Senior or Specialist Worker Visa

The Senior Worker or Specialist Worker visa gives you the right to come to the UK and do an eligible job at the UK branch of your employer.

Make the best out of your application, let's assist you

Full Name

Destination Of Preference

Phone Number

Occupation

City Of Residence

Nationality

Visa type

Your Education

Age

Global Business Mobility Visa: Senior or Specialist Worker Requirements

The Intra-company Transfer visa, formerly known as the Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) Long-term Staff visa, has been replaced by the Senior Worker or Specialist Worker visa.

Success rate

0 %

Filed applications

What you can do with GBM visa?

With a Senior or Specialist Worker visa you can:

work for your sponsor in the position described in your certificate of sponsorship
Study in the United Kingdom
Bring your partner and children along with you as your ‘dependents’ if they meet the eligibility requirements
Work as a volunteer
Travel abroad and return to the United Kingdom after your trip

If your application for a Senior or Specialist Worker visa is successful, you’ll get a detailed list of what you are allowed and forbidden to do with your visa.

UK senior visa eligibility

You must meet the following requirements to qualify for a visa as a Senior or Specialist Worker:

The applicant must be a current employee of an organisation that has been approved by the Home Office as a sponsoring organisation
Worked for your employer outside the United Kingdom for a significant amount of time
Your employer must provide you with a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ detailing the work you will perform in the UK
Work in an occupation that is on the list of jobs that are eligible for the program
A salary of at least £42,400 is required

Request a free eligibility assessment from a top-notch Royal Migration immigration consultant by filling out the contact form.

UK senior or specialist visa requirements

When you apply for a Senior or Specialist Worker visa, you’ll need to provide the following:

Depending on your circumstances, you need to pay an application fee
Pay the healthcare surcharge
Unless exempt, you must support yourself when you arrive in the UK-If your employer can support you instead the sponsorship certificate must confirm this. The ‘sponsor certifies maintenance’ section of your certificate needs to be filled out by your employer.

Documents you'll need to apply for a Global Business Mobility Visa

You will need to provide the following information when applying:

The reference number for your certificate of sponsorship provided to you by your employer
A valid passport or another document proving your nationality and identity
The title of your job and the annual salary you earn in the form of a pay slip
The occupation code for your job
A certificate of sponsorship which will contain the name of your employer and the sponsor license number of your employer
A bank statement (unless your sponsorship certificate shows your employer can support you) is evidence that you have sufficient personal savings to support yourself in the UK
Providing proof of your relationship with your partner or children if they are applying with you
The results of your tuberculosis test if you are from a country that is listed

How to apply ?

There are different ways to apply depending on whether you’re:

Travelling to the UK from outside the UK
Working in the UK as a Senior or Specialist Worker, and you wish to extend your stay
Switching from a different visa to a Senior or Specialist Worker visa, while inside the UK

Application processing time

In most cases, you will be able to apply for a visa up to 3 months before you are due to start working in the UK. You will find this date listed on your sponsorship certificate.
During the application process, you will need to prove your identity and provide your documents as part of the application process.

Getting a decision

In most cases, after you have applied, proven your identity, and provided your documents, you will get a decision on your visa within a couple of days:

3 weeks, if you are not in the United Kingdom
8 weeks, if you are in the United Kingdom
There may be a chance that you will be able to pay for a faster decision if you need to go to an appointment. There are a few different ways you can do this depending on whether you are located outside the UK or inside the UK. Get help from a Royal Migration immigration consultant by filling out the contact form.

Getting a certificate of sponsorship

You will receive a “certificate of sponsorship” with information about the work that you will be doing in the UK from your employer – also known as your sponsor.

Your visa application requires the reference number from the sponsorship certificate. You must apply for your visa within three months of receiving your sponsorship certificate.
There is a possibility for your employer, if they are eligible, to apply for a sponsor license if they don’t already hold a license to sponsor people to work in the United Kingdom.

Appliying from outside the UK

Royal Migration is considered one of the most prestigious, professional, and successful immigration consultants in the MENA Region (the Middle East and Africa). Thousands of businesses and individuals from around the world, including many in Europe and the USA, Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, owe their success to our services. Having served our clients with over two decades of experience. Get in touch with us today and begin your application process with one of our immigration specialists.

Questions? You’re covered

At Royal Migration, we understand the complexities of UK immigration. Our team is dedicated to providing clear, accurate, and up-to-date information to help you achieve your goals in UK. Browse through our comprehensive FAQs below for quick answers and valuable insights. If you need further assistance, don’t hesitate to contact our experts for personalized guidance.

What is the minimum amount of time you need to have worked for your employer outside the UK before applying for a senior or specialist worker visa?

You must have worked for your employer outside the UK for at least 12 months if you earn less than £73,900 a year.
There is no minimum time requirement if you earn £73,900 or more a year.

What is the validity period of a senior or specialist worker visa?

Senior and Specialist Worker visas can be granted for five years, or the amount of time specified on your sponsorship certificate plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.

You may be entitled to extend your stay in the UK as many times as you want if the extension is within the following maximum time frame after you have stayed in the UK for the approved period:

Five years in six years, if your annual salary is less than £73,900
Nine years in ten years, if your yearly salary is £73,900 or more

The time spent on other visas will be included in your maximum total stay if you are already in the UK on another visa.

Is it possible to bring my partner and children to the UK on a Senior or Specialist Worker Visa?

Yes. If the primary visa holder is a Senior or Specialist Worker, it may be possible to bring dependents into the UK if they meet the eligibility criteria.

A Senior or Specialist Worker’s dependent family members include:

Husband, wife, civil partner, or unmarried partner
Children under the age of 18 – including children who were born in the UK during the visa holder’s time in the UK
Children over the age of 18 living in the UK who are dependent on the visa holder