Senior or Specialist
Worker (GBM) visa

To qualify for a Senior or Specialist Worker visa, you must:

• Be an existing employee of an organisation that’s been approved by the Home Office as a sponsor.
• Have a ‘Certificate of Sponsorship’ (CoS) from your employer with information about the work you will do in the UK.
• Do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations.
• Be paid at least £48,500 or the ‘going rate’ for your job – whichever is higher.

note:

If your salary in the UK will be less than £73,900 a year you must have worked for your employer outside the UK for at least 12 months. You will need to provide evidence of this when you apply.

If you are earning £73,900 a year or more, there is no minimum time requirement.

When you apply for a Senior or Specialist Worker visa, you will need to have enough money to:

• Pay the visa application fee – The standard fee ranges from £719 to £1,636 depending on your circumstances.
• Pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) – The IHS costs £1,035 per year, or £776 per year for under-18s.
• Support yourself in the UK – You will usually need to show that you have at least £1,270 in your bank account (unless you’re exempt). Your employer may be able to cover your costs during your first month in the UK, up to £1,270.

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The visa application fee and the IHS must also be paid for any accompanying dependants.

You must apply online for a Senior or Specialist Worker visa.

As part of your application, you will need to prove your identity and provide your supporting documents. To do this, you will need to do one of the following:

• Attend an appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) if you’re outside the UK.
• Attend an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services (UKVCAS) service point if you’re inside the UK.
• Use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document, if you are eligible.

You can apply for a Senior or Specialist Worker visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK (this date is listed on your CoS).

Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks if you’re outside the UK, or 8 weeks if you’re inside the UK.

You may be able to pay for a faster decision using the Home Office priority services.

You can stay in the UK with a Senior or Specialist Worker visa for whichever is shorter of:

• The time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days
• 5 years

You can apply to extend your visa or apply for another one as many times as you like up to the maximum total stay. The maximum total stay allowed for a Senior or Specialist Worker visa is:

• 5 years in any 6 year period if you’re paid less than £73,900 a year.
• 9 years in any 10 year period if you’re paid £73,900 a year or more.

The maximum total stay includes all time spent in the UK on any of the Global Business Mobility routes, including the predecessor ICT routes.

With a Senior or Specialist Worker visa, you can:

• Work for your sponsor in the job described in your CoS
• Study
• Bring dependant family members with you, if they are eligible
• Do voluntary work
• Travel abroad and return to the UK.

You cannot:

• Access public funds
• Change jobs, unless you update your visa
• Have a second job
• Apply to settle permanently in the UK.

Smith Stone Walters can offer expert advice and assistance with your Senior or Specialist Worker visa application. We have worked with multi-national businesses in a range of sectors to bring assignees from overseas to the UK under this route. To find out more about how we can help your business reach its global mobility goals, please contact us today.

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This page is intended for informational purposes only. Immigration rules are subject to change and may vary based on your individual circumstances. For up-to-date advice and guidance, please contact Smith Stone Walters.