Guidance

Sponsor a Global Business Mobility worker

Guidance for employers on how to sponsor a worker on the Global Business Mobility (GBM) routes.

Documents

Details

There are 5 Global Business Mobility routes:

  • Senior or Specialist Worker: this is for senior managers or specialist employees who are being assigned by their overseas employer to a linked UK business – this route has replaced the Intra-Company Transfer route
  • Graduate Trainee: this is for employees of an overseas business who are on a graduate training programme leading to a senior management or specialist position and are required to do a work placement with a linked UK business – this route has replaced the Intra-Company Graduate Trainee route
  • UK Expansion Worker: this is for senior managers or specialist employees of an overseas business who are being assigned to the UK to establish a UK branch or subsidiary of the overseas business – this has replaced the sole representative provisions of the Representative of an Overseas Business route
  • Service Supplier: this is for contractual service suppliers employed by an overseas business or self-employed independent professionals based overseas who are being assigned to the UK to provide services covered by one of the UK’s international trade agreements – this route has replaced the provisions for contractual service suppliers and independent professionals on the International Agreement route
  • Secondment Worker: this is employees of an overseas business who have been seconded to the UK as part of a high value contract or investment

This document replaces the former ‘Sponsor an Intra-Company worker’ guidance.

We are aware these publications may have accessibility issues. We are reviewing them so that we can fix these. Read more about our accessible documents policy.

Published 11 April 2022
Last updated 4 April 2024 + show all updates
  1. Updated to reflect changes to the Immigration Rules. A full list of updates is in the 'Changes to this guidance' section.

  2. The guidance has been updated to reflect changes to the Immigration Rules coming into effect on 17 July 2023 and 7 August 2023, as set out in Statement of Changes HC 1496. Changes are detailed on page 10.

  3. This version replaces version 04/23 (published on 14 April 2023). A full list of the changes is in the document.

  4. Accessible version added.

  5. Guidance updated as detailed on page 11.

  6. The guidance has been updated to reflect changes to the Immigration Rules (including to salary rates) coming into force on 12 April 2023 and to make some other minor amendments and clarifications.

  7. Guidance updated to reflect changes to the Immigration Rules that came into force on 9 November 2022 and other minor amendments and clarifications throughout.

  8. Guidance has been updated to remove references to obtaining an endorsement letter for the UK Expansion Worker route from another government department. Full changes detailed in the 'Changes from last version of this guidance' section.

  9. First published.