| For whom | existing employees moving to the UK entity of the same group |
| Salary | at least £52,500 or the going rate, whichever is higher |
| Prior employment | 12 months overseas, not needed from a salary of £73,900 |
| Maximum stay | 5 years in any 6, or 9 years in 10 from a salary of £73,900 |
| Visa fee | £819 up to 3 years, £1,618 above (applying from outside the UK) |
| Settlement | not possible |
What the visa is for
The Senior or Specialist Worker visa lets you work for the UK branch of your own employer in an eligible job. GOV.UK says expressly that it replaced the old Intra-company Transfer visa. The UK entity needs a sponsor licence for this route and must be linked to the overseas company by common ownership or control.
A typical case: a European engineering firm has had a small UK sales company for years. An experienced service engineer is to spend three years building the UK team and then come home. That is exactly what the route is for: time-limited, with a return, not aimed at settling.
If there is nothing in the UK yet, the UK Expansion Worker is the right route. If the UK employer is not part of your group but an outside company, it is the Skilled Worker.
Salary and prior employment
The salary must be at least £52,500 a year or the going rate for the occupation code, whichever is higher. If you earn less than £73,900, you must have worked for the employer outside the UK for at least twelve months. From £73,900 that minimum falls away; the rules then call you a high earner.
This route has no English language requirement; the salary is confirmed through the certificate of sponsorship. Still, look early at how the pay is put together: the Immigration Rules define precisely what counts as salary and which allowances can be included, and not every overseas allowance counts.
How long you can stay
A single visa runs for the period on the certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, up to 5 years. You can extend, but only up to the maximum: 5 years in any 6-year period, or 9 years in 10 if you earn at least £73,900. Time on other Global Business Mobility visas and on the old Intra-company visa counts towards it.
This visa does not lead to indefinite leave to remain. If you want to stay for good, switch in time to a route that leads to settlement. That is not a detail but a planning question: years on the Senior or Specialist Worker visa do not count towards settlement.
Costs at a glance
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Visa up to 3 years | £819 |
| Visa over 3 years | £1,618 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | £1,035 a year |
| Personal funds | £1,270, unless the employer certifies maintenance |
| Funds for dependants | £285 partner, £315 first child, £200 each further child |
GOV.UK, Senior or Specialist 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 meet the prior employment with your overseas employer, if you earn under £73,900
- 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 Senior or Specialist 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
The tax side of an assignment
The visa is only half the job. Anyone going to the UK for three years almost always becomes UK tax resident, and that raises a string of questions: where the salary is taxed, who runs payroll, what happens to social security and pension rights at home, and how the return is planned.
Keep immigration status and tax residence apart; we explain why under status and tax. For the UK entity's payroll there is our UK Payroll service.
Frequently asked questions
Can the employee bring their family?
Yes, a partner and children can come as dependants if they meet the requirements.
Can they change to another employer?
Not on this visa. It is tied to the group. Another employer needs a new visa, usually Skilled Worker.
Does the time count towards British citizenship?
It does not count towards settlement, and without indefinite leave to remain there is no naturalisation.
Sources: GOV.UK: Senior or Specialist Worker visa; GOV.UK: Immigration Rules Appendix Global Business Mobility; GOV.UK: Sponsor a Global Business Mobility worker; GOV.UK: Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application
