Secondment Worker visa
The Secondment Worker visa permits overseas workers to take up temporary work assignments in the UK where the employee is being seconded to the country as part of a high-value contract or investment by their overseas employer.
The UK Expansion Worker Visa is an option for senior or specialist employees to temporarily work in, and expand a business’s presence to the UK. Workers will either be senior management or specialist employees and be assigned to the UK to undertake work related to a business’s international expansion.
The UK Expansion Worker Visa replaced the Representative of an Overseas Business. Unlike its predecessor, a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a licensed sponsor is required to permit overseas workers to enter the UK as by the UK Expansion Worker Visa.
This route is only available where an employing organisation has not yet begun trading in the UK. If a business is already trading in the UK, then a worker should the Senior or Specialist Worker visa route instead.
To be eligible to apply for leave under the UK Expansion Workers route, applicants must:
Successful applicants will be granted permission to enter for up to one year initially and can extend their permission to remain for one further year. Two years is the maximum period that a UK Expansion Worker can stay in the UK. This is because UKVI expects businesses to have established a trading presence in the UK within two years.
Workers are able to stay longer in the UK if they meet the requirements to make a switch to either the Senior or Specialist Worker category of the GBM, or the Skilled Worker category. However, the organisation will need to add the relevant sponsor licence first.
Once an applicant is issued with a Certificate of Sponsorship by their employer, they must apply within three months for a Senior or Specialist Worker Visa. An application must be made on a specified online form.
A UK Expansion Worker application requires a business to not be actively trading in the UK, and it must be shown that it has a UK footprint. Evidence to show a UK footprint can be as follows:
Experience working with Natasha
“It has been a wonderful experience to work with Natasha, she is always prompt on my queries, extremely thorough and very professional. With Natasha’s due diligence, we were able to get a quick decision.”
Client – Ms Yagnik
Our team of business immigration solicitors has assisted many employers and skilled workers across a variety of industries to gain permission to work in the UK through Global Business Mobility routes. This includes helping UK employers to obtain a Home Office sponsor licence and maintain their licence by ensuring compliance with the strict requirements, duties and responsibilities associated with acting as a sponsor licence holder.
Thanks to our extensive knowledge of the UK’s Immigration Rules, we are able to provide pragmatic advice and meet our clients’ needs. We have connections with the Home Office and other immigration authorities so we can advise you with confidence, and ensure the entire immigration procedure runs smoothly and efficiently for you.
The process of sending overseas workers to the UK temporarily can be complex and tricky to navigate, our corporate immigration solicitors have helped many thought leaders, innovators and business people to work and establish their businesses in the UK. Our deep understanding of the law means you can rest assured that we will do everything in our power to ensure your application is successful.
We are here to help with your immigration needs so you can achieve your business goals in the UK.
Our service includes:
If you are looking to expand your business into the UK, get in touch with Latitude Law today for expert advice and representation.
Thanks to our extensive knowledge of immigration rules, we are able to provide pragmatic advice and meet our clients’ needs. We have connections with the Home Office and other immigration authorities so we can advise you with confidence, and ensure the entire immigration procedure runs smoothly and efficiently for you.
Working with a law firm can be a big decision, which is why we ensure that our clients are at the heart of everything we do. We are a highly driven team that is dedicated to providing clear and reliable immigration advice.
As a boutique law firm specialising in UK-inbound immigration, our experts understand the complexity and uncertainty that constantly shifting visa and residence policies create for expansion workers. Our lawyers can provide up-to-the-minute legal advice on how any changes will impact your application.
We are pleased to be recognised as a leading law firm by the following independent bodies: The Times Best Law Firms 2024, Chambers & Partners 2024, Legal 500 2024 and Who'sWhoLegal 2024. These endorsements from the international legal directories demonstrate our integrity and success in dealing with difficult cases. We are also proud of our 5-star Google reviews from over 150 highly satisfied clients.
As the requirements for an Expansion Worker visa are complex, to ensure success, you should seek specialist advice from an immigration solicitor before you proceed with an application. Latitude Law’s specialist lawyers can advise you about your individual requirements and ensure that the conditions of your sponsored work are compliant with the very latest immigration rules.
Get in touch with our legal team today on 0300 131 6767 or fill out our enquiry form and we will get straight back to you. Face your future knowing you have the dedicated support of one of our expert lawyers.
The Expansion Worker visa is granted initially for a maximum period of one year. It can be extended for a further year but is capped at 2 years under this route.
Yes, an extension to the Expansion Worker visa can be made, and only for one further year
There may be an option to request a review of a refusal to grant an Expansion Worker visa. Such reviews may take some time to be decided, so it is worth contacting an immigration expert to discuss your options.
The Expansion Worker visa is not a route to settlement. You are able to switch to other visa routes that can lea to settlement form within the UK – like a skilled worker visa.
The Expansion Worker visa permits an applicant to bring their dependant partner and children as part of this visa. A partner or any children would be granted leave as a dependant, and their leave would be granted leave in-line with the main applicant.
If your business is already in the process of expanding to the UK It is possible to switch to another visa category form the Expansion Worker visa route. This may be a preferred option if looking to reach settlement.
The Secondment Worker visa permits overseas workers to take up temporary work assignments in the UK where the employee is being seconded to the country as part of a high-value contract or investment by their overseas employer.
The Business Visitor visa is for individuals who wish to enter the UK in order to undertake permitted short-term business-related activities. As the business visitor visa route falls within the standard visitor visa category, business visitors will only be permitted to travel to the UK for short periods e.g. a maximum period of 6 months.
A Skilled Worker visa is open to individuals wanting to work in the UK who have been offered an eligible job by an employer with an approved Sponsor Licence.
