UK Expansion Worker & Senior or Specialist Worker Routes Compared
In This Article
1. Overview of the UK Expansion Worker and Senior or Specialist Worker Routes
2. Sponsorship Requirements for UK Expansion Workers and Senior or Specialist Workers
3. Salary Requirements for UK Expansion Workers and Senior or Specialist Workers
4. Overseas Employment History Requirement
5. Meeting the Financial Requirement for Visa Applicants
6. Maximum Permitted Stay in the UK
7. Pathways to Settlement for Visa Holders
8. Contact Our Immigration Barristers
9. Frequently Asked Questions
10. Glossary
1. Overview of the UK Expansion Worker and Senior or Specialist Worker Routes
The Global Business Mobility category consists of five types of visas and these are Senior or Specialist Worker, UK Expansion Worker, Graduate Trainee, Service Supplier and Secondment Worker.
This article will compare the routes of UK Expansion Worker and Senior or Specialist Worker. For both routes, the applicants must currently be working for a business linked to the UK sponsor.
The UK Expansion Worker route is suitable for overseas businesses who wish to send their workers who are senior managers or specialist employees to the UK to expand the business. This is a temporary assignment. The UK company must not be trading yet and only has a UK footprint.
If the UK company is already trading, a Senior or Specialist Worker Visa may be more suitable for the senior managers or specialist employees where the UK business is linked to the overseas company.
There is no English language requirement for both the UK Expansion Worker and Senior or Specialist Worker routes.
These two routes allow dependent partners and dependent children under 18 years old to join them in the UK.
2. Sponsorship Requirements for UK Expansion Workers and Senior or Specialist Workers
It is essential for the UK sponsor to hold a valid GBM sponsor licence and be on the Home Office register of licensed sponsors before the applicants can apply for a visa.
The Sponsor for a Senior or Specialist Worker must hold an A-rated sponsor licence. The Sponsor Licence’s rating is slightly different for the UK Expansion Worker. If the company’s Authorising Officer is based in the UK and the licence is granted, it will be ‘A-rating’. However, it will be a ‘provisional rating’ if the Authorising Officer is based outside the UK and will be given only 1 CoS for the Authorising Officer to assign the CoS to themselves in their visa application. Read the full guide on UK Expansion Worker Sponsor Licences.
3. Salary Requirements for UK Expansion Workers and Senior or Specialist Workers
Applicants need to be paid an amount that meets the general salary requirement and the going rate requirement.
General salary: This is the threshold that an applicant must be paid and it is £48,500 per year.
Going rate: This is the list published In the Appendix Skilled Occupations, and is based on a 37.5 hour working week. Each job has a SOC 2020 occupation code and your sponsored job must be in an eligible SOC 2020 occupation code.
4. Overseas Employment History Requirement
To be eligible for sponsorship, applicants must be working for the business overseas that is linked to the UK sponsor for at least 12 months unless the individuals are applying as a high earner with a salary of at least £73,900.
The 12 months outside the UK can be accumulated over any period as long as the applicant was working continuously for the overseas business from the start of the 12 months to the date of application.
We also explained in our article UK Expansion Worker Visa: Eligibility and Requirements that applicants for UK Expansion Worker route do not need to have worked for outside the UK for 12 months in the following circumstances:
Specified Trade Agreement
You do not need have worked for outside the UK for 12 months if you are a Japanese national seeking to establish a UK branch or subsidiary of their sponsor group under the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement or you are a national or permanent resident of Australia seeking to establish a UK branch or subsidiary of the sponsor group under the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement.
The Home Office must be satisfied that the applicant has the required skills and experience to undertake the role and that the job offer is genuine.
5. Meeting the Financial Requirement for Visa Applicants
Both routes will need to show that the applicant has sufficient funds of at least £1,270 if the applicant has been in the UK for less than 12 months. For the Senior or Specialist Worker route, an A-rated UK Sponsor has the option to certify maintenance on the Certificate of Sponsorship. However this option is not available if you are sponsoring a UK Expansion Worker.
If the applicant has been living in the UK with permission for 12 months or more, the financial requirements are met.
6. Maximum Permitted Stay in the UK
The maximum length of time UK Expansion Workers can stay in the UK is 5 years in any 6-year period.
For Senior or Specialist Workers, if they are applying as high earners, they will be able to stay for up to 9 years in any 10-year period. If their salary is less than £73,900, the maximum amount of time they can stay is 5 years in any 6-year period.
7. Pathways to Settlement for Visa Holders
The Global Business Mobility route does not lead to settlement. If you wish to settle in the UK, you may wish to consider the following options:
Skilled Worker Visa: This route is open to individuals who have received a job offer and a Certificate of Sponsorship from a sponsor who holds a valid sponsor licence. If you are interested in a self-sponsorship Skilled Worker visa, further information can be found on our website. Our recent article Skilled Worker Route Sponsorship Costs: A Comprehensive Guide for UK Companies, discussed the sponsorship costs for the Skilled Worker route.
Global Talent Visa: We set out the application process in our article, Global Talent Visa Requirements and Application Process 2025. This route does not require a job offer and individuals can be potential leaders or who are already leaders in their respective fields.
Scale-up Worker Visa: This route is for individuals who have received a job offer from a UK Scale-up Sponsor to assist the scale-up business.
Innovator Founder Visa: This route for individuals wishing to set up business with an innovative, viable and scalable business idea and has an endorsement letter from an endorsing body.
8. Contact Our Immigration Barristers
For expert advice and assistance in relation to Global Business Mobility visa applications, contact our immigration barristers in London on 0203 617 9173 or via the enquiry form below.
