Secondment Worker visa

The Secondment Worker visa operates under the points-based system, so, in addition to meeting the requirements listed above, the applicant must have an award of 40 points- split into two categories.

Sponsorship (20 points)

The first 20 points you require can be gained by getting a certificate of sponsorship issued by your UK sponsor who will be overseeing your employment in the UK. Along with the UK sponsor, you must b able to demonstrate that your UK employer’s intentions to recruit you are genuine and not seen as a ‘sham’ to allow a migrant access to leave to remain in the UK.

Skill level and competency (20 points)

The second half of the points you require can be awarded based on the skills you are being employed for. You must be sponsored for a job that is listed on the UK government skilled occupations list that has been deemed as eligible under the Global Business Mobility routes. Your UK sponsor must allocate you the most appropriate occupation code for the job detailed on the certificate of sponsorship. Not allocating the appropriate occupation code could raise the suspicions of the Home Office.

UK Secondment Worker Visa Sponsorship Guidelines

To secure a UK Secondment Worker visa, individuals need sponsorship from a Home Office-approved employer possessing an A-rated sponsor license. This sponsorship involves meeting a ‘eligible contract requirement’ involving financial investment or contracts with overseas businesses, depending on contract duration. The UK employer can only issue a valid CoS to a potential overseas worker after obtaining approval from the Home Office.

The UK sponsor must hold at least one eligible contract matching the worker’s duties and registered with the Home Office. If the sponsor plans to bring workers under a new contract, they must notify and gain approval from the Home Office before assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship, utilising the ‘Request change of circumstances function’ in the Sponsorship Management System, and providing necessary supporting documents within a specified timeframe.

It is important that you submit the correct documents with your Secondment Worker visa application in the first instance to avoid any delays in the application process.

You must submit the following documents:

• Certificate of sponsorship reference number (given to you by the UK employer)
• A valid passport of other document which proves your identity and nationality
• Job title and job occupation code
• The name of the sponsor and their sponsor licence number (this can be found on the certificate of sponsorship you are allocated)
• Evidence of sufficient personal savings or funds to support yourself when you arrive in the UK to work
• Tuberculosis test results if you are migrating from a listed country

Depending on your personal circumstances, you may also be required to present the following documentation:

• Evidence you have worked for your employer overseas
• A copy of a valid ATAS certificate if you are working in a research sensitive subject at PhD level or higher (your sponsor will tell you whether this is required or not)

A Secondment Worker visa applicant may be required to submit further documents to prove that they have worked for their overseas employer for a minimum of 12 months.

The following documents may be requested:

• Printed payslips
• Online payslips along with a letter from your sponsor that has been signed by a senior staff member in the organisation
• Bank or building society statements
• A building society passbook

Failure to submit the documents requested could result in your application being delayed or even rejected by the Home Office.

There are various costs to consider when applying for a Secondment Worker visa. These include the initial application fee, immigration healthcare surcharge, and, funds to support yourself when you arrive in the UK.

The cost of the application is £259 per person applying.

If you are granted entry clearance as a secondment worker, you will be subjected to paying the Immigration healthcare surcharge for every year that you remain staying and working in the UK. Currently, the healthcare surcharge payable per year is £624.

Finally, it must be taken into consideration whether the applicant has enough personal savings or funds to support themselves and any dependents when they arrive in the UK. It is required that the person applying has at £1,270 available to them (unless your sponsor is planning to cover these costs on your behalf).

You should apply online for a Secondment Worker visa. Before you apply, it is a good idea to ensure you have all of the required documentation to hand.

A large part of the application process is to prove your identity. How you do so will depend on your location and passport type. You will do one of the following:

• Attend an appointment at a visa application centre to have your fingerprints and photographs taken- this will allow you to be issued with a biometric residence permit
• Use the ‘Immigration ID check’ app to submit and scan the requested documents to prove your identity

When you apply, you will be told which method of identity check you need to do as part of your application.

If you do need to attend an appointment at a visa application centre, you may have to allow them to keep your passport and other documents whilst your application is being processed. Also, you may be required to travel to get to the closest visa application centre. On some occasions, this could be in another country.

You will need to submit your application and documents, and, prove your identity before you can receive a decision on your visa application.

Once you have met all of the application and identity requirements, you can expect a decision within 3 weeks of applying from outside of the UK. If you are applying from inside the UK, the average decision wait time is 8 weeks in total.

If you have to attend any appointments, or any clarification of your documents is needed, you should be aware that the wait time is likely to increase slightly.

You can pay for a faster decision via the priority service, but this will come at an additional cost.

You can either stay in the UK on a Secondment Worker visa for:

• 12 months after the start date of your job in the UK
• The time specified on your certificate of sponsorship, plus an additional 14 days after

You can stay in the UK for whichever is shorter of the two. The maximum stay in the UK on a Secondment Worker visa is 2 years in total.

What if I have spent time in the UK on a Secondment visa or another type of visa before?

You can stay in the UK for a maximum of 5 years in any 6-year period if you’ve spent time on any of the following visas:

• Intra Company routes
• Graduate Trainee 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)

The Secondment Worker route allows you to do the following things in the UK:

• Work for your sponsor in the job specified on your certificate of sponsorship
• study at a UK institute
• Bring your partner and any dependent children with you
• Participate in voluntary work
• Travel abroad and return back to the UK

Whilst there are many allowances for a secondment worker, the following things are not permitted to those who have taken the Secondment Worker route:

• Apply for the majority of public funds (means-tested benefits)
• Apply for a state pension
• Change jobs unless you update your visa
• Apply to settle permanently in the UK under Indefinite Leave to Remain
• Work a second job