Cheaper Visas for some EU Intra-Company Transfers from 2023

With the Introduction of the Skilled Worker Visa, the popularity of the Global Business Mobility Visa (previously called the Intra-Company Transfer Visa) has waned. This is because the removal of the resident labour market test and the suspension of the visa cap means that some of the main advantages of the route no longer apply. In addition, Global Business Mobility Visas still do not lead to settlement. Therefore, there are now few reasons to consider using this visa category and it is largely redundant other than in certain niche circumstances.

However, an amendment to the Immigration Skills Charge Regulations 2017 will provide a new advantage to the Global Business Mobility Visa. This is because from 1 January 2023 certain intra-company transferees from EU companies applying on the Global Business Mobility route will be exempt from paying the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC).

The ISC is essentially a levy designed as a disincentive to employers from hiring overseas workers, with a view to encouraging investment and training of UK settled workers instead. The funds raised from the ISC are directed to support investment in the development of skills and training and to address the skills gap in the UK’s domestic labour market. At £1,000 a year for medium/large companies and £364 a year for small companies (both per applicant), this is a substantial cost.

This new exemption is part of a commitment in the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. This is designed to benefit overseas workers who are senior managers or specialist employees to come to or stay in the UK for no more than 36 months to undertake temporary work assignments with a UK business that is linked to their EU employer. This would provide savings of up to £3,000 for these transfers and will be a welcome change for some employers. However, given that prior to Brexit EU nationals did not need any visa to work in the UK, many employers will feel that this does not go far enough to deal with their concerns on labour shortages.

This article has been produced for general information purposes and further advice should be sought from a professional advisor. Please contact our Business Immigration Law Team at Cleaver Fulton Rankin for further advice or information.