At First Law Solicitors, we provide expert, business-focused immigration advice for multinational companies transferring senior executives, managers, and specialist employees to the United Kingdom.
The Intra Company Visa, now known as the Global Business Mobility (GBM): Senior or Specialist Worker Route, enables overseas companies to move key staff to their UK branch or subsidiary. Our solicitors offer comprehensive legal and compliance support across every stage of this process, ensuring that transfers are efficient, compliant, and strategically aligned with your organisation’s global objectives.
This route is designed for established overseas businesses that need to transfer experienced staff to a UK entity that is linked by ownership or control. It forms part of the broader Global Business Mobility (GBM) framework introduced by the Home Office to modernise corporate migration and replace the former Intra-Company Transfer visa.
The route does not lead directly to settlement but allows employers to bring overseas talent into the UK for medium to long-term assignments where their skills are not easily replicated locally.
To qualify under the Senior or Specialist Worker route, the applicant must:
This threshold, introduced in December 2025, reflects the government’s policy to limit intra-company transfers to high-value senior and technical positions.
The visa is typically granted for up to five years in any six-year period, or nine years for high earners earning £73,900 or more per year.
Holders can extend their stay or change to another route that leads to settlement, such as the Skilled Worker or Innovator Founder visa, provided they meet the eligibility criteria.
At First Law Solicitors, we strategically plan each client’s route progression to ensure continuity of status and long-term immigration success.
All applications are governed by Appendix Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist Worker of the Immigration Rules.
We ensure your CoS, employment contract, and remuneration package fully align with Home Office requirements. The salary must be paid in line with the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 2026) coding system and verified through real-time payroll records under the Data Use and Access Act 2025 (DUAA).
Under the DUAA, the Home Office can now automatically cross-check sponsor salary data with HMRC’s Real Time Information (RTI) system. Any underpayment or inconsistency triggers an instant compliance flag, which may lead to a sponsor audit. Our solicitors proactively manage this risk through ongoing salary verification and compliance audits for sponsor clients.
Applicants are exempt from English language and personal maintenance requirements under this route. However, sponsors must certify that accommodation and financial arrangements are in place before arrival.
Where applicants later wish to switch to a settlement-eligible route, we advise on preparing English language and financial evidence early to avoid unnecessary delay.
Partners and dependent children can accompany or join the main applicant under the Intra Company route. Dependants can work, study, and live in the United Kingdom without restriction, except as professional sportspeople or coaches.
Our solicitors ensure that family members’ visas are fully synchronised with the principal applicant’s status to avoid mismatched expiry dates or immigration complications.
From 1 January 2026, all Intra Company visa holders receive digital eVisas, replacing the former Biometric Residence Permits. Immigration status is now stored online within a UKVI digital account, and employers verify right-to-work status through a share code.
We operate in full compliance with the Data Use and Access Act 2025, ensuring secure processing, encrypted document exchange, and the use of Qualified Electronic Signatures (QES) for digital submissions.
This not only meets Home Office data standards but also accelerates approvals by eliminating traditional postal verification steps.
Although the Intra Company Visa does not lead directly to settlement, many professionals transition into the Skilled Worker route after establishing their UK employment base.
This transition allows applicants to count future residence towards Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and ultimately British citizenship. We plan this pathway in advance, ensuring all continuity, salary, and compliance requirements are met well before switching.
Corporate Expertise: We act for multinational organisations, global investors, and executive professionals seeking compliant international mobility solutions.
Regulatory Insight: We combine knowledge of immigration law with a deep understanding of cross-border employment, taxation, and data compliance.
End-to-End Management: From initial sponsorship and visa strategy to extension and settlement planning, we handle every step with discretion and precision.
Digital Compliance: Our systems are fully aligned with the DUAA 2025 standards, ensuring secure, modern, and efficient handling of all applications.
At First Law Solicitors, we bridge global talent with UK opportunity, combining legal authority with practical commercial foresight.
If your business needs to transfer key staff to the United Kingdom or you are an executive seeking to relocate under the Global Business Mobility framework, contact First Law Solicitors today.
Call 0044 161 224 4066
Complete our secure online enquiry form to arrange a private consultation.
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