Your Guide to a Global Business Mobility Visa

A global business mobility visa is an important tool for people wishing to come to another country to start work. This particular visa plays a very specific purpose in establishing a new branch in another country.

Properly understanding what the visa is for and how it influences the overall immigration and expansion process is vital, so let’s take a look.

What Is A Global Business Mobility Visa?

So, what is a global business mobility visa? This special kind of visa is designed for specialist employees and senior managers who want to come to the UK temporarily to start work that involves expanding the business to operate in the UK. You can send up to 5 people at a time for this process.

You can only use this process if the UK branch hasn’t started trading yet. You have to apply for a different kind of visa if the business has already begun trading in the UK.

What Are The Requirements?

So, if you want to qualify for a global business mobility visa, you have to meet the following requirements.

You have to be at least 18, and you have to be working for either a business or organisation which is specifically linked to a UK sponsor by common ownership or control.

You need to have worked outside the UK for said business for at least 12 months cumulatively unless you are a high earner making more than £73,900 per year.

You also need to have a valid certificate of sponsorship provided by your UK sponsor for the job that you intend to do; the job that you are planning to do needs to be both genuine and at least RQF level 6.

Your salary needs to be either equal to or greater than at least £42,400 per business year, or be equivalent to at least the standard industry rate for that position.

The exact requirements to get the visa that you need will depend on the specific circumstances, so it’s worth consulting a lawyer to get legal advice on the subject.

Work Requirements

So, when it comes to securing the Visa, you have to have done at least 12 months of work cumulatively for the business. However, there are certain rules and regulations that come with that.

The 12 months of work that you have completed outside of the UK has to have been done during a historical period where you were working for the organisation for at least 12 months before you submit an application. Any breaks that you have taken can only be for maternity, paternity or shared parental leave, statutory adoption leave, assisting with a national or international environmental crisis, or sick leave.

Why Is The Visa Necessary?

So, a lot of people question why the Visa is a necessary part of the process for coming over and expanding, but it earmarks you as having a specific role within your corporation in the UK.

It’s never just as simple as coming into the UK and starting to build a new company. Even if you want to expand, you don’t just turn up and set up shop. There are rules and regulations for trading in individual countries, and if you do want to expand, you have to follow the process.

The visa is a way for governments and official parties to regulate who is coming into the country and for what purpose. You need a visa because it shows that you are there to set up an expansion, which means that you have to be able to evidence what you’re doing and follow an entire set of processes and procedures to ensure that the new branch is set up in a legal fashion, complies of all the regulations of that country, and at the same time, is done so in an ordered fashion.

Applying For A Visa

When it comes to applying for a visa, it’s important to recognise that you will need a fully designed business plan to go with it. This is just a normal part of everyday operating in this, and it’s something that you should be fully accustomed to.

The business plan is an important part of the entire thing because it gives you access to a lot of different options. You use the business plan as an effective tool for getting people interested, communicating what your business is going to do while it’s operating in the UK, seeking funding where necessary, and also showcasing financial projections.

It’s often necessary for a successful visa application, so you need to make sure that you do one properly. If you need to seek out the services of professionals, then we are happy to help, but it’s important to recognise the business plan as a vital component of a successful application, so you’re not going to be able to get away without doing one.

Final Thoughts

So, applying for a global business mobility visa is important. You need it if you’re going to successfully expand, and it’s important to keep in mind that the application process will mandate a business plan.

It’s a necessary part of operating in the UK, especially if you want to expand. Expansion is a slow process sometimes, and you do have to do it properly because otherwise, the business may not be legal, or you could be subject to penalties. It’s difficult to approach the situation if you’ve never tried to expand globally before, so it’s well worth consulting with a professional and getting that advice.

Expansion, if done correctly, is a very valuable asset for your business. Being able to take things to the next level and improve your trading is always desirable, but you need to understand the process that goes into it. You have to bring over a few key workers slowly to establish a foothold and then build up gradually. The visa is an important part of this, which is why we are more than happy to help design a business plan for you to be able to successfully apply for it.