The Senior or Specialist worker visa has replaced the former Intra-company Transfer visa route. This route is for senior or specialist overseas workers who need to come to the UK to work in their current employer’s UK branch on a temporary basis/assignment.
The main requirements to be met are as follows:
- You have worked for the overseas employer for a minimum of 12 months before application date and you are still employed by that company.
- The job to be carried out is on the list of eligible occupations.
- You are paid at least the minimum salary for the Senior or Specialist Worker visa and the minimum salary for that role (whichever is higher).

The maximum period you can stay in the visa depends on the salary you are receiving for that role in the UK:
- 5 years in any 6-year period if you’re paid less than £73,900 a year.
- 9 years in any 10-year period if you’re paid £73,900 a year or more.
The Senior or Specialist Worker route permits you to bring your spouse, unmarried partner and children to live with you. Your partner will be allowed to work in the UK in any occupation, except for work as a sports person, doctor or dentist in training.
The Senior or Specialist Worker visa route does not lead to settlement. The visa can be applied for up to five years and you can extend your visa for as many times as you want, so long it is for up to five years in total within a period of six years if your annual income is less than £73,900.00, or nine years in total within a period of ten years if your annual income is more than £73,900.00.
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
- UK Expansion Worker visa
- Service Supplier visa
- Secondment Worker visa