Skilled Worker and Global Business Mobility (GBM) Visas

Skilled Worker Visa

Skilled Worker visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) work visa with effect from 01 December 2020. Skilled Worker Visa needs an employer who holds a valid Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence to sponsor migrants applying from overseas or who are already in the UK on a work visa or students who have completed studies.

Undefined and Defined CoS

Annual Allocation of Undefined CoS is made at the beginning of the year with effect from 06 April. These will be used for migrants who are already in the UK.

Defined CoS are required for anyone applying for a Skilled Worker visa from overseas. Sponsors must apply for Defined CoS on a case to case basis as and when they require one. If the Home Office considers your requirement is straightforward, the request should be granted within 24 hours. However, Home Office can seek more information and the process could take more time.

Attributes

To sponsor someone employers must offer full 100% of the going rate of salary under Option A, if the candidate is not eligible for tradeable options.  If the sponsored employee is a Ph.D. degree holder, he/she can be sponsored under tradeable Option B by offering 90% of the going rate.  If a candidate holds a Ph.D. degree in a STEM subject (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics), he/she can be sponsored with 80% of going rate of salary under Option C).  This visa rules are applicable to both EEA and non-EEA Nationals. All migrants must score 70 points to qualify for this work visa in the following attributes:

Attributes Points
Sponsorship by employer 20
Appropriate skill level (SoC) 20
Appropriate salary 20
English Language 10

The minimum salary threshold is £25,600.00.  The normal minimum salary threshold should be 100% of the “going rate” for a job title. The salary offered should be equal or exceed both £25,600.00 and the going rate for a particular job title. This figure can be as low as £20,480.00 provided the migrant is able to score overall 70 points.

Eligibility

  • You have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your employer with information about the role you’ve been offered in the UK.
  • You do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations.
  • You are to be paid a minimum salary depending your job title.
  • You should provide evidence of your English Language ability.
  • Minimum Educational level required is RQF 3.
  • Maintenance for the first month of arrival to be certified by the sponsor or you hold sufficient funds for the same.

Doctors, Nurses and other Health and Social Care workers do not need to pay the annual immigration health surcharge and therefore costs them less when they apply.

Settlement – Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)

Your visa can last for up to 5 years before you need to extend it. You’ll need to apply to extend or update your visa when it expires or if you change jobs or employer. After 5 years of continuous stay in the UK, you may be able to apply “Indefinite leave to remain” to settle permanently in the UK.

Global Business Mobility (GBM) Routes

(Formerly known as Intra-Company Transfers routes (ICT))

Under GBM category there are following 5 routes:

  • Senior or Specialist Worker
  • Graduate Trainee
  • UK Expansion Worker
  • Service Supplier
  • Secondment Worker.

The 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.

The Graduate Trainee route is for overseas workers who are undertaking temporary work assignments in the UK, where the worker is on a graduate training course leading to a senior management or specialist position and is required to do a work placement in the UK.

The 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.

The 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.

The 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.

Dependent partners and children can apply on these routes.

Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) is not permitted under these routes and any period spent under these routes will not count towards the qualifying period of stay required to settle.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a GBM visa you need to:

  • Have a valid certificate of sponsorship from your employer
  • Have worked for your employer outside the UK for a minimum period of 12 months, 3 months for Graduate Trainees. This requirement is exempt for High Earners
  • Do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations
  • Be paid the minimum eligible salary required for your job
  • Maintenance for the first month of arrival to be certified by the sponsor or you hold sufficient funds for the same.

Salary Requirements

If you are applying for an Intra-company Transfer visa you must be paid at least £42,400 or the ‘going rate’ for your job – whichever is higher. Tradeable options are not applicable for GBM visas.

If you’re applying for a Graduate Trainee visa you must be paid at least £23,100 or 70% of the ‘going rate’ for your job – whichever is higher.

Switching into GBM Visas

You cannot apply to switch to Skilled Worker and GBM visas if you are currently in the UK on a visit visa, short-term student, parent of a child student, seasonal worker, domestic worker visas or on immigration bail or you were given permission to stay outside the immigration rules, for example on compassionate grounds.

Timelines for getting a decision

If you apply outside the UK a decision will usually be made within 3 weeks.

If you apply in the UK a decision will usually be made within 8 weeks of your application date if you use the standard service. If you use the priority service a decision will usually be given in 5 working days after biometric enrolment.

For more information and assistance please contact us.