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Guidance

Sponsor a Global Business Mobility worker

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

Updates to this page

From:
Home Office
Published:
11 April 2022
Last updated:
8 April 2026
Show all updates

  1. Guidance has been updated to reflect changes to the Immigration Rules as set out in Statement of Changes HC 1691 (published on 5 March 2026). A full list of changes can be found in the guide.

  2. This version replaces version 11/25 (published on 11 November 2025). A full list of changes is in the document.

  3. The guidance has been updated to clarify the definition of ‘trading’ for the purposes of the UK Expansion Worker route, reflect the introduction of Part Suitability of the Immigration Rules.

  4. Guidance updated to implement a commitment given in the publication ‘Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper’ (also known as the ‘Immigration White Paper’) to double the number of workers that can be sponsored on the UK Expansion Worker route. Guidance also updated to reflect changes to salary thresholds from 22 July 2025 for the Senior or Specialist Worker, Graduate Trainee and UK Expansion Worker routes, as set out in Statement of Changes HC 997 (published on 1 July 2025).

  5. Guidance updated to: give effect to a commitment in the Written Ministerial Statement of 28 November 2024 to prohibit sponsors from passing on sponsorship fees and associated administrative costs to their sponsored workers; reflect a change to the ‘qualifying overseas business link’ requirement on the UK Expansion Worker route; make some other minor amendments and clarifications.

  6. Updated guidance to reflect the coming into force of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

  7. Updated to reflect changes to the Immigration Rules. A full list of updates is in the 'Changes to this guidance' section.

  8. 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.

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

  10. Accessible version added.

  11. Guidance updated as detailed on page 11.

  12. 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.

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

  14. 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.

  15. First published.

Documents

Workers and Temporary Workers: sponsor a Global Business Mobility worker (accessible)

HTML

Workers and Temporary Workers: sponsor a Global Business Mobility worker

PDF, 1.25 MB, 63 pages

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.

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