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To apply for the Secondment Worker Visa, applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria. Ensure you review these Secondment Worker Visa requirements carefully to see if you qualify for this visa.
Make sure you meet the UK Secondment Visa eligibility before you apply for the UK Secondment Worker Visa. Missing evidence can lead to delays or a refusal.
The UK organisation must have a valid sponsor licence with the Secondment Worker route specifically enabled and hold an A-rating. Sponsors must register the high-value contract or investment with the Home Office and receive approval before assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship for Secondment Workers. This contract registration and approval step is critical and must be completed first.
The sponsor must follow official guidance on assigning Certificates of Sponsorship and comply with all route-specific sponsor duties as outlined in the Home Office guidance.
It's not hard to apply for the Secondment Worker Visa, but there are a few important steps you need to follow. Each step must be completed in order to ensure all necessary documentation is submitted correctly.
The first step is that your overseas employer and the UK company sign a contract that specifies the terms of your secondment. This includes your role, project scope, and the expected period of your stay in the UK.
After the contract is signed, the UK sponsor will issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) through their Sponsor Licence. You will need the CoS reference number to complete your online visa application.
The official UK government website provides an online form for the Secondment Worker Visa. You’ll need your CoS reference number to apply. Provide personal details and upload relevant supporting documents.
During your application, submit your passport, CoS, secondment contract, recent payslips, and bank statements to show employment and financial stability.
The application fee for the Secondment Worker Visa is £319 per applicant (whether applying from inside or outside the UK). You must also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) of £1,035 per year per adult.
Submit the required documents and await an appointment for biometrics and ID verification. This step includes taking your fingerprints and photograph, which can be done at a visa centre or through the UK Immigration ID Check app.
Once all documents and biometrics are submitted, your application will be processed by the Home Office. Standard processing times are 3 weeks (outside the UK) and 8 weeks (inside the UK). You’ll receive an email notification once a decision is made.
Once you have completed the steps and submitted your documents, you will receive a decision within the processing time frame shown from the official email. Move through each step carefully, double check your paperwork, and submit clear, up to date documents to avoid delays and give your application the best chance of a positive decision.
The Secondment Worker Visa conditions tell you how long you can stay in the UK and what you can and can't do while you're there. If you're looking for how to work temporarily in UK, this visa gives you a clear option through the Global Business Mobility route. If you know the exact visa rules, you'll be more likely to follow the UK immigration laws and get the most out of your visa.
The Secondment Worker Visa has clear guidelines regarding how long the visa lasts, the extension option and an overall cap on the total duration you can stay under the Global Business Mobility (GBM) program.
This part explains the rules that apply to people who have a Secondment Worker Visa. The table below shows in detail what you can and can't do while you're there.
Stick to the rules of your Secondment Worker Visa to keep your status in the UK. You can work in the sponsored role, study, and bring your dependents, but do not claim public funds, do not change employer or role without new overseas employer sponsorship and approval.
The UK Secondment Worker Visa allows eligible dependants — your partner and children — to join you in the UK on this route. You will need to meet the relationship and financial maintenance rules for each family member before they can apply.
Your spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner and children under 18 can join you in the UK as dependants during your secondment. They will be granted dependent visas to accompany you while you are working. These are dependent visa rights.
This ensures that your dependants won’t need to rely on public funds.
Dependants can work in the UK while on a dependent visa, except for roles as a professional sportsperson. This allows your family to take up employment during their stay.
You need to know how much this will cost so you can plan properly. This is how much the Secondment Worker Visa will cost and what the average cost will be in 2025.
Note: These fees are accurate as of September 2025 and may change. Always check the official UK government site for the latest figures.
Knowing the costs associated with it prepares you for the application process. Planning your finances well can help you avoid problems or delays with your visa application.
The Secondment Worker Visa has clear rules on switching from another visa and on long-term plans in the UK. Knowing which visas let you switch, how long you can stay, and what settlement options exist helps you choose the right next step for both work and residence.
Not all visa types let you switch to a Secondment Worker Visa while you're already in the UK. Some visa holders need to apply from outside the UK instead. You CANNOT switch from the following visas:
If you are holding any of the mentioned visas, you may transition to the Secondment Worker Visa, provided you meet the relevant conditions. You CAN proceed with the switch from these visas:
A UK Secondment Worker Visa is granted for a maximum of 24 months. After that time:
The Global Business Mobility Secondment Visa does not lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain, but you can switch to other visas that might.
Getting to grips with these switching rules and your longer-term options will help you plan both your career and your time in the UK. Planning ahead and following the UK Secondment Visa eligibility will keep your doors open and give you the best chance of settling here permanently.
The Secondment Worker Visa is for people from other countries who are temporarily working for a UK company under a high-value contract requirement. The Skilled Worker Visa and the Senior/Specialist Worker Visa, on the other hand, are for people who want to work for a long time or move within the same company. To figure out which visa type is best for your job situation, you need to know the differences between them.
This table shows the differences between three major UK work visas so you can pick the right one.
The Secondment Worker Visa is great for short-term jobs that are part of big contracts. The Skilled Worker Visa, on the other hand, is a way to settle down in a long-term job and eventually settle permanently in UK. This is one of the benefits of UK work visa. The Senior/Specialist Worker Visa makes it easier for employees to move between companies. Still, it doesn't directly lead to settlement. However, people who want to stay in the UK can definitely switch to a Skilled Worker Visa.
It's important to know which visa route is best for your needs, whether you're going on a short-term assignment or planning your career for the long term:
We have mapped every rule of the Secondment Worker route above, but we do not handle this temporary category ourselves. If your overseas employer wants a longer-term UK presence, A Y & J Solicitors can secure an Expansion Worker visa to set up a new British branch, or a Senior or Specialist Worker visa to place experienced staff with an existing one. Both options run for up to five years, count toward settlement and are the pathways we open for clients every week. A Y & J Solicitors offers legal services on both UK personal immigration and UK business immigration.
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A Y & J Solicitors has handled over hundreds of successful Self Sponsorship UK applications, making it a renowned leader in UK immigration law. Each case that we take is handled with meticulous professionalism by our experienced team, meeting every requirement and providing the highest possible likelihood of approval.
It is a UK visa under the Global Business Mobility (GBM) route. It lets you work in the UK if your overseas employer has a high-value contract with a UK sponsor, and you are being seconded (transferred) for a particular eligible job. The other routes parts of GBM are Expansion Worker Visa, Senior or Specialist Worker Visa, and Graduate Trainee Visa.
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