The GBM (Global Business Mobility) category comprises five types of sponsored visas, including UK Expansion Worker Visa, Senior or Specialist Worker Visa, Graduate Trainee Visa, Service Supplier Visa, and Secondment Worker Visa. Sponsored visas mean all five routes require a UK sponsor to issue a CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) to the applicants. These routes are designed for business mobility rather than long-term employment or settlement and allow overseas businesses to send workers to the UK for temporary assignments. 

In this article, we are discussing the key differences between the UK Expansion Worker Visa and Senior or Specialist Worker Visa.

What is the UK GBM - Expansion Worker Visa?

If you want to come to the UK to set up a branch of an overseas business (a company or organisation that is established and actively trading outside the UK and intends to expand its operations by setting up its first UK branch) that has not started trading in the UK yet, you need a UK Expansion Worker visa.

To apply as an expansion worker, you must already work for the overseas business as either a senior manager or specialist employee.

If your overseas business is already trading in the UK, you should apply for a UK Senior or Specialist Worker Visa instead.

What is the UK GBM - Senior or Specialist Worker Visa?

A Senior or Specialist Worker visa, which has replaced the Intra-company Transfer visa, previously the Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) Long-term Staff visa, allows you to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job at a UK branch of your employer. 

If you are on a graduate trainee programme (this programme is usually an international programme operated by a multinational company that allows employees to gain experience in different countries and business functions before progressing into leadership or specialist roles), you will need to apply for a Graduate Trainee visa instead.

UK Expansion Worker Visa vs Senior or Specialist Worker Visa - Key Differences between the two

The main difference between these two visas is that where UK Expansion Worker visa is for setting up a branch of an overseas business that has not started trading in the UK, the purpose of the Senior or Specialist Worker Visa is to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job (a job that is on the list of eligible occupations) at a UK branch of your employer which means your overseas business is already trading in the UK. 

Other differences include the following:

1. Who can apply?

Only Senior managers or specialist employees sent to set up UK operations can apply for a UK expansion worker visa.

On the other hand, existing employees of an organisation transferring to a UK branch of the same organisation can apply for a senior or specialist worker visa.

2. Eligibility Requirements

For a UK expansion worker visa, 

• You need to have a valid CoS (Certificate of Sponsorship) from your employer - also known as your sponsor

• You need to have worked for your employer outside the UK for at least 12 months unless:

• You are earning more than £73,900

• You are a national of Japan doing work for a Japanese company that is expanding to the UK

• You are an Australian national or permanent resident of this country doing work for an Australian company that is expanding to the UK

• You need to do a job that appears on the eligible occupations’ list

• You need to be paid the minimum eligible salary (£52,500 per year or the ‘going rate’ for your job - whichever is higher) for your job

For a UK senior or specialist worker visa, you must:

• be an existing employee of an organisation that holds a valid Senior or Specialist Worker sponsor licence issued by the UK Home Office

• have a valid CoS from your employer/sponsor with information about the work you will do in the UK

• have worked for your employer outside the UK for any length of time if your annual earnings are at least £73,900, or for at least 12 months if your annual earnings are less than £73,900

• do a job that appears on the list of eligible occupations

• be paid an annual salary of at least £52,500 or your job’s ‘going rate’ - whichever is higher.

3. Validity of UK Expansion Worker visa and Senior or Specialist Worker visa

With a UK Expansion Worker visa, you can stay in the UK for 12 months after your job’s start date mentioned on your CoS or the time given on your CoS plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.

To stay longer in the UK on this route, you can extend your visa by 12 months. The maximum you can stay in the UK on a UK Expansion Worker visa is 2 years.

With a Senior or Specialist Worker visa, you can stay in the UK for 5 years or the period mentioned on your CoS plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.

You can apply to extend your Senior or Specialist Worker visa or apply for another visa as many times as you wish, but only up to the maximum total stay.

4. UK Expansion Worker visa and Senior or Specialist Worker visa applications cost?

A UK Expansion Worker visa application costs £340 plus the healthcare surcharge, which is usually £1,035 per year.

On the other hand, if you are applying for a Senior or Specialist Worker visa from outside the UK, you will need to pay:

• For leave up to 3 years - £819 per person

• For leave of more than 3 years - £1,618 per person

If you are applying for an extension, switch, or update your visa from inside the UK, you will need to pay:

• For leave up to 3 years - £943 per person

• For leave of more than 3 years - £1,865 per person

You will also be required to pay the healthcare surcharge, which is usually £1,035 per year regardless of where you are applying from.

Is there a difference in financial and English language requirements for UK Expansion Worker visa and Senior or Specialist Worker visa?

Neither visa requires you to meet any English language requirement.

Financial requirements for UK Expansion Worker visa and Senior or Specialist Worker visa are the same.

For both visas, you will usually be required to have £1,270 or more available in your bank account to show you can support yourself when you arrive in the UK (unless you are exempt). 

Exemption applies if you have been in the UK with a valid UK visa for at least 12 months.

For a Senior or Specialist worker visa, instead of you showing the money in your bank account, your employer/sponsor can cover your costs during your first month in the UK, up to £1,270.

Path to settlement

The GBM routes (all 5 routes which include UK Expansion Worker visa and Senior or Specialist Worker visa) do not lead to ILR or settlement in the UK.

If your purpose is to settle in the UK you can look to apply for other visas such as Skilled Worker visa, UK Family visa, etc. 

Qualifying overseas business link

This is required for employers.

For a UK expansion worker visa, the UK business you are seeking to establish must be linked by common ownership or control (common ownership or control means that the overseas business and the UK business are part of the same business group and are owned or controlled by the same people, company, or organisation) to the overseas business. 

The overseas business must normally have been trading overseas for at least 3 years (although there are some exceptions to this requirement). 

For a senior or specialist worker visa, you must be linked by Common Ownership Control or by a Joint Venture Agreement (a Joint Venture Agreement means the UK business and the overseas business remain separate companies, but they jointly own or operate a business venture and have agreed to work together on it) to an overseas business.

How can Visa and Migration Ltd. Can help?

We can help both applicants and employers with the UK Expansion Worker visa and Senior or Specialist Worker visa by offering legal advice and managing the immigration process from start to finish.

We can help applicants with;

• Assessing eligibility under both routes.

• Reviewing your overseas employment history requirements. 

• Preparing the visa application and supporting documents. 

• Advising you on maintenance requirements and dependant applications. 

• Assisting with your Home Office correspondence. 

• Providing support if the Home Office requests additional evidence. 

We can help employers/sponsors with;

• Assessing whether your overseas business qualifies to expand into the UK. 

• Advising you on the most suitable UK business structure (branch or subsidiary). 

• Preparing and submitting the UK Expansion Worker sponsor licence application. 

• Assisting you with proving the overseas business is genuine and actively trading. 

• Helping you establish the required link between the overseas business and the new UK entity. 

• Advising you on sponsor compliance duties and record-keeping obligations. 

• Assisting you with assigning CoS (Certificates of Sponsorship) to eligible employees.

If you need tailored advice, you can call us at +44 (0)20 3411 1261 or write to info@visaandmigration.com