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Our highly successful immigration specialists provide professional corporate immigration legal advice and representation to individuals looking to enter or remain in the UK for business reasons.
Our highly successful immigration specialists provide professional business immigration legal advice and representation to individuals looking to enter or remain in the UK for business reasons.
We work directly with our clients, drawing on our many years of experience in preparing high-quality corporate and business immigration visa applications:
Skilled Worker
The Skilled Worker visa, which replaced the Tier 2 (General) visa, allows employers to recruit non-UK resident workers for certain eligible, skilled roles. The Skilled Worker visa also allows spouses, ‘durable’ partners and dependent children to apply to join the main visa applicant in the UK.
The visa is open to individuals who attain 70 points by meeting specific requirements. The route can lead to settlement and there is no cap on the number of people who can enter the UK on the Skilled Worker route.
Requirements for a Skilled Worker visa
To be eligible, you will need a minimum of 70 points to qualify for the Skilled Worker route.
You will need 50 mandatory points as follows:
English speaking at the required level – 10 points
You must score 10 points for English language skills equivalent to level B1 of the Common European Framework of References for English language in all 4 components (reading, writing, speaking and listening).
You will satisfy the English language requirement if you:
Job offer from an approved sponsor – 20 points
To be awarded these points, you must meet the following requirements:
Relevant skill level for the applied job – 20 points
You must score 20 points for a job at the appropriate skill level. To be awarded these points, you must be sponsored in an occupation code listed in Table 1 or Table 2 of Appendix Skilled Occupations.
Tradeable salary points
If your salary equals or exceeds all of the following, you will score 20 tradeable points:
If you hold a PhD in a subject relevant to the job, you will score 20 tradeable points if your salary equals or exceeds all of the following:
If you hold a PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job, you will score 20 tradeable points if your salary equals or exceeds all of the following:
If your job is in a shortage occupation, you will score 20 tradeable points if your salary equals or exceeds all of the following:
If you are a new entrant to the labour market, you will score 20 tradeable points if your salary equals or exceeds all of the following:
If your job is in listed health or education, you will score 20 tradeable points if your salary equals or exceeds all of the following:
Financial requirement
You will need to have cash funds of at least £1,270 available unless you fall under one of the exceptions below.
You will need to have held the money for at least 28 consecutive days ending not more than 31 days before the date of your Skilled Worker Visa application.
You will be exempt from the financial requirement if you have a fully ‘A-rated’ sponsor who is willing to meet your maintenance costs up to the end of the first month of your employment, to an amount of at least £1,270. Your sponsor will need to confirm this on your Certificate of Sponsorship.
If you are applying for permission to stay and have been in the UK with permission for 12 months or more at the date of application, you will meet the financial requirement and will not need to show funds.
Timeframes
Skilled worker visa applications can take up to 8 weeks if applying from inside the UK, or up to 3 weeks if the application is made from outside the UK.
The skilled worker visa is usually granted for up to 5 years. At this point, you may apply to extend your visa or you may be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain at the end of the 5-year period of residence under the Skilled Worker route. There is no limit on the number of times you can extend the skilled worker visa.
Innovator Visa
Experienced businesspeople with compelling business ideas are eligible for the UK Innovator Visa. Our business immigration specialists can help you through the Innovator visa process.
What is a Tier 1 UK innovator Visa?
The UK innovator visa, like the Start-up visa, was created to attract skilled foreign nationals from all over the world to come to the UK and bring with them exciting new company ideas that would propel industries forward with inventive concepts.
To be eligible for an innovator visa, you must show that your idea is innovative, viable and scalable to an endorsing authority and the Home Office. You will also need to show that you will be fully committed to the business, and your time in the UK under the visa will be spent wholly in developing this specific business venture.
How long can I stay on a UK innovator visa?
Leave under the innovator route will be granted for three years at a time, with no maximum time limit placed on visa holders under this category. Dependant family members – spouses, partners and children under 18 – can apply to join you in the UK as Dependant Migrants.
Individuals will however have to reconfirm endorsement should they wish to extend their leave at the three-year stage or apply for settlement.
In order to gain settled status or even citizenship, it is important to seek an extension of your visa, which will require a business endorsement. This will be granted after assessing the growth of your business and its viability.
If granted you may gain Indefinite Leave to Remain.
What are the requirements?
The innovator visa requires that you meet the following criteria:
How do I get an endorsement?
The submission of documentation and an interview are usually the two stages of the endorsement procedure.
The endorsement process, which may include a full interview and review of all areas of your business plan, can be rather daunting for applicants. At The UK Law Firm, we work with our clients to ensure that they are comfortable with the details and are ready to move forward with their application.
Can you help me with my business plan?
Yes, we provide a professional business plan development service as well as an advice on the endorsing bodies that are a good fit for your company.
We customise our service to meet the needs of the Home Office, endorsing organisations, and, most importantly, you.
We have a deep grasp of the Home Office's requirements because of our successful years of service, and we are the trusted partner of two Endorsing Bodies.
How can we help?
We help individuals, including innovator visa candidates, achieve their UK immigration needs. We have an established reputation as a team of immigration specialists for effective and speedy handling and processing of visa applications, as well as offering expert visa-related advice.
We're here to help you with your application, ensuring that you have everything you need to submit a complete application and that the process goes as smoothly as possible.
Start-Up Visa
Applying for your Start-Up Visa
If you are seeking to establish a new business in the UK, our business immigration team can help you apply for a start-up visa. We will be by you every step of the way, answering any questions you may have and giving you and your business and career the best chance of success.
The UK Start-up visa is for individuals who are new entrepreneurs and want to establish a business in the UK for the first time. You do not need to be a graduate or have secured any initial funding. However, you will need to have an innovative, viable and scalable business idea that has been approved by an endorsing body.
You must be able to show that your business idea is:
Start-up visas are one-off visas, valid for 2 years and the category does not lead directly to settlement in the UK. However, Start-up visa holders may extend their stay in the United Kingdom, normally in the Innovator visa category, and qualify for settlement (ILR) three years later.
Start-up visa applicants can bring their partner and any children under the age of 18 to the UK.
You can apply for a Start-up visa if:
All applicants must meet the requirements for:
You need to have had at least £1,270 in your bank account for 28 consecutive days before you apply or if you’ve been in the UK for less than a year and applying to switch to this visa and £630 funds for each dependent. Any dependants must also provide evidence that they have access to sufficient funds, even if they are joining the applicant at a later date.
How can we help?
Our immigration specialists know how exciting the prospect of starting a new business in the UK is, so want to help you do that as smoothly as possible.
We can answer any questions you may have, and ensure that you have the best chance at getting your UK start-up visa granted so that you can focus on growing your business.
Investor Visa
Investor Visa Applications
You can no longer apply for a new Tier 1 (Investor) visa. This route has been closed for new applications as of 17 February 2022.
If you already have a Tier 1 (Investor) visa (or had one in the last 12 months and it was your most recent visa), you can still apply:
The investor category is designed to allow wealthy individuals who make a substantial financial investment in the UK to obtain residence in the UK to enter as an investor under the Tier 1 category.
You may be able to extend your Tier 1 (Investor) visa for 2 years. Your family members (‘dependants’) will need to apply separately to extend their visa. They can either apply at the same time as you, or at any time before their current visa expires.
Pathways to UK citizenship by Investment Thresholds
The investor visa has the advantage of being able to lead to UK citizenship for the visa holder and their dependents in a shorter period of time than most other UK visa types.
The holder of a Tier 1 (Investor) visa can apply to settle in the UK under Indefinite Leave To Remain in the UK (ILR) after a certain period of time. This qualifying period varies depending on the amount that you have invested in the UK. If you:
After 12 months of ILR, you then may become eligible to apply as a British citizen.
To apply you must:
You must also demonstrate that you passed the Life in the UK assessment, that you meet the English language level, and that you fit the general criteria for admission, such as having excellent character.
How to extend your Investor Visa
The investment eligibility requirements depend on when you successfully applied for your visa.
If you successfully applied before 6 November 2014
You can apply to extend your visa if all of the following apply:
If you successfully applied on or after 6 November 2014
You can apply to extend your visa if all of the following apply:
If you successfully applied before 29 March 2019, you can also apply to extend if you invested your funds in UK government bonds.
How can we help?
The process of applying for immigration into the UK as a high-net-worth individual can be complicated, particularly as the rules are complex and the legislation governing them changes frequently. Our service will make settlement in the UK an effortless experience, and we can provide advice and guidance for spouses and dependents.
Our immigration specialists will clearly explain the requirements you need to meet, checking that you are able to meet them, and advise on the most appropriate application for you to make. We will monitor your investments to ensure that you continue to meet the requirements of the investor visa since failure to adequately maintain investments can result in a visa being curtailed.
Once your application has been submitted for consideration, we will liaise with the Home Office if any queries are raised and follow the progress of your application until completion.
Sole Representative of an Overseas Business Visa
Representative of an Overseas Business or Sole Representative visa
You can apply as a representative of an overseas business if you’re an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation posted on a long-term assignment to the UK.
If you’re a representative of an overseas business planning to set up its first UK branch, you need to apply for a UK Expansion Worker visa (Global Business Mobility) instead. The Sole Representative of an Overseas Business Visa was closed for these purposes on 11 April 2022.
The Representative of an Overseas Business route is now closed to new Sole Representative applications. Workers with existing permission as Sole Representatives are still able to extend their stay and settle in the UK. The route remains unchanged for Media Representatives.
Overseas businesses looking to establish a branch or subsidiary in the UK should now use the Global Business Mobility UK Expansion Worker route.
This visa allows you to live and work in the UK for three years, and to bring your dependents to the UK where they can work without restriction.
What is a Sole Representative of an Overseas Business visa?
An applicant must be either a:
Media Representative: an employee of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation, posted by their employer on a long-term assignment in the UK
Sole Representative: a senior employee of an active and trading overseas business who has established and is operating a registered branch or wholly-owned subsidiary in the UK (extensions and settlement only).
They must also:
The business must have, and intend to continue to have, its headquarters and principal place of business outside the UK.
An overseas media company can have more than one Media Representative in the UK at the same time.
All applicants must have a level of English language equivalent to level A1 or above of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework for Language Learning.
Criteria:
To be considered eligible for this visa category, a representative must:
An applicant must be one of the following types of representative:
Depending on which type of representative the applicant is, they will need to meet additional eligibility criteria.
Extension application as a Sole Representative
If the applicant has or last had permission as a Sole Representative and is applying to extend their stay, you must be satisfied that they:
How long can you stay on a Sole Representative Visa?
Applicants can apply to come to the UK for an initial period of 3 years. This can then be extended for a further 2 years. An application for Indefinite Leave to Remain can be made once an applicant has held leave as a Representative of an Overseas Business for a period of 5 years.
During their stay in the UK, applicants can only work for their employer. Applicants cannot be self-employed or work for any other business and they are also not permitted to stay in the UK in this category if the sole representative arrangement is terminated by their employer.
How can we help?
An application for a Representative of an Overseas Business visa will be thoroughly examined by the Home Office. The application will be rejected if the caseworker does not believe the applicant has the necessary knowledge and expertise, or if any of the other requirements have not been met. As a result, the application must be thoroughly and meticulously prepared.
We are experienced in preparing Representative of an Overseas Business visa applications to ensure a successful outcome and will provide expert guidance and assistance to you throughout the process.
Global Business Mobility routes
The Global Business Mobility routes are a new category of sponsored routes for overseas businesses seeking to establish a presence in, or transfer staff to, the UK for specific business purposes.
There are five new routes that correspond to different assignment types which are listed below:
You will find the detailed information on the specific routes below:
Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker
Overview
Further to the introduction of the Global Business Mobility (GBM) visa, for senior or specialist workers on 11 April 2022, migrant workers being assigned to a UK business that is linked to their overseas employer will need to apply for a senior or specialist worker visa.
The Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker route is for overseas workers who are undertaking temporary work assignments in the UK, where the worker is a senior manager or specialist employee and is being assigned to a UK business linked to their employer overseas. This type of assignment is often called an intra-company transfer or ICT.
This visa is a category of visa under the UK’s points-based immigration system that replaces the old Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) visa. Applications for an ICT visa will no longer be accepted, although existing ICT visa-holders will not be affected.
Immigration requirements
The requirements are as follows:
(a) as a Visitor; or
(b) as a Short-term Student; or
(c) as a Parent of a Child Student; or
(d) as a Seasonal Worker; or
(e) as a Domestic Worker in a Private Household; or
(f) outside the Immigration Rules.
Points requirement for a Senior or Specialist Worker
The applicant must be awarded 60 points based on meeting:
Salary under these requirements includes only:
(a) guaranteed basic gross pay (before income tax and including employee pension and national insurance contributions); and
(b) allowances which are guaranteed to be paid for the duration of the applicant’s employment in the UK (such as London weighting) or are paid as a mobility premium or to cover the additional cost of living in the UK.
Where allowances are solely for the purpose of accommodation, they will only be taken into account up to a value of 30% of the total salary package.
General salary requirement for a Senior or Specialist Worker
If the applicant is being sponsored for a job in one of the occupation codes listed in the Appendix Skilled Occupations, the general salary requirement is £42,400 per year.
If the applicant is being sponsored to work more than 48 hours a week, only the salary for the first 48 hours a week will be considered towards the general salary requirement. For example, an applicant who works 60 hours a week for £15 per hour will be considered to have a salary of £37,440 (£15 x 48 x 52) per year and not £46,800 (£15 x 60 x 52).
Financial requirement for a Senior or Specialist Worker for the main applicant
If the applicant is applying for permission to stay and has been living in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer on the date of application, they will meet the financial requirement and do not need to show funds.
If the applicant is applying for entry clearance or has been living in the UK for less than 12 months on the date of application either:
(a) the applicant must have funds of at least £1,270; or
(b) the sponsor must certify on the certificate of sponsorship that they will, if it is necessary, maintain and accommodate the applicant up to the end of the first month of their employment up to a maximum amount of £1,270.
Maximum length of assignments requirement for a Senior or Specialist Worker
If the applicant is applying as a high earner, the grant of permission must not lead to the applicant being granted cumulative periods of permission on the Global Business Mobility routes and Intra-Company routes totalling more than 9 years in any 10-year period.
If the applicant is not applying as a high earner, the grant of permission must not lead to the applicant being granted cumulative periods of permission on the Global Business Mobility routes and Intra-Company routes totalling more than 5 years in any 6-year period.
Period and conditions of visa as a Senior or Specialist Worker
The grant will be subject to all the following conditions:
(a) no access to public funds; and
(b) only the following work is permitted:
(i) the job for which the applicant is being sponsored; and
(ii) if the applicant is applying for permission to stay and was previously granted permission on the Intra-Company routes under the rules in force before 11 April 2022 and since then has continuously had permission as a Senior or Specialist Worker (including any period of overstaying disregarded under paragraph 39E), supplementary employment is permitted; and
(iii) voluntary work is permitted; and
(iv) working out a contractual notice period is permitted, where the applicant was lawfully working in that job in the UK on the date of application; and
(c) study is permitted, subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS; and
(d) the applicant will be required to register with the police.
Permission will be granted for a period which is the shortest of the following:
(a) 5 years after the start date of the job detailed in the Certificate of Sponsorship; or
(b) 14 days after the end date of the job detailed in the Certificate of Sponsorship; or
(c) if the applicant is applying as a high earner, the date at which the applicant will have had cumulative permission on the Global Business Mobility routes and Intra-Company routes totalling 9 years in any 10-year period; or
(d) if the applicant is not applying as a high earner, the date at which the applicant will have had cumulative permission on the Global Business Mobility routes and Intra-Company routes totalling 5 years in any 6-year period.
Dependent Partner (“partner”) and dependent child (“child”) of a Senior or Specialist Worker
A person applying as a partner must be aged 18 or over on the date of application.
A person seeking to come to the UK as a partner or child must apply for and obtain entry clearance as a partner or child of a Senior or Specialist Worker before they arrive in the UK.
Settlement Prospects
The Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker route is not a route to settlement. However, provided an individual meets the eligibility requirements, they may be able to switch into a different immigration route, such as the Skilled Worker route, to enable them to make a permanent life and home in the UK.
How can we help?
We can advise on the procedure of making the Senior or Specialist Worker Visa application in line with the sponsorship certificate. We can assess the job and the applicant`s details and advise on the likelihood of the applicant being sponsored under Senior or Specialist Worker Visa. We can advise and represent our clients in making their leave to remain/entry clearance applications in line with the certificate of sponsorship. We can advise and represent our clients’ dependants to seek dependant visas in line with the visa of the main applicant.
Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee
On 11 April 2022, the UK Government introduced the UK Global Mobility Visa aimed at providing overseas businesses new ways to bring staff to the United Kingdom. The intra company transfer Graduate Trainee visa is for employees of foreign based Companies who wish to come to the UK for a work placement which forms part of a training course. In a nutshell for a successful application, the applicant must:
UK Immigration law is complex and difficult to navigate through. Our immigration specialists can help you by ensuring a successful visa application, especially when a new visa has been introduced and little online guidance is there to help you.
Points requirement for a Graduate Trainee
The applicant must be awarded 60 points based on:
If the applicant is being sponsored for a job in one of the occupation codes listed in the Appendix Skilled Occupations, the general salary requirement is £23,100 per year.
If the applicant is being sponsored to work more than 48 hours a week, only the salary for the first 48 hours a week will be considered towards the general salary requirement.
Financial requirement for a Graduate Trainee for the main applicant
If the applicant is applying for permission to stay and has been living in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer on the date of application, they will meet the financial requirement and do not need to show funds.
If the applicant is applying for entry clearance or has been living in the UK for less than 12 months on the date of application either:
(a) the applicant must have funds of at least £1,270; or
(b) the sponsor must certify on the certificate of sponsorship that they will, if it is necessary, maintain and accommodate the applicant up to the end of the first month of their employment up to a maximum amount of £1,270.
The applicant must show that they have held the required level of funds for a 28-day period.
Maximum length of assignments requirement for a Graduate Trainee
The grant of permission must not lead to the applicant being granted cumulative periods of permission on the Global Business Mobility routes and Intra-Company routes totalling more than 5 years in any 6-year period.
Period and conditions of visa as a Graduate Trainee
The grant will be subject to all the following conditions:
(a) no access to public funds; and
(b) the only work permitted is:
in the job for which the applicant is being sponsored; and
voluntary work; and
working out a contractual notice period, where the applicant was lawfully working in that job in the UK on the date of application;
(c) study is permitted, subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS; and
(d) the applicant will be required to register with the police.
Permission will be granted for a period which is the shortest of the following:
(a) 1 year after the start date of the job detailed in the Certificate of Sponsorship; or
(b) 14 days after the end date of the job detailed in the Certificate of Sponsorship; or
(c) the date at which the applicant will have had cumulative permission in the Global Business Mobility routes and Intra-Company routes totalling 5 years in any 6-year period.
The Global Business Mobility – Graduate Trainee route is not a route to settlement.
How can we help?
We can advise on the procedure of making the Graduate Trainee Visa application in line with the sponsorship certificate. We can assess the job and the applicant`s details and advise on the likelihood of the applicant being sponsored under the Graduate Trainee Visa. We can advise and represent our clients in making their leave to remain/entry clearance applications in line with the certificate of sponsorship. We can advise and represent our clients’ dependants to seek dependant visas in line with the visa of the main applicant.
Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker
The Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker route is for overseas workers who are undertaking temporary work assignments in the UK, where the worker is a senior manager or specialist employee and is being assigned to the UK to undertake work related to a business’s expansion to the UK. This route can only be used when the business has not yet begun trading in the UK. If the business is already trading in the UK, workers should apply under Appendix Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker instead.
This has replaced the previous unsponsored sole representative provisions of the Representative of an Overseas Business route, although visa-holders already in the UK as Sole Business Representatives, can apply for further permission and will not be required to switch.
Immigration requirements
The applicant must be aged 18 or over on the date of application.
An applicant applying for entry clearance or permission to remain as a UK Expansion Worker who has received an award from a Government or international scholarship agency in the 12 months before the date of application which covers both fees and living costs for study in the UK, must have provided written consent to the application from that Government or agency.
An applicant applying for permission to stay must be in the UK and must not have, or have last been granted, permission:
(a) as a Visitor; or
(b) as a Short-term Student; or
(c) as a Parent of a Child Student; or
(d) as a Seasonal Worker; or
(e) as a Domestic Worker in a Private Household; or
(f) outside the Immigration Rules.
A person seeking to come to the UK as a UK Expansion Worker must apply for and obtain entry clearance as a UK Expansion Worker before their arrival in the UK.
A person applying for entry clearance as a UK Expansion Worker must provide a valid medical certificate confirming that they have undergone screening for active pulmonary tuberculosis and that this tuberculosis is not present in them, if they arrive from a listed country.
Points requirement for a UK Expansion Worker
The applicant must be awarded 60 points based on the table below:
Sponsorship
Job at an appropriate skill level
Salary at required level
Salary under these requirements includes only:
(a) guaranteed basic gross pay (before income tax and including employee pension and national insurance contributions); and
(b) allowances which are guaranteed to be paid for the duration of the applicant’s employment in the UK (such as London weighting) or are paid as a mobility premium or to cover the additional cost of living in the UK.
Where allowances are solely for the purpose of accommodation, they will only be taken into account up to a value of 30% of the total salary package.
General salary requirement for a UK Expansion Worker
If the applicant is being sponsored for a job in one of the occupation codes listed in the Appendix Skilled Occupations, the general salary requirement is £42,400 per year.
If the applicant is being sponsored to work more than 48 hours a week, only the salary for the first 48 hours a week will be considered towards the general salary requirement.
Financial requirement for a UK Expansion Worker for the main applicant
If the applicant is applying for permission to stay and has been living in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer on the date of application, they will meet the financial requirement and do not need to show funds.
If the applicant is applying for entry clearance or has been living in the UK for less than 12 months, the applicant must have funds of at least £1,270. The applicant must show that they have held the level of funds required for a 28-day period and as set out in Appendix Finance.
Maximum length of assignments requirement for a UK Expansion Worker
The grant of permission must not lead to the applicant being granted cumulative periods of permission in the Global Business Mobility routes and Intra-Company routes totalling more than 5 years in any 6-year period.
Period and conditions of visa as a UK Expansion Worker
The grant will be subject to all the following conditions:
(a) no access to public funds; and
(b) the only work permitted is:
(i) the job for which the applicant is being sponsored; and
(ii) voluntary work; and
(iii) working out a contractual notice period, where the applicant was lawfully working in that job in the UK on the date of application; and
(c) study is permitted, subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS; and
(d) the applicant will be required to register with the police.
Permission will be granted for a period which is the shortest of the following:
(a) 1 year after the start date of the job detailed in the Certificate of Sponsorship; or
(b) 14 days after the end date of the job detailed in the Certificate of Sponsorship; or
(c) the date at which the applicant will have had continuous permission as a UK Expansion Worker totalling 2 years; or
(d) the date at which the applicant will have had cumulative permission in the Global Business Mobility routes totalling 5 years in any 6-year period.
Dependent Partner (partner”) and dependent child (“child”) of a UK Expansion Worker
A person applying as a partner must be aged 18 or over on the date of application.
A person seeking to come to the UK as a partner or child must apply for and obtain entry clearance as a partner or child of a UK Expansion Worker before they arrive in the UK.
The Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker route is not a route to settlement.
Once you have established the UK office, you would have 2 years to initially establish your business within the UK, once you have established the business, you are then able to add other routes to your (Expansion worker) licence.
How can we help?
We can advise on the procedure of making the UK Expansion Worker Visa application in line with the sponsorship certificate. We can assess the job and the applicant`s details and advise on the likelihood of the applicant being sponsored under the UK Expansion Worker Visa. We can advise and represent our clients in making their leave to remain/entry clearance applications in line with the certificate of sponsorship. We can advise and represent our clients’ dependants to seek dependant visas in line with the visa of the main applicant.
Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier
The Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier route is for overseas workers who are undertaking temporary work assignments in the UK, where the worker is either a contractual service supplier employed by an overseas service provider or a self-employed independent professional based overseas, and they need to undertake an assignment in the UK to provide services covered by one of the UK’s international trade agreements.
Immigration requirements
A person seeking to come to the UK as a Service Supplier must apply for and obtain entry clearance as a Service Supplier before their arrival in the UK.
A person applying for entry clearance as a Service Supplier must provide a valid medical certificate confirming that they have undergone screening for active pulmonary tuberculosis and that this tuberculosis is not present in them.
Points requirement for a Service Supplier
The applicant must be awarded 40 points from the table below:
| Points requirements | Points |
|---|---|
| Sponsorship | 20 |
| Job at an appropriate skill level (option A) or Job at an appropriate skill level (option B) | 20 |
D. Nationality requirement for a Service Supplier
The applicant must be:
(a) a national of the country or territory in which the overseas service provider is based; or
(b) where the service that the applicant will provide is covered by a commitment in the General Agreement on Trade in Services and the applicant’s employer is established in a country or territory that has made a notification of that agreement, a permanent resident of that country or territory; or
(c) where the service that the applicant will provide is covered by a commitment in the Temporary Agreement between the Swiss Confederation and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Services Mobility, a permanent resident of Switzerland; or
(d) where the service that the applicant will provide is covered by a commitment in the United Kingdom-European Union Trade and Cooperation Agreement, a national of any Member State of the European Union or any other person included in the definition of “natural person of a Party” for the European Union of that agreement; or
(e) where the service that the applicant will provide is covered by a contractual service supplier commitment in the CARIFORUM-United Kingdom Economic Partnership Agreement, a national of any CARIFORUM State that has provisionally applied or brought into force that agreement.
Overseas work requirement for a Service Supplier
The applicant must:
(a) be currently working as or for an overseas service provider that will provide services to the sponsor; and
(b) have worked as or for the overseas service provider outside the UK for a cumulative period of 12 months.
The 12 months’ work outside the UK can have been accumulated over any period provided that:
(a) the applicant was either:
(i) continuously working for the overseas service provider, whether in or out of the UK, from the start of the 12 months to the date of application; or
(ii) if the applicant is a self-employed overseas service provider, continuously working in the same sector as the service they will provide to the sponsor, whether in or out of the UK, from the start of the 12 months to the date of application; and
(b) any breaks in the continuous work
(a) were only for the following reasons:
(i) statutory maternity, paternity, parental, or shared parental leave; or
(ii) statutory adoption leave; or
(iii) sick leave; or
(iv) assisting with a national or international humanitarian or environmental crisis, with the agreement of the sponsor group; or
(v) taking part in legally organised industrial action.
Financial requirement for a Service Supplier for the main applicant
If the applicant is applying for permission to stay and has been living in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer on the date of application, they will meet the financial requirement and do not need to show funds.
If the applicant is applying for entry clearance or has been living in the UK for less than 12 months on the date of application either:
(a) the applicant must have funds of at least £1,270; or
(b) the applicant’s A-rated sponsor must confirm on the Certificate of Sponsorship that they will, if it is necessary, maintain and accommodate the applicant up to the end of the first month of their employment up to a maximum amount of £1,270.
The applicant must show that they have held the required level of funds for a 28-day period and as set out in Appendix Finance.
Maximum length of assignments requirement for a Service Supplier on the Global Business Mobility route
The grant of permission must not lead to the applicant being granted cumulative periods of permission on the Global Business Mobility route and Intra-Company routes totalling more than 5 years in any 6-year period.
Period and conditions of visa as a Service Supplier
The grant will be subject to all the following conditions:
(a) no access to public funds; and
(b) the only work permitted is:
(i) the job for which the applicant is being sponsored; and
(ii) voluntary work; and
(c) study is permitted, subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS; and
(d) the applicant will be required to register with the police.
If the application is for entry clearance, permission will be granted for a period which is the shortest of the following:
(a) 14 days after the end date of the job detailed in the Certificate of Sponsorship; or
(b) the date at which the applicant will have had cumulative permission on the Global Business Mobility routes and Intra-Company routes totalling 5 years in any 6-year period.
If the application is for permission to stay, the permission will be granted for a period which is the shortest of the following:
(a) 14 days after the end date of the job detailed in the Certificate of Sponsorship; or
(b) the date at which the applicant will have had cumulative permission on the Global Business Mobility routes and Intra-Company routes totalling 5 years in any 6-year period.
Dependent Partner (“partner”) and dependent child (“child”) of a Service Supplier
A person applying as a partner must be aged 18 or over on the date of application.
A person seeking to come to the UK as a partner or child must apply for and obtain entry clearance as a partner or child of a Service Supplier before they arrive in the UK.
Settlement Prospects
The Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier route is not a route to settlement.
How can we help?
We can advise on the procedure of making the Service Supplier Visa application in line with the sponsorship certificate. We can assess the job and the applicant`s details and advise on the likelihood of the applicant being sponsored under the Service Supplier Visa. We can advise and represent our clients in making their leave to remain/entry clearance applications in line with the certificate of sponsorship
Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker
The Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker route is for overseas workers who are undertaking temporary work assignments in the UK, where the worker is being seconded to the UK as part of a high value contract or investment by their employer overseas.
Immigration requirements
A person seeking to come to the UK as a Secondment Worker must apply for and obtain entry clearance as a Secondment Worker before their arrival in the UK.
A person applying for entry clearance as a Secondment Worker must provide a valid medical certificate confirming that they have undergone screening for active pulmonary tuberculosis and that this tuberculosis is not present in them.
Points requirement for a Secondment Worker
The applicant must be awarded 40 points based on the table below:
| Points requirements | Points |
|---|---|
| Sponsorship | 20 |
| Job at an appropriate skill level | 20 |
Overseas Work requirement for a Secondment Worker
The applicant must meet the overseas work requirement unless the applicant:
(a) is applying for permission to stay; and
(b) has, or last had, permission as a Secondment Worker; and
(c) is applying to continue working for the same sponsor as in their last permission.
The overseas requirement will be met where the applicant:
(a) is currently working for an overseas business that has a contract with the sponsor that has been registered with the Home Office by the sponsor; and
(b) has worked outside the UK for that overseas business for a cumulative period of at least 12 months.
In the 12 months’ work outside the UK can have been accumulated over any period provided that:
(a) the applicant was continuously working for the overseas businesses, whether in or out of the UK, from the start of the 12 months to the date of application; and
(b) any breaks in the continuous work were only for the following reasons:
(i) statutory maternity, paternity, parental, or shared parental leave; or
(ii) statutory adoption leave; or
(iii) sick leave; or
(iv) assisting with a national or international humanitarian or environmental crisis, with the agreement of the sponsor group; or
(v) taking part in legally organised industrial action.
Financial requirement for a Secondment Worker for the main applicant
If the applicant is applying for permission to stay and has been living in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer on the date of application, they will meet the financial requirement and do not need to show funds.
If the applicant is applying for entry clearance or has been living in the UK for less than 12 months on the date of application either:
(a) the applicant must have funds of at least £1,270; or
(b) the applicant’s A-rated sponsor must confirm on the Certificate of Sponsorship that they will, if it is necessary, maintain and accommodate the applicant up to the end of the first month of their employment up to a maximum amount of £1,270.
The applicant must show that they have held the required level of funds for a 28-day period and as set out in Appendix Finance.
Maximum length of assignments requirement for a Secondment Worker
The grant of permission must not lead to the applicant being granted cumulative periods of permission on the Global Business Mobility routes and the Intra-Company routes totalling more than 5 years in any 6-year period.
Period and conditions of visa as a Secondment Worker
The grant will be subject to all the following conditions:
(a) no access to public funds; and
(b) the only work permitted is:
(i) the job for which the applicant is being sponsored; and
(ii) voluntary work; and
(iii) working out a contractual notice period, where the applicant was lawfully working in that job in the UK on the date of application; and
(c) study is permitted, subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS; and
(d) the applicant will be required to register with the police.
Permission will be granted for a period which is the shortest of the following: (a) 1 year after the start date of the job detailed in the Certificate of Sponsorship; or
(b) 14 days after the end date of the job detailed in the Certificate of Sponsorship; or
(c) the date at which the applicant will have had a continuous permission as a Secondment Worker totalling 2 years.
(d) the date at which the applicant will have had cumulative permission on the Global Business Mobility routes and Intra-Company routes totalling 5 years in any 6-year period.
Dependant Partner (“partner”) and dependent child (“child”) of a Secondment Worker
A person seeking to come to the UK as a partner or child must apply for and obtain entry clearance as a partner or child of a Secondment Worker before they arrive in the UK.
A person applying for entry clearance as the partner or child of a Secondment Worker must provide a valid medical certificate confirming that they have undergone screening for active pulmonary tuberculosis and that this tuberculosis is not present in them.
The Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker route is not a route to settlement.
How can we help?
We can advise on the procedure of making the Secondment Worker Visa application in line with the sponsorship certificate. We can assess the job and the applicant`s details and advise on the likelihood of the applicant being sponsored under the Secondment Worker Visa. We can advise and represent our clients in making their leave to remain/entry clearance applications in line with the certificate of sponsorship.
High Potential Individual (HPI) Visa
This recently introduced route is for recent graduates of top global universities, who want to work, or look for work in the UK, following the successful completion of an eligible course of study equivalent to UK bachelor’s degree level or above.
The study must have been with an institution listed on the Global Universities List. The High Potential Individual route is an unsponsored route.
An applicant who is applying for permission to stay must be in the UK on the date of application and must not have, or have last been granted, permission:
(a) as a Visitor; or
(b) as a Short-term Student; or
(c) as a Parent of a Child Student; or
(d) as a Seasonal Worker; or
(e) as a Domestic Worker in a Private Household; or
(f) outside the Immigration Rules.
Immigration requirements
A person seeking to come to the UK as a High Potential Individual must apply for and obtain entry clearance as a High Potential Individual before they arrive in the UK.
A person applying for entry clearance as a High Potential Individual must provide a valid medical certificate confirming that they have undergone screening for active pulmonary tuberculosis and that this tuberculosis is not present in them.
Points requirement for a High Potential Individual
The applicant must be awarded a total of 70 points based on the table below:
| Requirement | Points available |
|---|---|
| Global Universities List degree requirement | 50 |
| English Language requirement at level B1 | 10 |
| Financial requirement | 10 |
Global Universities List degree requirement
The applicant must, in the 5 years immediately before the date of the application, have been awarded an overseas degree level academic qualification which Ecctis confirms meets, or exceeds, the recognised standard of a UK bachelor’s or UK postgraduate degree.
The institution at which the applicant was awarded the degree must appear on the Global Universities List in respect of the date the applicant was awarded the degree.
The date the applicant was awarded the degree will be the date as confirmed by Ecctis.
English language requirement for High Potential Individual
Unless an exemption applies, the applicant must show English language ability on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in all 4 components (reading, writing, speaking and listening) of at least level B1.
Financial requirement for High Potential Individual – for the main applicant
If the applicant is applying for permission to stay and has been in the UK with permission for 12 months or longer on the date of application, they will meet the financial requirement and do not need to show funds.
An applicant who is applying for entry clearance, or who is applying for permission to stay and has been in the UK for less than 12 months at the date of application, must have funds of at least £1,270.
The applicant must show that they have held the required level of funds for a 28-day period and must show funds.
Period and conditions of visa for a High Potential Individual
The applicant will be granted entry clearance or permission to stay for the period as set out in the table below based on the qualification relied on to meet the Global Universities List degree requirement.
| Type of Degree Qualification | Period granted from date of decision |
|---|---|
| PhD or other doctoral level qualification | 3 years |
| All other degree qualifications | 2 years |
The visa will be subject to all the following conditions:
(a) no access to public funds; and
(b) work (including self-employment and voluntary work) is permitted, apart from work as a professional sportsperson (including as a sports coach); and
(c) study is permitted, except study with an education provider which is a Student sponsor, and which would meet the approved qualification and level of study requirements of the Student route which are set out in Appendix Student; and
(d) study is subject to the ATAS condition in Appendix ATAS; and
(e) the person will be required to register with the police.
Dependent partner (“partner”) and dependent child (“child”) of a High Potential Individual
A person seeking to come to the UK as a partner or child of a High Potential Individual must apply for and obtain entry clearance as a partner or child of a High Potential Individual before they arrive in the UK.
A person applying for entry clearance as a partner or child of a High Potential Individual must provide a valid medical certificate confirming that they have undergone screening for active pulmonary tuberculosis and that this tuberculosis is not present in them.
Settlement Prospects
The High Potential Individual route is not a route to settlement.
How can we help?
We can advise on the procedure of making the High Potential Individual Visa application. We can assess the applicant`s details and advise on the likelihood of the applicant being granted leave to enter or remain as a High Potential Individual. We can advise and represent our clients in making their leave to remain/entry clearance applications.
Sponsor License
From 1st January 2021, UK businesses must hold a Sponsor Licence to employ most types of workers from outside the UK. The Home Office will only grant a Sponsor Licence to an organisation that can show the roles they are recruiting for, and the workers they intend to sponsor, meet the necessary requirements. Hiring even a single employee from one of these countries without a right to work can result in a huge fine and even a prison sentence.
Process to obtain a Sponsor License
There are no restrictions on the size or type of organisation that can hold a sponsor licence. However, the Home Office will use the application process to assess your organisation’s ability to meet the eligibility and suitability requirements.
Eligibility criteria
1. The organisation is genuine and operating and/or trading lawfully in the UK.
To be eligible to apply for a sponsor licence, your organisation must have a UK presence and be operating or trading lawfully in the UK.
If you are required to be registered with or inspected/monitored by a statutory body to operate lawfully in the UK, you will need to submit proof that you are registered with the appropriate body.
2. The organisation is based in the UK.
Your organisation must be operating or trading in the UK. If your organisation does not occupy premises in the UK but operates a virtual business model, you may still apply for a sponsor licence. However, you will need to clearly evidence that you are able to and will comply with your sponsor duties.
Suitability criteria
In addition, you will need to show that your organisation:
Sponsor License Duties
When you apply for a Sponsor License, you are pledging to accept all the duties and obligations associated with being a sponsor licence holder. The Home Office will use the licence application to evaluate your organisation’s ability to meet these sponsor duties.
The Sponsor duties are as follows:
Record-keeping
As a Sponsor, you will need to keep a record of your sponsored workers and their right to work in the UK documentation, NI numbers, employment contracts and contact details.
Monitoring and reporting
You will need to have in place systems and processes to track and monitor sponsored employees, reporting within ten working days if the sponsored migrant:
Absence monitoring
You will need to ensure that absences by any sponsored employee are authorised and recorded, including sickness, annual leave, study leave and overseas travel.
Notifying the Home Office of certain changes in circumstances
If there have been any changes to the key personnel listed on the sponsor licence, you are required to report these to the Home Office. If your organisation moves premises, you will need to notify the Home Office of the change of address.
Timeframes
The standard processing time for applications is about eight weeks. During this time, the Home Office may conduct a compliance visit at your office to ensure you will be complying with your sponsor duties.
Use of Priority Service
As part of a number of recent reforms to the sponsorship process to reduce the time it takes to recruit a migrant worker, the Home Office pre-licence priority service gives employers the ability to request a fast-tracked decision on their sponsor licence application.
Introduced back in November 2020, the priority service is to help expedite the processing of sponsor licence applications in response to the anticipated increase in the number of UK employers looking to sponsor migrant workers following Brexit.
Under the pre-licence priority service, eligible requests where payment has been successfully made, will usually be considered within 10 working days. The 10-working day period will begin from the date that UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) receives your signed submission sheet and copies of all required documentation, together with payment.
Why is it important to have a legal representative in the process?
Applying for a sponsor license is a complex process. The type of licence and supporting documents you need to submit can vary greatly depending on the type of business and the available vacancies. If, for any reason, a mistake is made on the application, you may be subject to a six-month cooling off period that prevents you from making another application which may affect and delay your business plans.
Moreover, when applying for a sponsor licence, your organisation must decide who will act as its 'Key Personnel' for the purposes of the licence.
‘Key Personnel’ are:
The same person can fill all the roles or different people can fill different roles. All must be a paid member of staff and/or an ‘office holder’. An office holder is a person who has been appointed to a role of responsibility at the organisation but who is not employed by them.
A UK-based legal representative can fill any key personnel role except the role of Authorising Officer. Your organisation may benefit from using a legal representative to assist with its licence application and thereafter to manage the licence and liaise with the Home Office.
We have successfully represented numerous clients in their Sponsor License applications and maintain an extraordinarily high success rate. Our clients vary from Start Ups, that were active and trading only weeks before the submission of the application, to companies with an established international presence in over 50 countries around the globe.
Please ask to speak to a member of our staff about how we can help and guide you for a successful process in acquiring sponsor licence for your business.
We’ll take care of as much of the process for you as possible, including:
If you’re planning on applying for a sponsor licence, schedule a free consultation via our booking calendar, or request a call back via the contact form.