PERMITTED PAID ENGAGEMENT(PPE)

This route is for a professional artist (A ‘professional artist’ can be anyone working in the performing or creative arts. For example, poets, make-up artists, stylists, set designers, photographers and fashion models), entertainer, musicians professional sportsperson, a qualified lawyer – to represent a client, or for an expert to give a lecture or series of lectures, speak at a conference. It could be used by academics to act as student examiner or assessor in the UK. The visa duration is usually one month. The applicant must have an invitation from a UK based agent, client, institution, organisation or company.

BUSINESS VISIT

You can also visit the UK for business, corporate or official reasons such as for meetings, conferences, trainings, service delivery, talks, site inspections, business promotion, negotiation, sign deals/contracts etc. The visa duration ranges from 6 months, 2 years, 5 years to 10 years. Persons who have good UK immigration history or have been frequent visitors or have good reason to do so, can apply for more than 6 months visa.

These routes are for workers based outside the UK who are undertaking a temporary work assignment in the UK as a Senior or Specialist Worker, Graduate Trainee, UK Expansion Worker, Service Supplier or Secondment Worker.

SENIOR OR SPECIALIST WORKER

This visa is used for an intra-company transfer. The worker must have worked in the oversea business of the company bringing the worker to the UK. The worker must be a senior manager or specialist employee serving abroad and coming to the UK for a temporary assignment. The worker should be sponsored, the work should be at the appropriate skill level and the salary should meet the relevant threshold/level at the time of application. Salary levels are often adjusted by the Home Office so it is important to check current salary level. This visa can be extended, and the leave to remain can be held for between 5 to 9 years.

UK EXPANSION WORKER

The Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker route is for overseas workers who are undertaking temporary work assignments in the UK, where the worker is a senior manager or specialist employee and is being assigned to the UK to undertake work related to a business’s expansion to the UK.

This route can only be used when the business has not yet begun trading in the UK. If the business is already trading in the UK, workers should apply under Appendix Global Business Mobility – Senior or Specialist Worker instead.

The worker should be sponsored, the work should be at the appropriate skill level and the salary should always meet the relevant threshold/level at the time of application. Salary levels are often adjusted by the Home Office so it is important to check current the salary level. Spouse and children can also apply to join the worker. The visa and subsequent extensions should not exceed 5 year duration in a given six year period.

SERVICE SUPPLIER

The Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier route is for overseas workers who are undertaking temporary work assignments in the UK, where the worker is either a contractual service supplier employed by an overseas service provider or a self-employed independent professional based overseas, and they need to undertake an assignment in the UK to provide services covered by one of the UK’s international trade agreements. This route is suitable for service providers or contractors coming to the UK to provide service or services. The work should be at the appropriate skill level and the salary should meet the required threshold too. Spouse and dependent children of the service supplier can also apply to join the worker.

SECONDMENT WORKER

The Global Business Mobility – Secondment Worker route is for overseas workers who are undertaking temporary work assignments in the UK, where the worker is being seconded to the UK as part of a high value contract or investment by their employer overseas. The work should be at the appropriate skill level and be paying salary that meet the specified threshold

SKILLED WORKERS

The Skilled Worker route is for employers to recruit people to work in the UK, including in UK waters, in a specific job. This route leads to settlement or indefinite leave to remain, and 12 months after settlement, the worker may apply to naturalise as British citizen. The eligibility requirements are that the worker should be sponsored, meet the English language requirement, financial requirement and be paid salary at the appropriate level. Partners and dependent children can also apply to come with or join the worker.

SELF SPONSORSHIP

It is also possible for entrepreneurs or businesspersons who have no job offer to sponsor themselves by first getting a sponsor licence and subsequently sponsoring themselves. They will also meet all the skill and salary requirements discussed above

GLOBAL TALENT VISA

The Global Talent route is for people aged 18 or over in the field of science, engineering, humanities, social science, medicine, digital technology or arts and culture who can show they have exceptional talent or exceptional promise.

For most individuals there is a two-part application process. The first part is an application for endorsement (guidance on the relevant evidence and its format is set out from time to time by the Secretary of State on gov.uk/global talent); the second part is an application for entry clearance or permission to stay.

A person can make the application for endorsement before making the application for permission, or they can make both applications at the same time.

The holder of this visa can work in any company or organisation, start their own self employment business or volunteer for organisation. The visa duration ranges from 3 to 5 years. An application for settlement can be made after 3 years or 5 years of continuous residence for exceptional talent and exceptional promise respectively. To be able to renew the visa or settle, the holder should have earned money from their work or business during the last period of their leave/permission in the UK.

Settlement in the UK means permanent residence. There are different types of settlement or indefinite leave to remain applications one can make in the UK.

LONG RESIDENCE SETTLEMENT

You may be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain if you’ve been in the UK legally for 10 continuous years. This route should be utilised by applicants who have held leave to remain in diverse routes and have accumulated 10 lawful unbroken/continuous residence in the UK. If you have been on family route or private life route, you may have to apply using those settlement routes instead. Life in the UK and knowledge of English language will be required unless applicant is exempted.

PRIVATE LIFE SETTLEMENT

Children born in the UK to parents who are neither settled nor British can apply for settlement after living in the UK for 7 years. No English language and life in the UK tests are required.

Also, young adults who have lived half of their life in the UK who came to the UK as children can apply for indefinite leave to remain after 5 year lawful residence under the private life route. If the applicant is 18 and under 25 years, knowledge of English language and life in the UK will be required unless exemption applies.

SETTLEMENT FAMILY ROUTE

Family members under the 5 year or 10 year route either as parents, partners or children, can apply to settle after 5 or 10 year lawful residence depending on their routes. For adults, knowledge of English language and life in the UK will be required. For persons under the 5 year route, financial requirements will be met. No financial requirements under the 10 year family route settlement. The family member relied on must be British or settled in the UK and their will be proof of continuously genuine relationship.

OTHER SETTLEMENT ROUTES

There are other routes that lead to settlement such as skilled workers, global talent, ancestry visa, discretionary leave, human right, asylum and humanitarian protection, sportspersons visa. Most of these routes(global talent is an exception) require 5 year lawful residence before settlement application can be made. Knowledge of English and life in the UK requirements must be met by all adults.