NEW GLOBAL BUSINESS MOBILITY VISA/ UK EXPANSION WORKER VISA (GLOBAL BUSINESS MOBILITY)
The UK’s Global Business Mobility Visa offers specific work routes for specific types of workers. While the GBM rules may appear complex, with professional advice, these routes can form a valuable part of an organisation’s global mobility programme and development of UK-based operations through critical-talent mobility.
In this guide, we explain what the Global Business Mobility visa is, together with the eligibility requirements and length of stay under each subcategory. We also look at whether this visa provides a path to settlement, and if dependants are eligible under this route.
Global Business Mobility visa routes
There are five separate global business mobility routes that correspond to different temporary work assignment types, including:
- Senior or Specialist Worker route
- Graduate Trainee route
- UK Expansion Worker route
- Service Supplier route
- Secondment Worker route
There are various eligibility requirements for each of these routes, including a financial requirement and, where applicable, the provision of a valid tuberculosis certificate. Below we look in detail at the other requirements for each specific route.
Can dependants come to the UK under a Global Business Mobility visa?
Applicants may be accompanied or joined by a partner and any dependent children under a Global Business Mobility visa. However, to be eligible to come to the UK under this route, the spouse or partner of the primary visa holder will need to satisfy various eligibility requirements, including a relationship and financial requirement. Any child applicant will also need to satisfy additional age and care requirements.
You can move to the UK to start a business provided you have permission from the Home Office to do so under the UK’s Immigration Rules. This means you must meet the strict eligibility requirements for the visa in question.
The Global Business Mobility visa is for those working for an overseas business that’s linked to their UK sponsor, such as senior or specialist employees, graduate trainees and expansion workers, as well as service suppliers, independent professionals and secondment workers.
The Global Business Mobility visa is a combined category of sponsored routes for overseas businesses seeking to establish a presence in the UK, or to transfer staff, for specific business purposes.
The Global Business Mobility visa is a sponsored route, with five different subcategories, all of which will require the applicant to have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from a Home Office approved employer authorised to sponsor that category of worker.