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Global Mobility and UK Immigration: Moving Employees to the UK

Transferring employees to the UK requires navigating sponsorship, visa applications, and compliance obligations. This guide covers the key visa routes, costs, and practical steps for global mobility teams managing UK assignments.

Checked 2 September 202611 min readWritten by the Rowan Editorial Team
Section
Employers & Sponsors
Reading time
11 min
Last checked
2 September 2026
Source
The published Immigration Rules and GOV.UK guidance, linked throughout this guide.
Rowan does not
Look at your own case, tell you which route to choose, or say what the Home Office will decide. This guide shows the published rules and where to read them.

In short

  • You need a sponsor licence to bring workers to the UK. Apply early as processing takes 8 weeks.
  • Senior or Specialist Worker visa is the main route for intra-company transfers.
  • Skilled Worker visa is for permanent hires from overseas.
  • Budget for government fees totalling several thousand pounds per employee plus relocation costs.

Moving employees to the UK requires a sponsor licence, the right visa route, and ongoing compliance. The main routes for intra-company transfers are the Senior or Specialist Worker visa and the Global Business Mobility routes. Permanent hires typically use the Skilled Worker visa. Costs are significant and include government fees, professional support, and relocation expenses.

Visa Routes for Employee Transfers

The UK offers several visa routes for companies moving employees from overseas offices. The right route depends on the nature and duration of the assignment:

  • Senior or Specialist Worker: For established employees being transferred from an overseas branch to a UK branch of the same organisation. Minimum salary requirements apply and the role must be at RQF Level 6 (graduate level).
  • Skilled Worker visa: For permanent hires or long-term assignments where the employee will be paid by the UK entity. See our Skilled Worker guide.
  • Global Business Mobility routes: Including Graduate Trainee, UK Expansion Worker, Service Supplier, and Secondment Worker visas. Each has specific criteria.
  • Global Talent visa: For exceptionally talented individuals in specific fields. Does not require sponsorship. See our Global Talent guide.

Getting a Sponsor Licence

Before you can assign a certificate of sponsorship to an employee, your UK entity must hold a valid sponsor licence. Key steps:

  1. Apply online: Submit the application on the GOV.UK sponsorship page.
  2. Pay the fee: £611 for small or charitable sponsors, £1,682 for medium or large sponsors.
  3. Prepare for a compliance visit: The Home Office may visit your premises to check your HR systems and record-keeping.
  4. Receive your licence: GOV.UK says most applications are dealt with in less than 8 weeks. A priority service may be available for £750. Once granted, the licence does not expire — the 4-yearly renewal requirement was removed on 6 April 2024.

For details on assigning certificates of sponsorship, see our CoS guide and CoS assigning guide.

Costs Breakdown

The full cost of relocating one employee to the UK includes:

  • Sponsor licence: £611 to £1,682. Paid once and covers every employee sponsored under it; licences no longer expire or need renewing.
  • Certificate of Sponsorship: £525 per employee. See our CoS fee guide.
  • Visa application fee: Varies by route and duration.
  • Immigration Health Surcharge: £1,035 per year per person. See our IHS guide.
  • Immigration Skills Charge: £480 for the first 12 months and £240 for each further 6 months for small or charitable sponsors; £1,320 then £660 for medium and large sponsors. Payable upfront in one payment for the full visa duration.
  • Relocation costs: Flights, temporary housing, shipping, and settling-in support.

For more detail, see our Skilled Worker cost guide.

Compliance Obligations

Holding a sponsor licence comes with ongoing compliance duties. The Home Office can revoke your licence if you fail to meet these:

  • Record-keeping: Maintain up-to-date records for all sponsored workers, including contact details, attendance, and right to work evidence.
  • Reporting duties: Report changes such as when a sponsored worker stops working, changes role, or is absent without permission.
  • Salary compliance: Ensure sponsored workers are paid at least the going rate for their occupation. See our going rate guide.
  • Cooperation with Home Office: Allow compliance visits and respond to information requests promptly. See our audit guide.

See our sponsor duties guide for a comprehensive compliance checklist.

Settlement and ILR for Transferees

Whether a transferred employee can settle permanently in the UK depends on the visa route:

  • Skilled Worker: Can lead to ILR after 5 years. See our Skilled Worker to ILR guide.
  • Senior or Specialist Worker: Does not lead directly to ILR. The maximum stay is 5 years in any 6-year period (or 9 years for high earners). You can switch to a Skilled Worker visa to start accruing time towards ILR.
  • Global Business Mobility routes: Generally do not lead to ILR.

Best Practices for Global Mobility Teams

  • Start the sponsor licence application early. Do not wait until you have an employee to transfer.
  • Build immigration costs into assignment budgets from the outset.
  • Appoint a dedicated compliance officer to manage sponsor licence obligations.
  • Provide settling-in support: housing, banking, GP registration, and cultural orientation.
  • Plan for dependants. Spouses and children may need their own visa applications.
  • Monitor policy changes closely. See our future of UK immigration guide.

Questions and answers

What visa does an employee need to transfer to the UK?

The main routes are the Senior or Specialist Worker visa (formerly Intra-Company Transfer), the Skilled Worker visa for permanent moves, and the Global Business Mobility routes for short-term assignments. The right visa depends on the duration, role, and nature of the assignment.

Can a company transfer an employee to the UK without a sponsor licence?

No. To sponsor a worker in the UK, your company must hold a valid sponsor licence from the Home Office. The only exceptions are visa routes that do not require sponsorship, such as the Global Talent visa or Youth Mobility Scheme.

How long does it take to get a UK sponsor licence?

GOV.UK says most sponsor licence applications are dealt with in less than 8 weeks. A priority service may be available for an extra £750, which gives a decision within 10 working days. See our sponsor licence guide for more details.

What are the costs of relocating an employee to the UK?

Costs include the sponsor licence fee (£611 to £1,682, paid once), certificate of sponsorship (£525), visa application fee (varies by route), Immigration Health Surcharge (£1,035 per year), and the Immigration Skills Charge (£480 or £1,320 for the first 12 months, then £240 or £660 for each further 6 months). Plus relocation costs such as flights, accommodation, and settling-in support.

This guide is general information about published immigration rules. It is not advice about an individual application under s.82 Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, and Rowan is not regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority. Immigration rules change several times a year. For advice on a particular situation, contact an adviser authorised by the Immigration Advice Authority or an immigration solicitor. Always check GOV.UK for the authoritative current rules.

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