website. They will also need to show that they have sufficient funds to support themselves when they come to the UK.
No – the Secondment Worker visa does not provide a direct route to settlement in the UK. You may be able to switch into another visa category, such as the Skilled Worker visa, before applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain. Schemes within the Global Mobility Visa category do not lead to full settlement in the UK.
The contents of this webpage are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended to constitute legal advice. All information is correct as of the date of publication, and any individual or organisation should be careful to seek qualified advice from a specialist immigration lawyer before acting on any of the topics referenced by this content.