On 15 March 2022, the government published a Statement of Changes to the United Kingdom’s Immigration Rules, featuring the new Global Business Mobility routes set to launch on 11 April 2022.
These 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. The new routes are poised to replace four existing business mobility provisions and create a new provision for secondments.
UK Expansion Worker
This route is intended for senior managers and specialist employees being assigned to the UK to undertake work related to a business’s expansion to the UK. The route is set to replace the existing Sole Representative of an Overseas Business route, which will close to new applicants on 11 April 2022.
This new route will permit a team of key employees from an overseas business with no trading presence in the UK to facilitate the set-up of a UK branch or wholly-owned subsidiary. Unlike the Sole Representative route, this new Visa requires a sponsor and does not lead to settlement, although it newly permits a team of workers to enter the UK.
Applicants for this new route must be currently working for a company linked to their UK sponsor by common ownership or control, or by a joint venture under which they are sponsored to work. Unless they are a high earner (earning £73,900 per year or more), applicants must have worked outside the UK for the linked organisation for a period of at least 12 months. This time period does not apply to Japanese Nationals under the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
As this is a sponsored route, applicants will require a valid Certificate of Sponsorship tailored to the specific job they intend to do, assigned by a Home Office approved UK employer with a Sponsor Licence. This new route does not require applicants to satisfy an English Language requirement, however, the job in question must be eligible at or above a minimum skill level, with a salary that equals or exceeds £42,400 per year and 100% of the occupation’s going rate, whichever figure is higher.
This Visa will be granted for 1 year and may be extended up to a maximum of 2 years, with the maximum time period permitted under this route totalling 5 years in any 6-year period.
Service Supplier
This route is intended for contractual service suppliers employed by an overseas service provider and self-employed independent professionals based overseas, that need to undertake an assignment in the UK to provide services covered by one of the UK’s international trade commitments. This route replaces the existing contractual service supplier and independent professional provisions in the Temporary Work – International Agreement route.
Applicants for this route must currently be working as or for an overseas service provider set to provide services to their UK sponsor and must have worked in this context for at least 12 months. The relevant UK sponsor must have an eligible contract with the overseas service provider which has been registered with the Home Office.
As this is a sponsored route, applicants will require a valid Certificate of Sponsorship tailored to the specific job they intend to do, assigned by a Home Office approved UK employer with a Sponsor Licence. This new route does not require applicants to satisfy an English Language requirement, however, the job in question must be eligible at or above a minimum skill level.
This Visa will be granted for the time listed on the Certificate of Sponsorship, up to the maximum single assignment period (either 6 months or 12 months, depending on the relevant international agreement) with the maximum time period permitted under this route totalling 5 years in any 6-year period.
Secondment Worker
This route is intended for workers being seconded to the UK as part of a high-value contract or investment by their employer overseas. This is a new route in the Immigration Rules.
Applicants for this new route must be currently working for an overseas company that has an approved contract with their UK sponsor, and must have worked outside the UK for this organisation for a period of at least 12 months.
As this is a sponsored route, applicants will require a valid Certificate of Sponsorship tailored to the specific job they intend to do, assigned by a Home Office approved UK employer with a Sponsor Licence. This new route does not require applicants to satisfy an English Language requirement, however, the job in question must be eligible at or above a minimum skill level.
This Visa will be granted for 1 year and may be extended up to a maximum of 2 years, with the maximum time period permitted under this route totalling 5 years in any 6-year period.
Settlement Under Global Business Mobility Routes
All 5 of the new Global Business Mobility Routes will not directly lead to settlement in the UK.
Should you wish to discuss your UK immigration matters, please contact our expert team of London immigration lawyers at Barar and Associates at barar.london@bararassociates.co.uk or call us on 020 7487 8370. You can access more information about us via https://bararassociates.com/.
