For multinational businesses moving staff into London or elsewhere in the UK, the immigration route should support both the assignment and the company’s longer-term workforce plans. A temporary leadership rotation and a permanent UK appointment may involve similar duties but call for different sponsorship decisions.
Two options are the Senior or Specialist Worker route under Global Business Mobility (GBM) and the Skilled Worker route. This guide compares them, explains their limits and sets out a practical decision process for employers.
First Check: Is the UK Business Already Trading?
Global Business Mobility is a family of routes, not a single visa. Senior or Specialist Worker is designed for qualifying transfers into an existing UK operation. It should not be confused with UK Expansion Worker, which is intended for eligible overseas businesses establishing a UK branch that has not yet started trading.
Before selecting a route, establish the UK entity’s trading position, its relationship with the overseas business and which sponsor permissions it holds. Source: GOV.UK UK Expansion Worker overview.
Our Global Business Mobility service can help distinguish the appropriate route for a new establishment, intra-company transfer or other qualifying assignment.
Senior or Specialist Worker: Temporary Intra-Company Transfers
The Senior or Specialist Worker route replaced Intra-company Transfer. It allows an existing employee to undertake an eligible role at their employer’s UK operation. It does not directly lead to settlement. Source: GOV.UK Senior or Specialist Worker overview.
The applicant normally needs at least 12 months’ overseas employment with the business. For qualifying high earners paid at least £73,900, there is no minimum overseas-service period, although the overseas employment requirement remains relevant.
Pay must normally meet £52,500 a year or the applicable occupation going rate, whichever is higher. A senior title alone does not establish eligibility. Source: GOV.UK Senior or Specialist Worker eligibility.
This route has no immigration English-language requirement. Employers should still assess the communication skills and any professional registration needed for the actual role. The absence of an immigration language test does not remove the other sponsorship requirements. Source: Home Office explanation of GBM requirements.
Skilled Worker: Recruitment and Long-Term Retention
Skilled Worker can support eligible new recruits as well as existing overseas employees. The worker needs an eligible job and sponsorship from an approved UK employer; the route does not generally require a prior period of employment with an overseas group company.
The usual salary requirement is £41,700 a year or the occupation’s going rate, whichever is higher. The earlier £38,700 general threshold is outdated. Eligible concessions, transitional provisions and certain healthcare or education roles require separate calculations. Source: GOV.UK Skilled Worker job requirements.
English Is Required, but a Test Is Not Always Necessary
New applicants normally need English at CEFR B2. An approved test is one way to demonstrate this, but accepted qualifications, qualifying nationality or other provisions may satisfy the requirement. Certain existing Skilled Workers extending or updating permission retain B1 arrangements. Source: GOV.UK English-language requirements.
Settlement Is Conditional
Under the current rules, Skilled Workers may qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain after five years of qualifying residence, subject to all settlement requirements. Five years of employment does not itself guarantee ILR.
Time on Senior or Specialist Worker permission does not normally count towards that five-year Skilled Worker qualifying period. Employers discussing a later switch should explain this distinction before the assignment begins. Source: GOV.UK qualifying residence for Skilled Worker settlement.
Read our Indefinite Leave to Remain guidance when planning retention and settlement support. Future eligibility will depend on the rules applicable at the time of application.
Comparison: Global Business Mobility vs Skilled Worker
| Senior or Specialist Worker (GBM) | Skilled Worker | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Salary | Normally £52,500 or the route’s going rate, whichever is higher | Normally £41,700 or the applicable going rate, whichever is higher; eligible exceptions apply |
| Path to ILR | No direct settlement route | Potential eligibility after five years of qualifying residence, subject to the settlement rules |
| English Language Obligation | No immigration English-language requirement | Normally B2 for new applicants; a test is not required in every case |
| Sponsor Requirements | Approved sponsor for the route and a qualifying link to the overseas business; existing overseas employee | Approved Skilled Worker sponsor and an eligible genuine job; no general overseas-service requirement |
| Maximum Stay | Normally five years in any six-year period, or nine years in any ten-year period for qualifying high earners on £73,900 or more | Permission can normally be granted for up to five years at a time; repeat extensions are possible if requirements continue to be met |
The GBM cumulative limit includes relevant time on other GBM and predecessor intra-company routes. Limited legacy exceptions exist. Skilled Worker has no equivalent general five-in-six-year cumulative cap. Sources: GOV.UK GBM duration rules and Skilled Worker overview.
The table compares the principal rules, not every exception. The higher GBM headline salary floor does not mean every GBM job requires more pay: compare the route-specific going rates for the actual occupation and working hours.
Business Decision Matrix: Which Route Fits the Assignment?
The following are planning guidelines rather than automatic eligibility outcomes.
| Business objective | Route to assess first | Key decision point |
|---|---|---|
| Rotate an established group executive into the UK for a defined assignment | Senior or Specialist Worker | Confirm the corporate link, overseas service, eligible role, salary and remaining stay allowance |
| Retain a specialist in the UK for the long term | Skilled Worker | Assess English, salary and a realistic settlement plan from the outset |
| Recruit someone who has not worked for the overseas group | Skilled Worker | GBM transfer requirements may not fit the candidate’s employment history |
| Transfer a senior employee who cannot yet meet Skilled Worker English requirements | Senior or Specialist Worker, if otherwise eligible | Ensure a temporary route fits the assignment; do not promise a later switch or settlement |
| Establish a UK operation that has not started trading | UK Expansion Worker assessment | Neither route in this comparison should be selected without first checking the establishment stage |
Example: A Two-Year Leadership Rotation
An established multinational wants to transfer a regional operations director for two years and then return them to an overseas role. Senior or Specialist Worker may fit that assignment if the corporate structure, employee history, job and pay qualify.
The employer should also review previous UK assignments. A two-year proposed posting does not guarantee two years remain under the cumulative stay limit.
Example: A Permanent UK Technical Appointment
A group wants a specialist to build and lead its UK engineering team indefinitely. Skilled Worker may align better with the employee’s long-term plans because of its potential settlement pathway.
Before making commitments, assess the occupation code, English evidence, salary progression and expected international travel. Settlement planning needs to account for qualifying residence and absences, not just the employment contract.
Step-by-Step: Planning the Transfer
Stage 1: Define the UK Operation and Assignment
Confirm whether the business is trading, the intended assignment length and whether the employee expects to return overseas. Record the corporate relationship and identify the proposed sponsor.
Stage 2: Check the Employee and Role
Review the employee’s overseas service, previous UK immigration history, occupation code and English evidence where relevant. Use the actual duties rather than selecting a code solely because its salary requirement is more convenient.
Stage 3: Compare the Full Package
Check what remuneration counts under each route and calculate the applicable going rate. Do not assume that a package including bonuses, accommodation or other benefits meets the immigration salary test simply because its total value exceeds the headline threshold.
Budget for sponsorship, application and health-surcharge costs as applicable, together with any dependant applications. Obtain a route-specific assessment before agreeing who will bear each cost.
Stage 4: Confirm Sponsorship and Submit the Application
Verify that the sponsor holds the correct route permission before assigning the Certificate of Sponsorship. Build time into the transfer plan for supporting evidence and the application process.
Stage 5: Review Compliance and Future Plans
Monitor the sponsored role, pay and reportable changes. Revisit the route if a temporary assignment becomes a permanent appointment. Our sponsor compliance audit guide provides a practical starting point for internal reviews.
Common Questions
Can an intra-company transferee use Skilled Worker instead?
Potentially. Existing employment overseas does not force a business to use GBM. The sponsor, role and applicant must independently meet the Skilled Worker requirements.
Can a GBM employee later switch to Skilled Worker?
A switch may be possible if the worker meets the in-country switching and Skilled Worker requirements at that time. It is a new assessment, not an automatic conversion. Do not assume time already spent on GBM will count towards the five-year Skilled Worker settlement period. Source: GOV.UK Skilled Worker switching guidance.
Is the route with the lower headline salary always better?
No. Consider the applicable going rate, eligibility, assignment duration, English evidence, employee expectations and future recruitment plans together. A route that fits the business today should also support a realistic plan for the employee’s next application.
Getting Help
LegumLex advises businesses on route selection, sponsor requirements and employee applications. We can assess a proposed transfer alongside the company’s UK operating position and the worker’s longer-term plans.
Explore our Global Business Mobility advice, Skilled Worker visa service and ILR guidance.