Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker visa explained by our consultant based in India

The Secondment Worker visa is for overseas workers who are undertaking temporary work assignments in the UK. The employee must be seconded to the UK as part of a high-value contract or investment by their overseas employer. This means, an applicant can apply for this visa if their overseas employer is transferring them to the UK to do an eligible job for a different organisation.

While applying for a Secondment Worker visa, the applicant needs to have enough money to:

• Pay the £259 Application fee.
• Pay the Healthcare surcharge – this is usually £624 per year.
• Support themselves after arriving in the UK – the applicant usually has to have at least £1,270 available (unless exempted from this requirement).

Documents required for a UK Secondment Worker visa are listed below:

• A Certificate of Sponsorship reference number – given by the UK-based employer.
• A valid passport to prove identity. The passport must have a blank page.
• Job title and annual salary.
• Job’s occupation code.
• Name of the employer and their Sponsor Licence number – this is mentioned on the Certificate of Sponsorship.
• Evidence that the applicant has enough personal savings to support their stay in the UK. For example, bank statements.
• Proof of relationship – partner or children (if they are applying along with the main applicant).
• Tuberculosis test results (if required).

The applicant must apply for a Secondment Worker visa online.
Depending on the following circumstances, the applicant can apply from;

• Outside the UK to come to the UK./li>
• Inside the UK and extend the current visa./li>
• Inside the UK and switch from a different visa./li>
• The applicant can include a partner and children (under 18 years) in the application to stay in the UK if they are eligible./li>

Yes, a Certificate of Sponsorship from the UK employer is a mandatory requirement for the applicant to apply for a UK Secondment Worker visa.

An applicant can stay in the UK with a Secondment Worker visa for whichever is a shorter span:

• The time mentioned on the Certificate of Sponsorship, plus 14 days.
• 12 months after the start date of the job role mentioned on the Certificate of Sponsorship.

With a Secondment Worker visa, the applicant can:

• Work for their sponsor in the job described in the Certificate of Sponsorship.
• Study.
• Bring partner and children as ‘dependants’, if they’re eligible.
• Do voluntary work.
• Travel abroad and return to the UK.

The main applicant can be accompanied by a partner and children (under 18 years) to the UK on a UK Secondment Worker visa.

The Secondment Worker visa does not permit settlement in the UK.