UK Secondment Worker Visa

The UK Secondment Worker Visa is a new global business mobility route that allows overseas employers to transfer employees to carry out eligible work in the UK for temporary employment purposes.

Secondment Worker Visa Overview

The UK Secondment Worker Visa is for people who are transferred to the UK by an overseas employer to carry out contract work for a different UK-based organisation.

In order for you to benefit from this visa, the foreign employer must have a high-value contract with the UK organisation.

Your employer will normally tell you whether your contract type makes you eligible for a Secondment worker visa.

This visa is part of the UK Government’s Global Business Mobility work visa category.

Who is eligible for a UK Secondment Worker Visa?

To qualify for a UK Secondment Worker Visa, you must meet the following conditions:

You must be an employee of an overseas organization that has a contract with your sponsor in the UK.

• You must have a certificate of sponsorship from your sponsor in the UK. The CoS is an important electronic document that contains information about the work you will undertake in the UK. Your sponsor in the UK will give you this certificate. You must apply for a Secondment worker visa within three months of obtaining your certificate of sponsorship.
• Your overseas employer must have an eligible contract worth £50 million with your UK sponsor. If your employer has a contract worth less than £50 million, you can apply for another UK work visa.
• You must work in a job listed among the eligible occupations for the Global Business Mobility visa program. You can receive this information from your CoS or your overseas employer. Check the list of eligible jobs to see if your job is listed there for a Secondment worker visa.

What can I do with a Secondment worker visa?

Secondment Worker Visa holders will be able to do the following in the UK:

• Work for your sponsor in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship
• Study
• Bring your partner and children with you as dependents, if they are eligible
• Do voluntary work
• I travel abroad and return to the U

Please note that you will not be able to:

• Access most public funds or state pension
• Change jobs unless you update your visa
• Apply to settle permanently in the UK through an indefinite leave to remain
• Get a second job

Documents required for UK domestic worker visa

You need to prepare the following documents to apply for the UK domestic worker visa:

• Your original, valid passport with a blank page or other travel identification document.
• A domestic worker declaration in the appendix completed and signed by you and your employer.
• A letter from your employer stating your job title, the length of time you have worked for them and that you are a permanent employee.
• Bank statements or other proof that you can support yourself during your stay.

One of the following documents relating to the same period of work:

• Bank statements or pay stubs showing income payments.
• Confirmation of tax paid.
• Confirmation of paid health insurance.
• Work contract.
• Work visa, residence permit or equivalent passport endorsement for the country in which you currently work at your employer.
• Visas or equivalent passport endorsement if you have already traveled with your employer.

Note: The list of required documents will be presented to you during the visa application. Additional documents may be required depending on the circumstances.

What are the processing times?

If you are applying for a Secondment worker visa from outside the UK, you will normally receive a decision within 3 weeks.

If you apply from the UK you will normally receive a decision within 8 weeks.

Please note that you will only be able to apply for this visa up to 3 months before the day you start working in the UK. This date will be listed on your certificate of sponsorship.

You should also allow extra time if you are required to attend an appointment at a visa application centre.

Your application may also take longer if, for example, your supporting documents need to be reviewed, you are asked to attend an interview or due to your personal circumstances.

You may also be able to pay extra for a priority service or a super priority service to have your request processed within 5 days or the next business day respectively.

Please note that this service may not be available in all countries.

How much does a Secondment worker visa cost?

The Secondment Worker Visa costs £259 to obtain.

You will also need to pay the immigration health surcharge at the time of your application. This will be £624 per year, for each year you are in the UK.

You must also have at least £1,270 in your bank account to prove you can support yourself when you arrive in the UK.

How to apply for a Secondment worker visa in the UK?

To apply for the UK Secondment Worker Visa, you need to follow the steps below:

• Submit an online application available on the official UK Government Visa and Immigration website. You must complete the form in English and provide the CoS number provided by your sponsor at the time of application.
• Upload the required documents. You need to submit your UK Secondment Worker Visa documents in the form of photographs or scanned files. You can send PDF, PNG, JPG or JPEG file types. The list of required documents will be shown on the application portal.
• Pay the required fees. You need to pay the application fee and health surcharge while applying online. The tuition fee is £259 and the health surcharge is £624 per year.
• Book an appointment at the nearest visa application center. While applying online you have to make an appointment at a visa application center because you have to provide your biometric information. You can find a VAC by checking the ‘Find a Visa Application Centre’ section on GOV.UK.
• You must obtain a biometric residence permit within ten days of arriving in the UK.

What is the processing time for a UK Secondment worker visa?

The UK Secondment Worker Visa usually takes three weeks to process. Your request will take longer to process if your documents need to be verified, you need to attend an interview or you have a criminal record.

• Validity of visa for Secondment workers in the UK
• You can stay in the UK on a Secondment worker visa for one year from the date you start your job or the time stated in your CoS plus two weeks.
• If you want to stay longer, you can extend your stay by a year. You can stay for a total of two years in the UK on a Secondment worker visa. You can only stay in the UK for a maximum of five years in a six-year period if you have spent time on any of the other global or intra-company corporate mobility routes.

What are the contractual requirements for the Secondment worker visa?

• To be eligible for a Secondment worker visa, your employer must have a high-profile contract with a UK company who will sponsor you.
• The contract must be worth at least £50 million.
• If your employer’s contract is less than £50 million, you may be eligible for another type of visa instead.

What is a Sponsorship Certificate?

A certificate of sponsorship is a digital document that shows that an employer is able to sponsor a foreign worker and that certifies the employer’s eligibility and authorization to sponsor a foreign worker.

The employer must obtain a Class A sponsor licence, which allows it to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for the worker to be employed in the UK, and must also register the relevant overseas service contract with the Department of the Interior using the sponsorship form. Management system (SMS).

The worker will then use the certificate to apply for a UK visa, which will allow them to enter the UK and work. The type of visa required may vary depending on specific circumstances, such as the individual’s job role and status. For example, if the worker is Secondment to the UK by their current employer, you may apply for a Secondment worker visa.

Please note that you must apply for a visa such as the Secondment Worker Visa within 3 months of receiving your Certificate of Sponsorship.