What is a Secondment Worker Visa, and do you need one?
The Secondment Worker – Global Business Mobility visa, introduced on 11 April 2022, is a visa category enabling businesses to second personnel temporarily from an overseas organisation to work on a ‘high value’ contract or investment. The Secondment Worker visa is unique within the sponsorship licence system as it does not require a relationship with a linked entity overseas – the relationship is with the UK sponsor’s partner who is a party to the contract.
The UK employer must have the contract approved through the sponsor management system. The contract needs to be worth at least £10 million per year and not less than £50 million. Therefore, if the contract duration is less than 5 years, it must be worth £50 million, and if over 5 years, at least £10 million per year. The Secondment Worker visa is aimed at companies who need to work on high worth contracts which are of significant commercial value
Why use a solicitor for this application?
The Secondment worker can only work on the contract specified. The Secondment worker route does not lead to settlement status for an individual, but they can bring their partners and children under 18 years old.
Eligibility
The secondment worker must:
- be over 18 years old
- meet the suitability requirements
- has a UK sponsor which holds a sponsorship licence and has an approved contract
- have worked overseas for at least 12 months with the overseas employer.
Meet a points-based test as follows:
- 20 points – Sponsorship through a UK employer
- 20 points – job is at the appropriate skill level which is normally be level 6 of the Regulated Qualifications Framework.
The salary must meet the national minimum salary requirement.
The role an offer must be ‘genuine’ – it must not for example be a fictitious role or created only to help with obtaining a visa.
Applicants require the permission of a Government or scholarship agency if they received sponsorship which included fees and accommodation.
Approval also needs to be sought in the form of an Academic Approval Technology Certificate but only in certain circumstances including where the sponsor is also licensed as a student organisation.
The financial requirement
The secondment worker must either have:
- £1270 with a regulated bank held for a minimum of 28 days or
- the sponsor certifies it will be responsible for maintenance for a limited period
have been in the UK for at least 12 months with a valid visa.
Application fees
- £319 application fee
- £1035 per year Immigration Health Surcharge fee
Duration of secondment worker visa
A secondment worker can work in the UK for:
- an initial 12-month period
- the above period can be extended withing the UK for an additional 12 months to a maximum of 2 years.
The maximum period the secondment worker can work for is 5 years in a 6-year period and so an individual would have to leave the UK at the end of the two-year period and reapply from overseas.
Dependants
A secondment worker can apply to bring their:
- spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner where the relationship has existed for at least 2 years
- children under 18
The application fees for dependants are:
- £319 for the partner
- £319 for each child
An Immigration Health Surcharge is also applicable.
Process
An application for secondment worker and their respective dependants must be done online, supporting documents uploaded and attend biometrics.
For nationals of specified countries, a valid tuberculosis test certificate must be supplied.