Global Business Mobility Visa: Requirements, Routes and Rules

The Global Business Mobility (GBM) routes are a collection of five sponsored UK work visas under Appendix Global Business Mobility of the Immigration Rules that allow overseas businesses to temporarily deploy staff to the UK. These routes facilitate intra-company transfers, overseas business expansions, service delivery under international trade agreements, and secondments under high-value commercial contracts. Unlike standard economic immigration routes, GBM visas do not require applicants to satisfy an English language requirement, but they do not lead directly to permanent settlement in the United Kingdom.

Key facts

The table below outlines the core requirements, financial thresholds, maximum stay allowances, and legal provisions for each of the five Global Business Mobility sub-routes.

What is the Global Business Mobility framework?

The Global Business Mobility framework was introduced on 11 April 2022 to consolidate several legacy business and temporary work routes into a unified immigration system. Codified under Appendix Global Business Mobility of the UK Immigration Rules, it replaced previous categories such as the Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) visa, the Intra-Company Graduate Trainee visa, the Sole Representative of an Overseas Business visa, and the contractual service supplier provisions under the Temporary Work - International Agreement route.

The framework is designed exclusively for businesses that have an overseas presence and need to deploy workers to the UK for specific, time-limited commercial purposes. It is structured around five distinct visa sub-categories:

1. Senior or Specialist Worker: For established employees transferring to a linked UK branch, subsidiary, or parent company to undertake temporary senior management or highly specialised technical roles.
2. Graduate Trainee: For overseas employees transferring to a linked UK entity as part of a structured graduate training programme leading to a senior management or specialist position.
3. UK Expansion Worker: For senior managers or specialist employees deployed to establish the UK presence of an overseas business that has not yet begun trading in the UK.
4. Service Supplier: For overseas contractual service suppliers or independent self-employed professionals coming to the UK to deliver services covered by an eligible UK international trade agreement.
5. Secondment Worker: For overseas workers transferring to a UK organisation to undertake a temporary assignment under a qualifying high-value investment or commercial contract worth at least £50 million.

A central legal characteristic of all five GBM routes is that they do not provide a direct pathway to indefinite leave to remain (ILR). Time spent in the UK under a GBM visa does not count towards the standard five-year qualifying period for settlement, although it can be combined with other lawful leave under the ten-year continuous lawful residence provisions set out in Appendix Long Residence.

Detailed eligibility requirements across all 5 sub-routes

Every applicant applying under the Global Business Mobility umbrella must satisfy general validity, suitability, and eligibility requirements, alongside the specific requirements of their nominated sub-route.

                   GLOBAL BUSINESS MOBILITY (GBM)
                                 │
     ┌───────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────┐
     ▼                           ▼                           ▼
[Intra-Company]           [UK Presence]              [Contractual]
  • Senior / Specialist     • UK Expansion Worker      • Service Supplier
  • Graduate Trainee                                   • Secondment Worker

1. Senior or Specialist Worker Route

The Senior or Specialist Worker visa accommodates corporate transferees moving between linked corporate entities.

• Corporate Link: The overseas employer and the UK sponsor must share common ownership or control, evidenced by a parent-subsidiary relationship, joint venture, or shared corporate group structure approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
• Prior Service: The worker must have been employed by the overseas group for at least 12 continuous months immediately prior to the date of application. This requirement is waived if the applicant's gross annual salary in the UK will be at least £73,900.
• Skill Level: The role must be listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations at Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) Level 6 or above (equivalent to standard UK degree level).
• Salary Requirement: The applicant must be paid an annual gross salary of at least £48,500 or the full standard "going rate" for their specific occupation code under Appendix Skilled Occupations, whichever is higher. Salaries cannot be made up of unguaranteed bonuses or discretionary allowances.

2. Graduate Trainee Route

This sub-route is targeted at recent graduates moving through an international corporate training programme.

• Corporate Link: The same linked corporate ownership requirements apply as in the Senior or Specialist Worker route.
• Prior Service: The applicant must have completed at least 3 continuous months of employment with the overseas business directly preceding the application.
• Structured Training Programme: The UK role must be part of a genuine, structured graduate programme with clear progression towards a managerial or specialist appointment within the organisation. Sponsors must submit evidence of the programme syllabus and structure to UKVI when requesting a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).
• Salary and Skill Level: The job must be at RQF Level 6 or above. The minimum salary threshold is £25,410 per year or 70% of the occupation's standard going rate, whichever is higher.

3. UK Expansion Worker Route

The UK Expansion Worker visa replaced the previous Sole Representative visa. It allows overseas companies that have not yet traded in the UK to send personnel to establish a commercial branch or wholly-owned subsidiary.

• Trading History: The overseas parent company must have been actively trading outside the UK for at least 3 years (unless establishing a UK presence under specific provisions of the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement).
• UK Footprint: The overseas business must prove a credible intention to establish a genuine UK footprint (such as holding UK commercial lease premises or registering with Companies House), but it must not have commenced trading in the UK.
• Prior Service: Applicants must have worked for the overseas entity for at least 12 continuous months, unless earning £73,900 or more, or holding Japanese nationality establishing under the UK-Japan CEPA.
• Authorising Officer Mechanics: If the overseas business does not have an existing settled UK resident to act as Authorising Officer (AO), the primary Expansion Worker applicant may be appointed as the provisional AO on the licence. In this scenario, the sponsor is granted a provisional licence rating with an initial CoS allocation of 1.
• Staff Cap: A maximum of 5 expansion workers may be sponsored simultaneously under a UK Expansion Worker licence during the establishment phase.
• Salary and Skill Level: Roles must be at RQF Level 6 or above, with a minimum salary of £48,500 per year or 100% of the going rate.

4. Service Supplier Route

The Service Supplier visa allows overseas contractual service suppliers and independent professionals to enter the UK temporarily to deliver services pursuant to an international trade agreement signed by the UK.

• Eligible Trade Agreements: The service must fall directly within an agreement the UK has entered into, such as the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), the UK-Japan CEPA, or specific bilateral Free Trade Agreements. The Home Office publishes a defined schedule of covered sectors and reservations under Service Supplier visa: eligible trade agreements and sectors.
• Service Contract: There must be a genuine, formal contract between the overseas enterprise and the UK sponsor, registered and approved by the Home Office. The UK sponsor must be the final consumer of the service or the organisation contracting the service directly.
• Experience Requirements:
  • Contractual Service Suppliers: Must have worked for the overseas service provider for at least 12 months immediately preceding the application, with at least 3 years of professional experience in the relevant sector.
  • Self-Employed Independent Professionals: Must have at least 6 years of professional experience in the relevant sector.
• Qualifications: Must hold a relevant university degree or equivalent technical qualification that meets the specific requirements of the trade agreement.
• Remuneration: The applicant must be paid in compliance with the UK National Minimum Wage regulations throughout their stay.

5. Secondment Worker Route

The Secondment Worker visa facilitates the transfer of overseas staff to a UK business to undertake work connected to a high-value commercial contract.

• Qualifying High-Value Contract: The overseas employer and the UK sponsor must have entered into a contract registered and approved by the Home Office with an aggregate investment or transactional value of at least £50 million.
• Prior Service: The applicant must have been employed by the overseas sending organisation for at least 12 continuous months outside the UK prior to applying.
• Skill Level: The role must be skilled to at least RQF Level 6 under Appendix Skilled Occupations.
• Remuneration: The worker must receive remuneration that meets or exceeds the UK National Minimum Wage throughout their assignment.

Global Business Mobility vs Skilled Worker: Intra-Company Decisions

Employers frequently evaluate whether to use the Global Business Mobility framework (specifically the Senior or Specialist Worker route) or the Skilled Worker visa to move intra-company personnel. While both require sponsorship by a UK entity, their legal frameworks, financial burdens, and strategic implications differ significantly.

                      STRATEGIC ROUTE SELECTION
                                 │
     ┌───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────┐
     ▼                                                       ▼
[Senior / Specialist Worker]                        [Skilled Worker]
  • No English test required                          • English language required (B1)
  • Salary: £48,500 / 100% going rate                 • Salary: £38,700 / 100% going rate
  • Prior overseas service required                   • No prior overseas service required
  • Maximum stay: 5 or 9 years                        • Indefinite stay (renewable)
  • No direct settlement route                        • Leads to Settlement (ILR) after 5 yrs

Comparative Analysis: GBM vs Skilled Worker

Strategic Decision Matrix for Employers

• When to deploy via Global Business Mobility:

  1. Urgent Senior Deployments Without Language Certification: If an executive or technical specialist cannot easily pass a Secure English Language Test (SELT) or does not hold a degree taught in English, GBM avoids this hurdle completely.
  2. Short-Term Secondments: When the commercial objective is strictly temporary (for example, a 1-to-2-year assignment to oversee project implementation or align internal processes), and the business does not intend to retain the employee permanently in the UK.
  3. Temporary EU Intracompany Assignments: Under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, EU intra-corporate transferees staying under 36 months may be exempt from the Immigration Skills Charge, reducing direct sponsorship costs.

• When to deploy via the Skilled Worker Route:

  1. Long-Term Talent Retention and Settlement: If the business aims to retain the individual permanently in the UK, the Skilled Worker route starts the 5-year clock for Settlement and ILR from Day 1.
  2. Lower Minimum Salary Thresholds: The general salary threshold for Skilled Workers is £38,700, which is lower than the £48,500 threshold required for Senior or Specialist Workers.
  3. New Hires: If the candidate has worked for the overseas sending company for less than 12 months, they do not qualify for the Senior or Specialist Worker route, making the Skilled Worker visa the primary option.

Global Business Mobility vs Sponsor Licence: Understanding the Structure

A common area of confusion for expanding organisations is whether to apply for "Global Business Mobility" or a "Sponsor Licence". These are not alternative choices.

A Sponsor licence is the legal permission granted by the Home Office to a UK business entity enabling it to sponsor foreign nationals. Global Business Mobility is the overarching immigration category under which specific visas sit.

To use any GBM route, a UK organisation must hold an active Sponsor Licence with the relevant GBM sub-category rating.

                         UK SPONSOR LICENCE
                                 │
     ┌───────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────┐
     ▼                                                       ▼
[Worker Category]                               [Temporary Worker Category]
  • Skilled Worker                                • Global Business Mobility (GBM):
                                                    - Senior or Specialist Worker
                                                    - Graduate Trainee
                                                    - UK Expansion Worker
                                                    - Service Supplier
                                                    - Secondment Worker

Adding GBM Categories to an Existing Licence

If a business already holds a valid Skilled Worker licence, it does not apply for an entirely new licence from scratch. Instead, it submits a licence extension request via the Home Office Sponsor Management System (SMS) to add the desired GBM sub-tiers:

1. Log into the SMS portal.
2. Navigate to "Licence details" and select "Request changes to licence".
3. Select "Add tier/sub-tier" and choose the specific GBM sub-routes required (e.g., Senior or Specialist Worker, Secondment Worker).
4. Submit the required corporate evidence proving the link between the overseas organisation and the UK entity (e.g., group structure charts, audited corporate accounts showing common parentage, or registered service contracts).

Establishing a UK Expansion Worker Licence

For organisations with no trading presence in the UK, the procedure differs:

• The overseas business applies directly for a UK Expansion Worker sponsor licence.
• Because the UK entity does not yet have local settled employees to act as Key Personnel, an overseas senior employee can be named as the Authorising Officer (AO).
• Upon approval, UKVI issues a Provisional Rating and grants an initial allocation of 1 Certificate of Sponsorship.
• Once the Authorising Officer uses that CoS to secure their UK Expansion Worker visa and arrives in the UK, they can appoint UK-based settled staff as Level 1 Users and apply to upgrade the licence rating to an A-rating, unlocking the remaining CoS allocation (up to a total limit of 5).

Step-by-Step Application Process

Securing a visa under the Global Business Mobility framework involves three distinct phases: sponsor licence authorisation, Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) assignment, and individual visa application processing.

┌─────────────────┐     ┌─────────────────┐     ┌─────────────────┐     ┌─────────────────┐
│ 1. Sponsor      │ ──> │ 2. Assign CoS   │ ──> │ 3. Submit Visa  │ ──> │ 4. Biometrics   │
│    Licence      │     │    to Candidate │     │    Online & IHS │     │    & Decision   │
└─────────────────┘     └─────────────────┘     └─────────────────┘     └─────────────────┘

Step 1: Secure or Update the Sponsor Licence

The UK organisation must hold a valid sponsor licence covering the relevant GBM category. The business must allocate internal Key Personnel:

• Authorising Officer (AO): Senior officer responsible for overall licence compliance.
• Key Contact: Primary liaison with UKVI caseworkers.
• Level 1 User: System user who assigns Certificates of Sponsorship via the SMS.

Step 2: Request and Assign a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)

• Defined vs Undefined CoS: Unlike the Skilled Worker route, which uses Defined CoS for overseas candidates, GBM allocations are managed via annual Undefined CoS allocations approved on the sponsor's licence.
• The Level 1 User accesses the SMS, selects the appropriate GBM sub-tier, enters the candidate's personal data, job description, relevant 4-digit SOC 2020 occupation code, and gross salary.
• The sponsor pays the £25 CoS assignment fee (and the Immigration Skills Charge, if applicable).
• A unique CoS reference number is generated. The CoS remains valid for 3 months from the date of issue.

Step 3: Complete the Online Individual Visa Application

The foreign national accesses the official portal on GOV.UK:

• Submits personal identification, employment background, and passport details.
• Inputs the valid CoS reference number.
• Pays the visa application fee (£719 or £1,420 for Senior/Specialist workers, or £298 for other GBM routes).
• Pays the mandatory Immigration Health Surcharge (£1,035 per year of leave requested).

Step 4: Biometric Enrolment and Document Submission

• Outside the UK: Applicants either schedule an in-person appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) to enrol fingerprints and photographs, or utilise the "UK Immigration: ID Check" smartphone app (for eligible biometric passport holders).
• Inside the UK (Switching/Extension): Eligible applicants switch or extend using the ID Check app or attend a UKVCAS service point.
• Supporting documentation is uploaded electronically through the VAC portal before the appointment.

Step 5: Visa Decision and Border Entry

• Once approved, out-of-country applicants receive a 90-day entry vignette placed in their passport (or digital immigration status via an eVisa linked to their UKVI account).
• Upon arrival in the UK, the individual must collect their physical Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) within 10 days if a physical vignette was issued, or confirm their digital status.
• The UK sponsor must carry out a compliant statutory Right to Work check before the worker's first day of employment.

Mandatory Supporting Documents Checklist

To ensure compliance with UKVI requirements, applicants and sponsors must compile comprehensive documentary evidence.

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    GBM APPLICATION DOCUMENTATION                           │
├─────────────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Applicant Personal Documents        │ Corporate & Sponsorship Documents    │
├─────────────────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────┤
│ • Valid Passport (6+ months)        │ • Valid Certificate of Sponsorship   │
│ • Proof of overseas employment      │ • Evidence of corporate linkage      │
│   (12 / 3 months bank statements &  │   (Group accounts, register of       │
│   payslips)                         │   members, audited reports)          │
│ • Financial maintenance proof       │ • High-value contract (£50m+)        │
│   (£1,270 held for 28 days or       │   (Secondment Worker only)           │
│   sponsor certification)            │ • Eligible trade agreement proof     │
│ • Tuberculosis (TB) test certificate│   (Service Supplier only)            │
│   (from approved clinic if required)│ • Structured training syllabus       │
│ • ATAS certificate (if applicable)  │   (Graduate Trainee only)            │
└─────────────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────┘

Applicant Personal Documents

1. Valid Passport: Must contain at least one blank page for the visa vignette.
2. Evidence of Prior Employment:
   • 12 consecutive months of historical payslips (3 months for Graduate Trainee).
   • Corresponding personal bank statements showing salary credits from the overseas sending entity.
   • Official letter from the overseas employer confirming start date, job role, and continuous service.
3. Financial Maintenance: Bank statements demonstrating cleared funds of at least £1,270 held for a continuous 28-day period (ending no more than 31 days before the application date), unless the sponsor's A-rated licence certifies maintenance on the CoS.
4. Tuberculosis (TB) Test Certificate: Required if applying from a country listed under Appendix Tuberculosis of the Immigration Rules where the stay exceeds 6 months.
5. Academic & Professional Qualifications: Certified copies of university degree certificates, technical diplomas, or professional regulatory registrations (crucial for Service Suppliers and Graduate Trainees).
6. Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) Certificate: Required if the role involves sensitive research at RQF Level 7 or above in specified technical fields.

Corporate & Sponsorship Documents

1. Corporate Linkage Proof: Companies House registration certificates, audited consolidated group financial statements, or share registers establishing common parentage between sending and receiving entities.
2. Trade Agreement Service Contract: For Service Suppliers, a copy of the formal tender or signed commercial agreement falling within a recognised international trade protocol.
3. Commercial Investment Contract: For Secondment Workers, a full copy of the underlying commercial agreement demonstrating a contract value of at least £50 million.
4. Graduate Programme Framework: Detailed course syllabus, objectives, milestone evaluations, and progression pathways.

Costs, Surcharges, and Processing Timelines

Deploying personnel under the Global Business Mobility framework involves application fees, statutory health surcharges, administrative levies, and potential expedited service costs.

Summary of Direct Government Fees

Sources: UK visa fees tool, Pay for UK healthcare, UK visa sponsorship for employers.

Processing Times

According to standard UKVI published service standards:

• Out-of-Country Applications: Standard processing takes 3 weeks from the date biometric information is submitted.
• In-Country Applications (Switching/Extensions): Standard processing takes 8 weeks.
• Expedited Services:
  • Priority Service: Decision within 5 working days.
  • Super Priority Service: Decision by the end of the next working day.

Common Refusal Reasons and Compliance Pitfalls

Applications under Appendix Global Business Mobility face rigorous scrutiny from UKVI caseworkers. Refusals generally arise from technical mismatches in salary, employment history, or corporate linkage.

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                       PRIMARY REFUSAL RISKS                                │
├─────────────────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 1. Salary Undercutting              │ 4. Cumulative Maximum Stay Breaches  │
│    Failing 100% going rate or pro-  │    Exceeding 5-in-6 or 9-in-10 year  │
│    rated 37.5hr threshold           │    limits across ICT and GBM routes  │
├─────────────────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 2. Insufficient Overseas Service    │ 5. Genuineness Test Failure          │
│    Gaps in 12-month payslips/bank   │    Unsubstantiated business need or  │
│    records prior to submission      │    ineligible trade agreement sector │
├─────────────────────────────────────┼──────────────────────────────────────┤
│ 3. SOC Code Misclassification       │ 6. Ineligible Corporate Linkage      │
│    Selecting sub-degree occupation  │    Unapproved commercial affiliates  │
│    codes or mismatched duties       │    or unrecognised joint ventures    │
└─────────────────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────────────┘

1. Inaccurate Salary Calculations and Pro-Rating

The Home Office assesses gross guaranteed basic salary based on a standard 37.5-hour working week.

• If a Senior or Specialist Worker is contracted to work 40 hours per week at an annual salary of £48,500, their equivalent 37.5-hour salary is £45,468.75. This falls below the £48,500 absolute threshold and results in an automatic refusal.
• Discretionary allowances, overtime pay, performance bonuses, and accommodation allowances cannot be counted towards the general £48,500 threshold (although specific, guaranteed living cost allowances may count towards the going rate under strict Appendix GBM provisions).

2. Failure to Prove 12 Months Continuous Overseas Service

Caseworkers cross-reference every payslip with bank statements. Common issues include:

• Unexplained gaps in monthly salary deposits.
• Salary paid by an unlinked third-party payroll agency without legal explanation.
• Periods of unpaid leave that break the continuity of the 12-month qualifying period.

3. Misclassification of Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Codes

Selecting an incorrect occupation code to bypass salary thresholds is a major trigger for refusal. Caseworkers assess the actual day-to-day job duties against the Office for National Statistics (ONS) job descriptions. If the actual responsibilities align with an RQF Level 3 or 4 role rather than the stated RQF Level 6 code, UKVI will refuse the application on "genuineness" grounds.

4. Breaching the Cumulative Maximum Length of Stay Limits

Under Appendix Global Business Mobility, strict cumulative limits apply to time spent in the UK across all GBM routes and legacy Intra-Company Transfer visas:

• Workers earning under £73,900 cannot hold leave for more than 5 years in any 6-year rolling period.
• Workers earning £73,900 or more cannot hold leave for more than 9 years in any 10-year rolling period.
• Caseworkers tally every single day spent in the UK under previous Tier 2 (ICT), Intra-Company Transfer, and GBM leave. Applications exceeding these limits are refused with no discretion.

5. Ineligible International Trade Agreements (Service Suppliers)

For Service Suppliers, applications are frequently refused because the specific service sector is subject to an express UK reservation in the governing international trade treaty. Sponsoring organisations must verify that their exact economic sector and the applicant's country of nationality are fully covered under the Service Supplier visa eligible trade agreements guidance.

Refusals, Administrative Review, and Strategic Transitions

When a Global Business Mobility application is refused, the applicant does not have a standard right of immigration appeal before the First-tier Tribunal, unless an express human rights claim was made alongside the application.

┌───────────────────────────────┐
│       GBM Visa Refusal        │
└───────────────┬───────────────┘
                │
        ┌───────┴───────┐
        ▼               ▼
[Administrative Review] [Correct & Re-apply]
 • Within 28 days       • Address specific
   (overseas)             refusal grounds
 • Within 14 days       • Assign new CoS
   (in-country)         • Faster resolution

Administrative Review

The primary legal challenge mechanism is an Administrative Review (AR) under Appendix AR of the Immigration Rules:

• Grounds: The review must demonstrate that UKVI made a case working error (e.g., miscalculating the applicant's pro-rated salary, overlooking uploaded bank statements, or misapplying continuous service rules).
• Deadlines: Must be filed within 28 calendar days of receiving notice of refusal for out-of-country applications, or within 14 calendar days for in-country decisions.
• Limitation: New evidence is generally inadmissible during an Administrative Review unless it is submitted to prove that a document deemed fraudulent by UKVI is genuine.

Correcting and Re-applying

If the refusal was caused by an omission or administrative error made by the applicant or sponsor (such as uploading incomplete bank statements or entering an incorrect salary on the CoS), an Administrative Review will fail. The fastest resolution is usually to:

1. Cancel the flawed Certificate of Sponsorship.
2. Assign a new, corrected CoS via the SMS (paying the £25 fee).
3. Submit a fresh visa application with complete supporting evidence.

Switching from Global Business Mobility to Skilled Worker

Because GBM routes do not lead directly to permanent settlement, many transferees decide to switch into the Skilled Worker route during their time in the UK.

┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│              SWITCHING TO SKILLED WORKER                 │
├──────────────────────────┬───────────────────────────────┤
│ Requirements to Switch   │ Long-Term Benefits            │
├──────────────────────────┼───────────────────────────────┤
│ • Secure Skilled Worker  │ • Resets 5-year clock to      │
│   Sponsorship            │   Settlement / ILR            │
│ • Pass CEFR B1 English   │ • Removes 5-year maximum stay │
│   Language Test          │   cumulative cap              │
│ • Meet £38,700 minimum   │ • Ability to take permanent   │
│   salary threshold       │   employment in the UK        │
└──────────────────────────┴───────────────────────────────┘

• In-Country Switching: Holders of Senior or Specialist Worker, Graduate Trainee, UK Expansion Worker, Service Supplier, or Secondment Worker visas are legally permitted to switch into the Skilled Worker route from within the UK, provided their current visa has not expired.
• English Language Compliance: The applicant must provide evidence of English language proficiency to at least CEFR Level B1 (via an approved SELT test, a qualifying degree taught in English, or qualifying nationality).
• Salary and Going Rate: The applicant must be sponsored at or above the Skilled Worker salary threshold (minimum £38,700 or the occupation's going rate).
• Settlement Clock: The day the Skilled Worker visa is granted marks Day 1 of the applicant's 5-year qualifying period towards Settlement and ILR. Time spent under the Global Business Mobility visa is discarded for the 5-year calculation, though it remains fully valid for a 10-year continuous lawful residence settlement application.

Explore our comprehensive library of immigration Guides for further technical explanations of sponsor compliance, switching mechanisms, and visa application procedures.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Global Business Mobility visa?

The Global Business Mobility framework is a group of five UK immigration sub-routes allowing overseas companies to temporarily deploy staff to the UK for intra-company transfers, corporate expansions, high-value secondments, or contractual service delivery. Governed by Appendix Global Business Mobility of the Immigration Rules, these visas do not require an English language test but do not lead directly to permanent settlement in the UK.

Does the Global Business Mobility visa lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)?

No, none of the five Global Business Mobility routes provide a direct pathway to Indefinite Leave to Remain (settlement) after 5 years. However, time spent lawfully in the UK under a GBM visa can be counted towards the 10-year continuous lawful residence route under Appendix Long Residence. Alternatively, workers can switch into the Skilled Worker route from within the UK to start a 5-year settlement clock.

What is the difference between Global Business Mobility and the Skilled Worker visa?

The Senior or Specialist Worker GBM route is designed for temporary intra-company transfers, requires 12 months of prior overseas employment with a linked entity, has a minimum salary threshold of £48,500, and does not require an English language test. In contrast, the Skilled Worker visa allows direct recruitment of new or existing staff, has a lower standard salary threshold of £38,700, requires a B1 English language qualification, and provides a direct 5-year path to settlement.

Should our company apply for Global Business Mobility or a Sponsor Licence?

A sponsor licence is the operational licence granted by the Home Office to a UK business, whereas Global Business Mobility is the specific visa category. You do not choose between them; to sponsor an overseas worker under any Global Business Mobility route, your UK entity must apply for and hold a valid Sponsor Licence authorised for that specific GBM sub-tier.

Can an overseas company send staff to the UK without an existing UK entity?

Yes, under the UK Expansion Worker sub-route of the Global Business Mobility framework, an overseas business that has not yet started trading in the UK can sponsor up to 5 senior managers or specialist workers to establish a UK footprint. The overseas business applies for a provisional sponsor licence and appoints an overseas employee as the Authorising Officer.

Can dependants join a worker on a Global Business Mobility visa?

Yes, partners (spouses, civil partners, or unmarried partners living together for at least 2 years) and dependent children under the age of 18 can apply to accompany or join the primary applicant under Appendix Global Business Mobility. Dependants are granted leave matching the main applicant's visa duration and have full work rights in the UK, with the exception of working as a professional sportsperson.

What is the maximum length of time a worker can stay in the UK on a GBM visa?

For Senior or Specialist Workers earning under £73,900, the maximum cumulative stay is 5 years in any 6-year period, rising to 9 years in any 10-year period for those earning £73,900 or more. UK Expansion Workers and Secondment Workers are capped at a total maximum stay of 2 years, while Graduate Trainees are limited to 12 months per assignment subject to the 5-year cumulative limit.

Sources

The rules, thresholds, and statutory procedures detailed in this guide are grounded in the following official UK Visas and Immigration sources:

• GOV.UK: Senior or Specialist Worker visa (Last updated: 4 April 2024)
• GOV.UK: UK Expansion Worker visa (Last updated: 4 April 2024)
• GOV.UK: Service Supplier visa (Last updated: 4 April 2024)
• GOV.UK: Secondment Worker visa (Last updated: 4 April 2024)
• GOV.UK: Graduate Trainee visa (Last updated: 4 April 2024)
• GOV.UK: Service Supplier visa: eligible trade agreements and sectors (Last updated: 11 April 2024)
• Immigration Rules Appendix Global Business Mobility (Last updated: 4 April 2024)
• Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations (Last updated: 4 April 2024)
• Workers and Temporary Workers: guidance for sponsors part 2: sponsor a worker (Last updated: 4 April 2024)
• UK Visa Fees Official Tool (Last updated: 10 April 2024)
• Pay for UK healthcare (Immigration Health Surcharge) (Last updated: 6 February 2024)

Reviewed by Wesbridge Associates editorial team on 1 September 2026. We check our published guidance against GOV.UK and current Home Office rules.