Secondment Worker Visa Requirements and Application Guide

What is the UK Secondment Worker Visa?

The UK Secondment Worker Visa allows overseas businesses to transfer staff to work in a different company in the UK to fulfil a high-value contract. The UK Secondment Worker Visa is one of 5 immigration routes under the new Global Business Mobility visa scheme, which opened to applications on 11th April 2022. Unlike the other 4 visas under the Global Business Mobility scheme, the Secondment Worker Visa is brand new and does not replace an existing immigration route. The purpose of the new Global Business Mobility visa scheme is to make it easier for organisations outside the UK to do business here.

Some key points to bear in mind about the UK Secondment Worker Visa include:

The applicants have to be sponsored by a UK business.
The overseas employer of the Secondment Worker Visa must have a high-value contract with the company providing sponsorship in the UK.
UK Secondment Worker Visa holders can work (paid and voluntary), study, and travel freely into and out of the UK.
The Secondment Worker Visa does not lead directly to UK settlement / ILR. It is possible to switch to another visa type which provides a pathway to ILR when in the UK, however.
Secondment Worker Visa holders can bring their dependant family members to the UK; this includes their spouse and children.
UK Secondment Worker Visa holders are permitted to stay for up to 1 year initially, however, this can be extended.

UK Secondment Worker Visa requirements

The Secondment Worker Visa applicants must:

be an existing employee of an overseas business that has a high-value contract with a UK business (the sponsor)
hold a Certificate of Sponsorship from the UK sponsor
have been working with the overseas employer for at least 1 year
be sponsored for a job that is on the Home Office’s list of ‘eligible occupations’
have enough funds in their bank account to support themselves during their first month in the UK

High-value contract requirements

The applicant’s overseas employer must have an eligible contract with their UK sponsor with a total value of at least £50 million over the duration of the contract.

Sponsorship requirements

Secondment Worker Visa applicants must have a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from their UK sponsor (i.e. the business where they will be fulfilling the high-value contract on behalf of their overseas employer). To issue a CoS, the UK business must hold a sponsorship licence (this must be A-rated), which grants the Home Office permission to sponsor overseas workers under the Secondment Worker Visa scheme. In addition, the CoS must have been issued within 3 months of the Secondment Worker Visa application being received by the Home Office.

List of eligible occupations

Secondment Worker Visa applicants must be sponsored for an eligible job. To ensure this is the case, applicants should ask for the standard occupation code (SOC) for their job from their UK sponsor and compare this against the official list of eligible occupations¹.

Financial requirements

Unlike the other visa categories under the Global Business Mobility s scheme, Secondment Worker applicants do not need to meet a minimum salary requirement. The only financial requirement is that applicants must have savings of at least £1,270 in their bank account to support themselves when they arrive in the UK. These funds must have been held by the applicant for at least 28 days before the date of application.

Where an applicant has been in the UK for 1 year or more before the date of their application, the support funds requirement may not apply. In addition, applicants can ask their employer to promise to cover these costs during their first month in the UK (this must be stated on the applicant’s CoS).

UK Secondment Worker Visa required documents

The documents you need to provide will depend on your exact circumstances but may include (please note this list is not exhaustive):

Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number (your UK sponsor will provide this to you)
current valid passport
job title and annual salary details
standard occupational code (SOC) for your sponsored role in the UK
information about your employer
information about your sponsor (i.e. company name and sponsor licence number)
proof you have savings of at least £1,270 to support yourself when you arrive in the UK. This may be a bank statement showing the funds have been held for at least 28 days prior to your application. Alternatively, your employer may state on your CoS that they guarantee to support you during your first month in the UK.
proof of your relationship with your dependant partner and/or children if included on your application (e.g. marriage or civil partnership certificate and birth certificate)
tuberculosis test results (only applies for those from a listed TB country)

How to apply for a Secondment Worker Visa

To apply for a Secondment Worker Visa, you will need to:

Request your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from your UK sponsor
Complete the Secondment Worker Visa application form on the Home Office website²
Pay the application fees (please see below)
Provide proof of your identity – this can be done by making and attending a biometric appointment with your nearest visa application centre (VAC). Alternatively, you may be able to use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ mobile phone app.
Upload the documents required to support your application

Some applicants may also be invited to an interview to review their eligibility before a final decision is made.

Secondment Worker application fees

The Application fee is £259 per person. Other costs include a Biometric fee of £19.20 and an Immigration healthcare surcharge: of £1035 (this allows Secondment Workers access to the National Health Service while in the UK).

How long can you stay with a Secondment Worker Visa?

As a Secondment Worker Visa holder, you will initially be granted leave for up to 12 months (depending on the duration of sponsorship). The maximum amount of time you can spend in the UK as a secondment worker is 2 years (see below regarding extensions).

Secondment Worker Visa extension

You can extend your Secondment Worker Visa for 1 additional year only, but you must have the same job as when you previously applied. This means you must have the same occupation code and employer. If you have already exceeded the 2-year maximum on a Secondment Worker Visa, your extension will be refused.

Change jobs/employers on a Secondment Worker Visa?

You can change employers as a Secondment Worker Visa holder. To change employers, you will need to complete a ‘change of employment’ application and have this approved by the Home Office. You can do this from within the UK. You will also need to submit a change of employment application if you are staying with your current employer but moving to a different occupation code.

If you plan to move to a new job with your current employer with the same occupation code, you will not need to submit a change of employment application.

To change your employment, you will need to complete the online application form, prove your identity, pay the required fees, and provide details of your new CoS.

It is important to note that while your change of employment application is being considered you will be able to remain in the UK and work for your current employer.

Secondment Worker dependent visa

As a Secondment Worker, you will be able to bring your eligible dependant family members to the UK. Dependant family members include your:

husband, wife, civil partner, or unmarried partner (if unmarried, you must have been in a relationship with your partner for at least 2 years)
child/ren under the age of 18
child/ren over the age of 18 if they are dependant on you and not living a fully independent life.

If you are applying from outside of the UK, your family members will need to prepare their own application, either as your partner or child. Each dependant family member will need to prove their identity, pay any application fees, and provide any documents required by the Home Office.

UK Secondment Worker Visa to ILR

It is not possible to gain ILR as a UK Secondment Worker Visa holder. However, it is possible for secondment workers to switch to a different visa that qualifies for ILR when in the UK (before their visa expires). ILR qualifying visas include the following:

In most cases, those with a qualifying visa must be living in the UK for at least 5 years to apply to settle in the UK (it is possible to do this in just 3 years with the Global Talent visa). Once ILR is granted, it is then possible to apply for British citizenship after 1 further year.

References:

¹ GOV.UK: Global Business Mobility: eligible occupations and codes

² GOV.UK: Secondment Worker visa application