The Global Mobility visa encompasses five new visa categories, whilst replacing four existing routes, with the view to simplifying the process for overseas businesses sending specialist workers to the UK temporarily. The new categories opened to applicants from 11 April 2022.
It is important to note that given their temporary nature, these new routes do not lead to settlement. Individuals seeking eventual indefinite leave to remain would need to switch to another route, such as the Skilled Worker visa, and accumulate the required continuous period.
The Senior or Specialist Worker route will replace the existing Intra-Company visa. This is aimed at workers assigned to the UK entity from their linked overseas employer. Applicants must be sponsored, have worked for the employer for at least 12 months prior to their application, meet the eligible occupation and salary requirements, and evidence that they can financially maintain themselves in the UK (unless certified).
Senior or Specialist Workers can apply to stay for up to five years in the UK and can be accompanied by dependants.
Similarly, the Graduate Trainee route will replace its mirroring provisions within the Intra-Company visa. This is aimed at graduates in training positions at a linked overseas employer that will lead to senior management or specialist employment, and where a UK placement is required.
Graduate trainees are subject to the same requirements as individuals applying under Senior or Specialist Workers, but are subject to lower salary requirements and a shorter prior employment period of at least three months.
Applicants will generally be permitted to stay for up to a year, unless they have already spent time on other Global Mobility routes, and can be accompanied by dependants.
Senior management or specialist employees can separately apply under this route if they intend to assist with establishing a UK entity that has not yet started trading. This route will replace the Sole Representative elements of the Representative of Overseas Business visa; however, unlike its predecessor, individuals applying under this route will require sponsorship.
Alongside being sponsored, the applicant must have worked for the overseas group for at least 12 months prior to their application, meet the eligible occupation and salary requirements, and evidence that they can financially maintain themselves in the UK (unless certified).
Applicants will generally be permitted to stay for up to a year, unless they have already spent time on other Global Mobility routes, and can be accompanied by dependants. Clarification is expected on how licences can be obtained for companies that have yet to trade.
The Service Supplier route will be open to contractual service suppliers, whether employed by overseas providers or self-employed, where the services are covered by UK international trade agreements. This will replace the mirroring provisions of the Temporary Work – International Agreement visa.
Applicants must be sponsored by an employer authorised to sponsor service suppliers, have provided services/worked for an overseas provider for at least 12 months, and meet certain nationality requirements. There is no specific salary requirement, but the job must be at a certain skill level and the applicant should be able to financially maintain themselves in the UK.
Applicants may be granted entry for 6 or 12 month periods and can be accompanied by dependants.
Unlike Global Mobility’s other categories, Secondment route is an entirely new route aimed at individuals who will be seconded to the UK as part of a high value contract or investment. Applicants must be sponsored, have worked for the overseas business for at least 12 months prior to their application, meet the relevant skill level, and evidence that they can financially maintain themselves in the UK.
Applicants will generally be permitted to stay for up to a year, unless they have already spent time on other Global Mobility routes, and can be accompanied by dependants.
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