Overview

A Senior or Specialist Worker visa allows you to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job at your employer바카라 사이트™s UK branch.

This visa has replaced the Intra-company Transfer visa, previously the Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) Long-term Staff visa.

If you are on a graduate trainee programme, you바카라 사이트™ll need to apply for a Graduate Trainee visa.

Eligibility

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

  • be an existing employee of an organisation that바카라 사이트™s been approved by the Home Office as a sponsor
  • have a 바카라 사이트˜certificate of sponsorship바카라 사이트™ from your employer with information about the work you will do in the UK
  • do a job that바카라 사이트™s on the list of eligible occupations
  • be paid at least £52,500 per year

Check if you바카라 사이트™re eligible.

How long you can stay

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.

If you바카라 사이트™re already in the UK with an Intra-company visa or a Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) Long-term Staff visa you can apply to extend your stay as a Senior or Specialist Worker.

The maximum total stay allowed for a Senior and Specialist Worker visa is:

  • 5 years in any 6 year period if you바카라 사이트™re paid less than £73,900 a year
  • 9 years in any 10 year period if you바카라 사이트™re paid £73,900 a year or more

Any time you spend in the UK on one of the following visas will be included in your maximum total stay:

  • Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa
  • Intra-company Transfer visa
  • Graduate Trainee visa (Global Business Mobility)
  • Secondment Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
  • Senior or Specialist Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
  • Service Supplier visa (Global Business Mobility)
  • UK Expansion Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)

Example

You worked in the UK on a Senior or Specialist Worker visa for 3 years, but for the last 6 months have been working in Sweden. You are paid less than £73,900 a year.

The maximum time you could now stay in the UK on a Global Business Mobility visa is 2 years. At the end of that time you would need to spend another 6 months outside the UK before you would be eligible for a Global Business Mobility visa.

If you had a Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) Long-term Staff visa before 6 April 2011

You can stay in the UK for as long as your employer is sponsoring you if you바카라 사이트™ve been in the UK since 6 April 2011 on any of the following visas:

  • Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) Long-term Staff visa
  • Intra-company Transfer visa
  • Senior or Specialist Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)

There is no maximum stay.

How to apply

You must apply online.

How you apply depends on whether you바카라 사이트™re:

Your partner and children can apply to join you or stay in the UK as your 바카라 사이트˜dependants바카라 사이트™ if they바카라 사이트™re eligible.

How much it costs

You, your partner or children will each need to:

  • pay the application fee
  • pay the healthcare surcharge for each year of your stay
  • prove you have enough personal savings

Check how much it costs.

How long it takes

You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. This date is listed on your certificate of sponsorship.

As part of your application, you바카라 사이트™ll need to prove your identity and provide your documents.

You may need to allow extra time if you need an appointment to do this. You바카라 사이트™ll find out if you need one when you start your application.

Getting a decision

Once you바카라 사이트™ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you바카라 사이트™ll usually get a decision on your visa within:

  • 3 weeks, if you바카라 사이트™re outside the UK
  • 8 weeks, if you바카라 사이트™re inside the UK

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision.

If your application is successful, your decision email will tell you what you바카라 사이트™ll get to prove your immigration status and what you need to do next.

What you can and cannot do

With a Senior or Specialist Worker visa you can:

  • work for your sponsor in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship
  • study
  • bring your partner and children with you as your 바카라 사이트˜dependants바카라 사이트™, if they바카라 사이트™re eligible
  • travel abroad and return to the UK
  • do voluntary work

Any voluntary work you do must be unpaid and for one of the following:

  • a registered charity
  • a voluntary organisation 
  • an associated fundraising body (an organisation that raises money for a charity or voluntary organisation)
  • a statutory body (a government-appointed body, for example Historic England)

You cannot:

  • apply for most benefits, public funds, or the State Pension
  • change jobs unless you are eligible and you update your visa
  • have a second job - unless you바카라 사이트™ve previously had an Intra-company Transfer visa or a Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) Long term Staff visa
  • apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as 바카라 사이트˜indefinite leave to remain바카라 사이트™)

If your application is successful, you바카라 사이트™ll get a full list of what you can and cannot do with a Senior or Specialist Worker visa.