Global Mobility Visas
What is a Global Business Mobility visa?
The Global Business Mobility (GBM) visa was introduced in April 2022. It brought together three older routes – the Intra-Company Transfer (ICT), the International Agreement route, and the Representative of an Overseas Business route – into one framework. The aim is to make it easier for overseas companies to set up in the UK, or to grow a branch they already have here.
A Global Business Mobility visa lets overseas professionals come to the UK for temporary work. It is not one single visa. There are five different routes, and each one is built for a different situation. We explain how they work in a language that anyone can easily understand.
The five Global Business Mobility routes
- Senior or Specialist Worker – for senior managers or specialist staff moving to an existing UK branch of the company they already work for.
- Graduate Trainee – for staff on a structured graduate training programme who are gaining work experience at a UK branch of their employer.
- Secondment Worker – for a worker seconded from an overseas company to a separate UK business to work on a high-value contract.
- Expansion Worker – for senior or management staff sent to set up their company’s first UK branch.
- Service Supplier – for an employed or self-employed overseas worker coming to deliver a contracted service to a UK business.
Each route has its own eligibility rules. But they share some common features. Every route requires the job to meet a minimum skill and salary level. And every route is for temporary work only.
What are the requirements for a Global Business Mobility visa?
English language
There is no English language requirement on any of the five Global Business Mobility routes. You do not need to prove your English ability, whatever your nationality. This is different from most other UK work visas, and it reflects the temporary nature of the GBM routes.
Sponsor licence
Before a company can sponsor you, it must hold a valid sponsor licence. A sponsor licence means the Home Office has approved the company to sponsor migrant workers. Without a sponsoring employer who holds a licence, you cannot make a successful application.
Your employer must hold a licence that covers the specific Global Business Mobility route you are applying under. We can advise your employer on getting the right licence in place on a transparent, fixed-fee basis with no surprises.
Skill and salary
Every route sets a minimum skill level and a minimum salary. The salary you need depends on which route you apply under and on the going rate for your job.
For the Senior or Specialist Worker and Expansion Worker routes, the minimum salary is currently £52,500 a year, or the going rate for the job – whichever is higher. The other routes set their own figures. We will tell you the exact salary that applies to your situation on a transparent, fixed-fee basis with no surprises.
How long can you stay on a Global Business Mobility visa?
The maximum stay depends on the route. The Senior or Specialist Worker route can grant up to five years of leave at a time. The Graduate Trainee route allows a maximum of twelve months. Because the routes differ so much, it is important to check the rules for the exact route you are applying under.
All five routes share one time limit. You can spend a maximum of five years in any six-year period in the UK on a Global Business Mobility visa. There is one exception. If you are on the Senior or Specialist Worker route and earn £73,900 a year or more, you can stay for up to nine years in any ten-year period.
Can a Global Business Mobility visa lead to settlement?
No. You cannot get Indefinite Leave to Remain (also called settlement) on any of the five Global Business Mobility routes. Time spent in the UK on a GBM visa does not count towards settlement.
There is another way forward. You can switch into a route that does lead to settlement, such as the Skilled Worker visa. But be aware: if you switch, the time you have already spent on a GBM visa will not count towards your five years for settlement. Your qualifying time starts again.