A Secondment Worker visa allows an overseas business to send an employee to a different organisation within the UK to undertake work for a contracted time under a ‘high-value contract’ with that UK business.
The main requirements to be met are as follows:
- The individual must have worked for the overseas business for at least 12 months.
- The overseas business must have a high-value contract with the UK business who will sponsor the individual.
- The UK business is to be a recognised sponsor in the UK and assign a certificate of sponsorship to the individual.
- Do a job in the UK that’s on the list of eligible occupations.

The maximum time you can stay in the UK on a Secondment Worker visa is 2 years.
Under the Secondment Worker visa, you can bring eligible family members (dependant partner and dependent children) with you.
The Secondment Worker visa route does not lead to settlement. That said, you may extend your visa by 12 months. However, you will not be permitted to stay in the UK on this visa for anytime longer than 2 years.
If you are switching into this route and you are already in the UK, then the time you have already spent under the following routes will be included in your maximum total stay calculations:
- Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa
- Intra-company Transfer visa
- Graduate Trainee visa
- Senior or Specialist Worker visa
- Service Supplier visa
- UK Expansion Worker visa