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Updated March 2023

The Secondment Worker visa is for overseas workers who are temporarily seconded to a UK organisation as part of a high-value contract for goods or investment which must be worth a minimum of £10 million per year and £50 million in total. You can ask your employer if their contract with the UK organisation makes you eligible to apply for a Secondment Worker visa.

At the Nathanson Partnership, we can give you advice and guidance on making your  Secondment Worker visa application. When you’re applying for a UK visa, you want to make sure that you have the correct documentation and that you’re providing the right information according to the Home Office requirements. If you need help with your Secondment Worker visa application, we are happy to assist you.

Who Can Apply for the UK Secondment Worker Visa?

The Secondment Worker visa is a route for overseas workers who are on secondment to a UK employer as part of a contract for goods or investment. To apply, you must meet certain requirements including being employed by an overseas company that has a high-value contract with a UK sponsor. The high-value contract must be no less than £50 million in total.

You must have worked for your overseas company for at least 12 months and you must have a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) detailing the work you will do in the UK for a linked registered UK sponsor. Your job role in the UK must be on the list of eligible occupations and you must have the suitable skills to fulfill the role.  To check if your job role is eligible, you will need to know the job’s four-digit occupation code, which you can find out from your employer or on your certificate of sponsorship.

There is no salary requirement for this visa, but you will need to show that have held at least £1,270 in your bank account for a period of at least 28 days to prove that you can support yourself in the UK.

What Are the Sponsor Requirements for the Secondment Worker Visa?

Your UK-based sponsor should be authorised by the Home Office to sponsor a Secondment Worker. As mentioned, the sponsor should also have a contract with your overseas employer.

As an applicant, you should receive a certificate of sponsorship from your sponsor detailing the work you will do in the UK. To begin your visa application, you will need the reference number listed on your certificate of sponsorship which must not have been issued more than three months before the date of your application.

How Long Can I Stay on the Secondment Worker Visa?

With a Secondment Worker visa, you can stay in the UK for a maximum of 2 years in total. Once your visa is approved, you have two options depending on which is the shorter of the two. You can either stay for 12 months from the job start date, or the period detailed on your CoS plus an additional 14 days. You can also extend your visa by 12 months providing you continue to meet the eligibility criteria.

Can I Get ILR Through the Secondment Worker Visa?

As the Secondment Worker visa is only a temporary visa, you are not eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).

How Can The Nathanson Partnership Help You?

At The Nathanson Partnership, we can help you apply for your Secondment Worker visa. The first step is to ensure that your overseas employer has an eligible contract with the UK-registered sponsor company. We can provide clarification and advice on what the Home Office considers an “eligible contract” and will assist you in understanding how you can apply.

We provide a full Secondment Worker visa service where we advise you on the documentation you need to provide, review your application and ensure that you have everything you need to successfully secure your visa.

Please contact us for a free initial assessment with our qualified and experienced UK immigration advisors.

Contact Our Expert Secondment Worker Visa Immigration Professionals

At The Nathanson Partnership, we have a team of regulated immigration professionals who give friendly, high-quality immigration advice that you can trust. We are fully accredited by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (OISC) which means that our immigration practices must adhere to very high standards.

We are proud to support a range of clients, giving them the peace of mind they need to confidently submit visa applications that meet the Home Office’s strict requirements. We understand that everyone’s situation is unique, which is why we give tailored support, applying the immigration rules to everyone’s individual circumstances.

If you need assistance with your Secondment Worker visa application, our team of specialists are here to help you.

Please contact us today on 020 3476 9523 or email us at [email protected]

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Does My Sponsor Need to Pay the Immigration Skills Charge for the Secondment Worker Visa?

Any UK-based company that is authorised by the Home Office to sponsor a Secondment Worker through the visa scheme does not need to pay the immigration skills charge.

How Long Does It Take To Get the Secondment Worker Visa?

After you provide all your documents and prove your identity through the online application process, you will receive news of a decision within three weeks if you are outside the UK and eight weeks if you are in the UK. However, the decision process can take longer for a few reasons. For example, your documents might need to be verified, you might have to attend an interview, or personal circumstances could affect your application process, such as having a criminal conviction.

When Can I Start Working On the Secondment Worker Visa?

The date you are due to start work is stated on your certificate of sponsorship. You can apply for the visa up to three months before this date. However, you should allow extra time in case you need an appointment to prove your identity or provide documents.  

How you prove your identity depends on which country you reside in and the passport you have. You might have to go to a visa application centre. Once you start the application process, you will receive information on whether you need to attend an appointment or not. Once your visa is approved you can travel to the UK to start work on the date stated on your CoS.

What Can You Do on the Secondment Worker Visa?

As a holder of a Secondment Worker visa, you have to work for your sponsor in the job role listed on your certificate of sponsorship. Apart from working, you can take a study course or complete voluntary work, you can also travel abroad and return to the UK within the time frame of your visa. 

How Long Do You Need to Have Worked for Your Employer to Get the Secondment Worker Visa?

For your overseas employer, you must have worked for a cumulative period of at least 12 months. During the application process, you might be asked for evidence to prove this. In this case, you will need to provide proof showing your employer has paid you throughout these 12 months. Examples of evidence that you could provide include payslips, online payslips supported by a letter from your sponsor, signed by a senior member of staff, banks or building society statements, or a building society passbook.

What Is the Salary Requirement for the Secondment Worker Visa?

If you apply for the Secondment Worker visa, you do not need to meet a general salary requirement or the going rate for your job role. However, you must have at least £1,270 to support yourself once you arrive in the UK unless you are exempt. If you have dependents such as a partner or children, they will also have to prove that they can support themselves once they arrive in the UK. 

Can I Get a British Passport With the Secondment Worker Visa?

You cannot get a British passport if you have a Secondment Worker visa, as it is only a temporary visa. 

Can I Bring My Family on the Secondment Worker Visa?

You can bring your family on the Secondment Worker Visa as your dependants only if they are eligible. This normally includes your partner or children, and each family member must complete an individual application alongside paying the visa fee and providing evidence that they can support themselves while they are in the UK. 

They will also need your application number when they begin the visa process, which you will be able to find in your correspondence with the Home Office regarding your application. Their visa will expire on the same date as yours. 

 

Please contact us today on 020 3476 9523 or email us at [email protected] 

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