A secondment worker visa is a special kind of UK work visa that allows an employee to move temporarily from one organisation to another.

This type of visa is most commonly used when an employee is sent on a work assignment abroad for a specific period of time.

To be eligible for a Secondment Worker visa, you must:

• be an existing employee of an overseas organisation that has a high-value contract with your UK sponsor that has been approved by the Home Office
• have worked for your overseas employer for at least 12 months outside the UK
• have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your sponsor with information about the work you will do in the UK
• do a job in the UK that’s on the list of eligible occupations

You can stay in the UK with a Secondment Worker visa for whichever is shorter of:

• 12 months after the start date of the job detailed in your certificate of sponsorship.
• the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days.

If you want to stay longer in the UK, you can extend your visa by 12 months. The maximum time you can stay in the UK on a Secondment Worker visa is 2 years.

You can only stay in the UK for a maximum of 5 years in any 6 year period if you’ve spent time on any of these visas:

• Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa
• Intra-company Transfer visa
• Graduate Trainee visa (Global Business Mobility)
• Secondment Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
• Senior or Specialist Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
• Service Supplier visa (Global Business Mobility)
• UK Expansion Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)

Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within:

• 3 weeks, if you’re outside the UK
• 8 weeks, if you’re inside the UK

With a Secondment Worker visa you can:

• work for your sponsor in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship
• study
• bring your partner and children with you as your ‘dependants’, if they’re eligible
• do voluntary work
• travel abroad and return to the UK

You cannot:

• apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension
• change jobs unless you update your visa
• apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’)
• do a second job

If you require assistance with applying for the Secondment Worker visa, please contact us for a quote.