UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa (Global Business Mobility)

The UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa allows you to do an eligible job at your employer’s branch in the United Kingdom. In 2022, this visa replaced the Intra-company Transfer visa, previously the Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) Long-term Staff Visa.

With this visa, senior or specialist employees can immigrate to UK and live and work for up to 5 years at a time. After 5 years, candidates may also be eligible to apply for UK PR Visa and move to the UK permanently.

Apply for UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa

UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa Eligibility

To be eligible for a UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa you need to:

• Have a valid ‘Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)’ from your employer: Your employer - also referred to as your sponsor, will provide you with a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) detailing the job you will undertake in the UK. This is an electronic record, not a physical document. You will need the reference number from this certificate when applying for your visa. You must apply for the UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa within 3 months of receiving the CoS.

• Have worked for your employer outside the UK: If you earn less than £73,900 per year, you must have worked for your employer outside the UK for at least 12 months. If you earn more than £73,900 a year, there is no minimum time requirement.

• Do a job that is on the UK Global Business Mobility (GBM) eligible occupations list: Your job must be on the UK GBM eligible occupations list. If you do not know your 4-digit occupation code, you can search for your job in the CASCOT occupation coding tool.

• Be paid the minimum eligible salary required for your job: You will usually need to be paid at least £48,500 per year or the ‘going rate’ of your job - whichever is higher. Each occupation eligible for the UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa has its own annual going rate.

UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa Documents Required

When applying for the UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa, you will need to provide:

• Your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number. 
• A valid passport and other identity documents. 
• Your job title and annual salary. 
• Your job’s 4-digit occupation code. 
• Your employer’s name and their sponsor licence number. 
• Evidence of funds to support yourself in the UK.
• Proof of relationship with your partner and dependents if they are applying with you. 
• Your tuberculosis test results. 

Other documents you might need

Depending on your situation you might also be asked to provide:

• Proof that you have worked for your employer outside the UK. 
• A police background check certificate. 
• An Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate if your job involves researching a sensitive subject at PhD level or higher.

If your documents are not in English or Welsh, you will need to provide the translated version. 

How to apply for UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa?

You must apply for UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa online. The process to apply depends on whether you are residing:

• Outside the UK.
• Inside the UK and extending your current visa.
• Inside the UK and switching from a different visa. 

If eligible, your partner and children can also join you to stay in the UK as your ‘dependents’.

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UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa Costs

Application costs

If you are applying from outside the UK, the standard application fee for the UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa depends on whether you will be in the UK for:

• Up to 3 years: £719 per person.
• More than 3 years: £1,420 per person.

If you are applying from inside the UK to extend, switch or update your visa, the standard application fee depends on whether you will be in the UK for:

• Up to 3 years: £827 per person.
• More than 3 years: £1,636 per person.

Money to support yourself

You should have at least £1,270 in your bank account to prove that you can support yourself in the UK. You will need to have these funds available in your account for at least 28 days in a row. The 28th day must be within 31 days of applying for the UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa. 

You will usually need to show this proof when you apply, unless either:

• You have been in the UK with a valid visa of 12 months or more. 
• Your employer can cover your costs during your first month in the UK. 

Your partner and children will also need to prove that they can support themselves while they are in the UK. You - or your partner or child -will need:

• £285 for your partner.
• £315 for one child.
• £200 for each additional child.

Healthcare surcharge

You will also need to pay the healthcare surcharge for each year of your stay. This is usually £1,035 per year.

UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa Processing Time

If you are outside the UK, the latest UK Visa processing time to apply for the Senior or Specialist Worker Visa is 3 weeks and if you are applying from inside the UK - it is 8 weeks. You may be able to pay to get super-priority faster service.

You can apply for this visa up to 3 months before you are due to start to work in the UK. The date of your joining is listed on your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).

UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa Validity

You can stay in the UK with a Senior or Specialist Worker Visafor either:

• The time given on your CoS + 14 days. 
• 5 years.

You can apply for an extension or a new visa as many times as you like up to the total maximum stay. The maximum total stay allowed for this visa is:

• 5 years in any 6 years if you’re paid less than £73,900 a year.
• 9 years in any 10 years if you’re paid £73,900 a year or more.

The time you spend in the UK on one of the following visas will be included in your maximum total stay:

• Intra-company Graduate Trainee Visa
• Intra-company Transfer Visa
• Graduate Trainee Visa (Global Business Mobility)
• Secondment Worker Visa (Global Business Mobility)
• Senior or Specialist Worker Visa (Global Business Mobility)
• Service Supplier Visa (Global Business Mobility)
• UK Expansion Worker Visa (Global Business Mobility)

UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa Extension

You can apply for a UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa extension from inside the UK if all of the following are true:

• You have the same as when you were previously permitted to enter and stay in the UK.
• Your job is under the same occupation code as when you were previously permitted to enter and stay in the UK.
• You are still working for the same employer who gave you your current Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).
• You have not reached the maximum total stay. 

Your dependent(s) visa not be automatically extended if you apply for an extension. They must apply separately at the same time as you, or at any time before their current visa expires.

Need help? 

Connect with Nationwide Visas, one of the best UK Immigration Consultants in India. Our team will evaluate your case, offering the best solutions to immigrate to UK under the Senior or Specialist Worker Visa. Whether you need help with your application, documentation, or finding jobs - we’ve got you covered. Get a free consultation session and determine the best option to apply for your situation.