| For whom | employees of an overseas business with a large contract with the UK sponsor |
| Contract value | at least £50 million |
| Prior employment | 6 months with the overseas employer (12 months until March 2026) |
| Length | 12 months, extendable to 2 years at most |
| Fee | £340 plus £1,035 health surcharge a year |
| Settlement | not possible |
What it is about
On the Secondment Worker visa, an employee of an overseas business works for a time at a separate, unconnected UK business because the two have a large contract with each other. That is the difference from the Senior or Specialist Worker, where the employee moves within their own group.
The contract between your employer and the UK sponsor must be worth at least £50 million and be accepted by the Home Office as eligible. The Home Office says the route exists to bring high-value contracts and investment into the country. For smaller contracts GOV.UK points to other visas.
What changed in 2026
With Statement of Changes HC 1691 in March 2026 the Home Office cut the required prior employment with the overseas employer from 12 to 6 months. The reasoning: more flexibility for businesses while still showing the people are genuinely employed.
For project teams this is real relief. Specialists hired at short notice for a major contract can be seconded after half a year instead of a full one.
Length, ties and family
The visa first runs for twelve months from the start date on the certificate of sponsorship and can be extended by twelve months; after 2 years it ends. Across all Global Business Mobility visas the cap of five years in any six applies.
The employee stays tied to that one contract. If the contract changes, the sponsor must report it to UKVI; a new contract needs a new assessment. A partner and children can come as dependants, with the usual proof of funds.
Costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Visa fee | £340 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | £1,035 a year |
| Personal funds | £1,270, unless the sponsor covers your first month |
| Funds for dependants | £285 partner, £315 first child, £200 each further child |
GOV.UK, Secondment Worker visa, as of November 2026
What the application needs
The person applies online. GOV.UK usually asks for these documents and details:
- the certificate of sponsorship reference number your sponsor gives you
- a valid passport or other document showing your identity and nationality
- your job title, annual salary and the four-digit occupation code
- evidence that you have worked for the overseas employer outside the UK for six months, such as payslips or bank statements
- evidence of your relationship with your partner and children if they come with you
- a tuberculosis test if you come from a listed country, and certified translations of any documents not in English or Welsh
Timeline
The deadlines to plan around:
- 1
No earlier than 3 months before
You can apply for the Secondment Worker visa no earlier than three months before the start date on your certificate of sponsorship.
- 2
Within 3 months of the certificate
Once you have your certificate of sponsorship, you have three months to apply.
- 3
Proving your identity
Either with the UK Immigration: ID Check app or with fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre. In the second case, allow time for the appointment.
- 4
Decision
Usually within 3 weeks from outside the UK.
The five Global Business Mobility routes compared
All five need a licensed sponsor, none leads to settlement, and together they share a cap of five years in any six.
| Route | Typical case | Length | Salary or threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK Expansion Worker | Company sets up its first UK presence | up to 2 years | £52,500 or going rate |
| Senior or Specialist Worker | Transfer to the group's established UK entity | up to 5 years in 6 | £52,500 or going rate |
| Graduate Trainee | Trainee on a group programme | up to 12 months | £27,300 or 70 per cent of going rate |
| Service Supplier | Contract for a UK client under a trade agreement | 6 or 12 months | qualifications and experience |
| Secondment Worker | Secondment to a UK contracting party | up to 2 years | contract of £50 million or more |
GOV.UK, Global Business Mobility visas, as of November 2026
What to settle beforehand
On a project of this size visa and tax are closely linked. Does the work at the client create a permanent establishment of your company in the UK? Who operates payroll for the seconded staff? How long do people stay, and do they become UK resident? For payroll there is our UK Payroll service; the line between status and tax is drawn under status and tax.
Frequently asked questions
Does the UK client need a sponsor licence?
Yes. The UK contracting party is the sponsor and needs a licence for this route.
Does a framework contract with several call-offs count?
The Home Office decides whether a contract qualifies. Your employer learns through the sponsor whether the contract covers you.
Can the employee stay in the UK afterwards?
Not on this visa. That needs a switch to a route leading to settlement.
How does it differ from the Senior or Specialist Worker?
On the Secondment Worker visa the employee works at an outside UK business that has a large contract with their employer. On the Senior or Specialist Worker visa they move to a UK entity of their own group.
Sources: GOV.UK: Secondment Worker visa; GOV.UK: Statement of changes HC 1691, explanatory memorandum; GOV.UK: Immigration Rules Appendix Global Business Mobility; GOV.UK: Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application
