The UK government continues its drive to establish the UK as a world-leader in science, research and innovation and a number of new immigration routes are being opened to help deliver this plan.
We considered the various new routes here. The first to open is the Global Business Mobility route which went live on 11 April 2022.
There are five sub-routes within the Global Business Mobility route and we will be exploring these in detail over the coming weeks.
Sponsors that previously held a sponsor licence to sponsor migrants under the Intra-Company Transfer or Intra Company Graduate routes will now use the Global Mobility Senior or Specialist Worker or Graduate Trainee routes. No action needs to be taken by the sponsor – licences have been renamed automatically as reflected by the updated sponsor licence register.
CoS assigned under the old routes
If a sponsor assigned an Intra-Company Transfer or Intra Company Graduate route CoS to a worker before 9am on 11 April 2022, and it had not been used in an immigration application by then, the worker can still use the CoS in an immigration application providing it has not expired. A CoS expires if it has not been used within three months.
Salary check
The general salary thresholds have been updated for the new routes. Workers assigned an Intra-Company Transfer CoS with a salary below £42,400, or an Intra-Company Graduate Trainee CoS with a salary below £23,100, will not be eligible under the new routes.
Sponsors who assigned CoS before 9am on 11 April should therefore check the salary level on the CoS. If the salary does not meet the new level an increase will be needed if sponsorship is to proceed. The sponsor must add a note to the CoS stating what the new salary will be.
Sponsoring workers under the new routes
New guidance has been issued which provided detailed information on the requirements that must be met under the new routes.
How our Immigration Solicitors can help
We are experienced in advising sponsors on the various aspects of the UK’s immigration system and sponsorship.
If you require legal advice regarding this or any other aspect of immigration law, our immigration specialists are always happy to have an initial discussion, please contact us or complete our enquiry form below.
