There are numerous routes used by UK businesses to acquire necessary permission to work for business owners, senior executives and skilled workers.
We have a wealth of experience in identifying the most effective route and supporting clients with the necessary strategic and practical advice. We can also support your workers with extensions and indefinite leave to remain applications at the appropriate time.
We can advise and work with you on the most suitable work visa, as well as the requirements, responsibilities and procedures should you need to apply for a sponsor licence.
You can contact us here for a free initial consultation on what is the most efficient way to bring a prospective hire to the UK.
Managing Partner Vanessa Ganguin and the friendly team of immigration experts are highly regarded in the top legal guides and have a great reputation of assisting different sectors with all aspects of UK work visas. Vanessa Ganguin Immigration Law is also part of the Partners Immigration international partnership of trusted immigration and global mobility practitioners, offering advice on expanding into different territories around the world.
According to Who’s Who Legal, “Vanessa Ganguin is the founder of Vanessa Ganguin Immigration Law and draws considerable praise from commentators for her exemplary immigration practice and ‘outstanding’ expertise.”
The respected legal guide also adds: “Philip Trott sits among the foremost immigration lawyers in the UK, and is ‘a well-recognised name’ in the market.”
Who’s Who Legal Thought Leaders also ranked both lawyers as “Global Leaders” in the field of Corporate Immigration.
Vanessa Ganguin, Philip Trott and the firm are also ranked highly in the Legal 500 which says: “Boutique immigration firm Vanessa Ganguin Immigration Law fields a strong team of ‘incredibly knowledgeable’ lawyers, well-equipped to handle work ranging from sponsor licence applications and processing issues to global talent visa procurement and support on takeovers, mergers, and downsizings.
“Founder and managing partner Vanessa Ganguin advises on all aspects of corporate and personal immigration, with particular strength in advising clients in the finance, fintech, engineering, media and entertainment, and sport sectors. Senior counsel Philip Trott brings a wealth of experience acting for clients including entrepreneurs, start-ups, and charities, and on matters extending to complex appeals and national security cases.”
The latest Chambers and Partners UK legal directory also ranked Philip and Vanessa highly again. According to the legal directory: “Vanessa Ganguin of Vanessa Ganguin Immigration Law is especially knowledgeable in the handling of immigration matters for entertainment industry clients. Her work includes securing Tier 5 creative worker visas, as well as providing sponsor licence compliance advice.” Clients quoted by the guide said: “Vanessa is a ‘go-to’ lawyer on immigration matters. She is personal, thorough and ensures high service levels” and “She is thorough and meticulous in detail.”
The latest The Times Best Law Firms has also commended Vanessa Ganguin Immigration Law for immigration. According to The Times Best Law Firms: “Clients include global corporations looking for a British footprint, sponsorship advice or insights about transferring staff to the UK. The firm has established contacts among Home Office policymakers.
“Over the past year it has also advised enterprises within the entertainment and arts sector in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, helping several productions to clear a variety of immigration hurdles.
Vanessa Ganguin and senior consultant Philip Trott are also known for their high net-worth work. They have been involved in two complex cases this year where individuals have had their leave to remain jeopardised by high-profile investment mishaps.”
Contact us to arrange a conversation to identify the most appropriate immigration options for you or to talk through any issues you may need help with.
We offer fixed fees where we can. More information on pricing can be found here.
Global Talent visa
The Global Talent category has replaced the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) route and is one of the areas the firm specialises in. Global Talent is an ever-evolving immigration route for leaders or emerging leaders who are established in the arts, film and TV, fashion, science, engineering, humanities, medicine, academia, research, digital technology or architecture sectors, and has become the greatest accolade our immigration system can bestow on those who excel in their fields.
There are no caps on Global Talent visas, and this prestigious route offers a path to citizenship without any need of a job offer for those at the top of their game. They are a useful route to permanent residence (after five years for those showing exceptional promise, three for exceptional talent) and people can generally apply for citizenship a year after they gain indefinite leave to remain.
An application, unless you are lucky enough to have won one of the honours on a small list of ‘prestigious prizes’ (such as an Academy Award for a leading role, or a Turing Award or Nobel prize in science), involves applying to one of the recognised endorsing bodies, as well as a subsequent application for entry clearance or permission to stay. Endorsements can take up to eight weeks although it is usually faster. Visa applications can also be made for partners and children under the scheme and there are more costly fast track options for the visa decision.
We assist with all stages of making Global Talent applications to UK Visas and Immigration. You can read more details about the route in this article Vanessa Ganguin wrote for the Immigration Lawyers Toolbox on Global Talent visas. The firm is renowned for such work and ranked highly in legal guides.
You can find more details about immigration routes for artists and creatives here.
To find out how we can help you please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
International Sportsperson visa
This new immigration route for elite sportspersons and qualified coaches replaced the Sportsperson (T2) visa and the sporting part of the Temporary Worker – Creative and Sporting visa (T5) on 11 October 2021 .
The Government’s new changes replace the two routes with a dedicated and simplified fast-track visa while keeping an option for more temporary contracts up to 12 months.
The new International Sportsperson immigration route still involves sponsorship and endorsement by the relevant sporting organisation. There is also a financial requirement and a basic level of English must be attained.
You can apply for an International Sportsperson visa if all of the following apply:
- you’re an elite sportsperson or qualified coach, who’s recognised by your sport’s governing body as being at the highest level of your profession internationally
- your sport’s governing body is endorsing your application
- your employment will develop your sport in the UK at the highest level
- you meet the other eligibility requirements
We advise sports figures and teams and provide expert help with applications at all stages, including advising on the suitability of this route and other alternatives too.
To find out how we can help you please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
Innovator Founder visa
The UK’s newest work visa, the Innovator Founder visa replaced the Start-up and Innovator visas in April 2023. It combines aspects of these two immigration routes for entrepreneurs coming to the UK to grow a venture and is in part a reaction to some of the criticisms the Start-up and Innovator routes had come under in recent years, as well as being part of the UK Government’s general aim of bolstering the UK’s reputation as a technology and innovation hub.
We are already receiving many enquiries about the new route, so it is worth first having a look at our guide to the Innovator Founder route here.
The Innovator Founder is a route to settlement in the UK for founders with business plans that are assessed to be viable, innovative and scaleable by one of four new endorsing bodies. There can be more than one applicant for a business, as long as you can demonstrate that you are a cofounder of the business, have generated ideas in the business plan (or significantly contributed to them) and will be involved in a day-to-day role fulfilling the business plan. Applicants must be over 18 and have a business plan endorsed by one of these endorsing bodies approved by the UK Government.
Once they have been endorsed, we advise clients on their visa application, as well as on family members joining them. We will be on hand to help with applications for settlement too after three years. To qualify, you will have to be endorsed as having demonstrated a key role in the business, with your name registered in Companies House and that the business has demonstrated progress against your endorsed business plan and appear to be sustainable for at least one more year.
Founders already working on their businesses in the UK on the Start-up or Innovator route can ask their current endorsing bodies to endorse their businesses to maintain visas, switch to the new Innovator Founder visa if you qualify, or if on an Innovator visa, to settle in the UK. We can help with the visa applications involved. Legacy endorsing bodies no longer accept new Start-up and Innovator applications but are authorised to continue maintaining and monitoring those on them.
Those on the old Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) route would have generally switched to the Innovator route by now. So we can advise on applying for settlement if you qualify, or switching to the Innovator Founder three-year route to settlement for you and your family, with the ability to work for other employers.
We would advise people on any of these routes superseded by the Innovator Founder visa to look into the business requirements you need in place for your next application well before your visa is due to expire.
To find out how we can help you please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
Skilled Worker visa
The Skilled Worker visa is a key route used by employers and requires them to have a Skilled Worker sponsor licence. This has become an indispensable immigration route for many employers, especially as freedom of movement with European countries is no longer a useful way to fill vacancies.
It replaces the Tier 2 (General) category which by last year had become the most popular work visa application for the UK, despite the global pandemic. It is a key plank of the UK Government’s new Points Based System and another area of our expertise, for which the firm is ranked highly.
Sponsors must be offering a genuine vacancy for an appositely skilled role, meet specific salary thresholds and other requirements of the Skilled Worker category.
A dependent partner and dependent children can join a Skilled Worker on their immigration path which is a route to settlement in the UK.
We will ‘hand hold’ you through all stages of sponsoring a migrant, from obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship to securing a visa.
Read more about why so many people find this a useful work visa route in this recent update on the Skilled Worker visa route.
To find out how we can help you please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
Health and Care Worker visa
A Health and Care Worker visa allows medical professionals to come to or stay in the UK in an eligible work role with the National Health Service (NHS), an NHS supplier or in adult social care.
These visas last to five years, after which they can be extended for eligible work, or an application made to settle permanently. If the employee moves to a different employer, a Health and Care Worker visa needs updating or extending. A dependent partner and dependent children can join a Health and Care Worker on this immigration path.
We will ‘hand hold’ you and your employee through all stages of sponsoring a health or care worker, from obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship to securing a visa.
To find out how we can help you please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
Scale-up visa
With applications opening on 22 August 2022, the Scale-up route is intended for UK Scale-ups to recruit talented individuals with the skills to enable the Scale-up business to continue growing. It is a five-year route to settlement that, although initially sponsored by an eligible Scale-up, transitions into an unsponsored route. A dependent partner and dependent children can join a Scale-up Worker on this immigration path.
To qualify as a Scale-up, a sponsor will need to show annualised growth in either turnover or staffing of at least 20% for the previous three-year period and that they had a minimum of 10 employees at the start of the period.
Much of the flexibility of this new route is that unlike other immigration routes, a sponsoring employer need only confirm that an applicant is expected to work for them for at least the first six months of their visa.
You can find more details on what promises to be a handy fast-stream new immigration route in our latest guide to who should apply for a Scale-up visa here.
More details are still set to emerge for sponsors, so please do contact us on 0207 033 9527 or send us an email if you would like to be kept updated or may be interested in advice on the merits of this immigration route to others
Minister of Religion visa (T2)
The Minister of Religion Visa (T2) is a route for eligible religious organisations to sponsor people in a role within their faith community such as minister of religion, missionary, or member of a religious order.
There are various requirements, such as financial and English language competence and the visa can be a route to settlement after five years.
To find out more please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
Global Business Mobility visa
Global Business Mobility visas are a helpful solution in many cases we work with for overseas firms establishing a UK footprint or transferring trainees, senior and specialist staff to the UK to fulfil contracts – whether or not a firm has a UK presence. Rules for the new Global Business Mobility visa came into force on 11 April 2022 and we are helping many firms to make the most of these new options. For a strategic consultation on these and other new immigration routes and which may work best for you or your firm, please contact us on 0207 033 9527 or enquiries@vanessaganguin.com.
The Home Office has divided the Global Business Mobility visa into five categories:
- Senior or specialist worker to meet specific business needs (this replaces Intra-Company Transfers)
- Graduate trainee as part of a training programme (this replaces the Intra-Company Graduate Trainee route)
- Secondment worker to UK firms in high value contracts or investments
- Service supplier to the UK in line with UK trade agreements (this replaces the T5 International Agreement routes)
- UK expansion worker to establish a UK presence (this replaces Representative of an Overseas Business)
The first three categories are aimed at firms with a UK presence, the last three at firms with no UK presence. (Secondments are a route for both.)
Depending on which of the above assignments they are on, applicants will face the following requirements:
- Sponsorship by the UK entity receiving applicants
- Appropriate skill level for the role
- A salary threshold
- Minimum length of time an applicant has been employed by the overseas firm
- Assignments will be temporary (though flexible and routes should be switchable to more permanent status)
Global Business Mobility visa applicants will need to be sponsored. We help many applicants and industries to negotiate the requirements of such immigration routes speedily.We are very experienced at finding the optimal solution, helping you work out which immigration route is the most suitable for your requirements, guiding you through the genuineness and supernumerary requirements and supporting you and your employer throughout the sponsorship and visa process.
You can find our FAQ on the Global Business Mobility visa here.
For advice on this and other new immigration routes, or for a strategic consultation on what would work best for you or your firm, please contact us on 0207 033 9527 or send us an email
Temporary work - Creative Worker visa
Vanessa Ganguin Immigration Law has a great international reputation for working with the creative industries.
According to Chambers & Partners Legal Directory: “Vanessa Ganguin is especially knowledgeable in the handling of immigration matters for entertainment industry clients. Her work includes securing Tier 5 Creative visas, as well as providing sponsor licence compliance advice to industry professionals.”
The Creative Worker visa requires a UK sponsor and allows creatives including performers, actors, models, dancers, musicians or film crew to work, study and bring eligible dependants to the UK. The visa allows a maximum of up to 12 months in the UK, or the time given in the certificate of sponsorship plus up to 28 days – whichever is shorter. It can be renewed.
This visa has replaced the Temporary Worker – Creative and Sporting visa (T5). If you’re a sportsperson, you can work in the UK with the International Sportsperson visa – see above.
We will ‘hand hold’ you through all stages of sponsoring someone on a Temporary work – Creative Worker visa through to securing a visa. Our expertise will help ensure you are able to evidence eligibility, assist with obtaining and assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship, and securing a visa.
Ross Kennedy has written this article explaining the visa concession for some sponsored Creative workers.
You can find more details about immigration routes for artists and creatives here.
To find out more please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
Temporary Work – Charity Worker visa
The Home Office has rebranded what had been called the Temporary Worker – Charity Worker visa (T5).
This category is for people who want to do unpaid voluntary work for a charity.
Eligibility for a Temporary Work – Charity Worker visa includes having a certificate of sponsorship (COS) reference number from a UK sponsor.
We can work with you through all stages of obtaining a sponsor licence, sponsoring and securing a visa. Our expertise will help ensure that you are able to evidence eligibility, obtain and assign a Certificate of Sponsorship, then secure a visa.
To find out more please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange visa
This visa has replaced the Temporary Worker – Government Authorised Exchange visa (T5).
The Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange visa is a sponsored immigration route for those who want to come to the UK for a short time for work experience or to do training, an Overseas Government Language Programme, research or a fellowship through an approved government authorised exchange scheme.
They will need to have a certificate of sponsorship from a licensed sponsor to apply to work, train or carry out research in the UK.
A sponsor must be:
- an organisation running an approved exchange scheme
- a higher education institution (if you are a sponsored researcher, visiting academic or examiner)
- a government department or agency
Those on a Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange visa can stay in the UK for up to 12 or 24 months (depending on the scheme applied for) or the time given on the certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter. They can enter the UK up to 14 days before the start date of your job.
Though people on this visa cannot do a permanent job, they are allowed to study; work in the job on the certificate of sponsorship; do a second job for up to 20 hours per week and bring dependants with them.
Switching to apply to a more long term Global Talent visa is possible for some sponsored researchers on government authorised exchange schemes.
We are experienced at guiding you throughout the eligibility requirements and sponsorship and visa process.
To find out more please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
Temporary Work – International Agreement visa
This visa has replaced the Temporary Worker – International Agreement Worker visa (T5).
Those contracted to do work covered by international law or treaty while in the UK can apply for a Temporary Work – International Agreement visa.
This includes working:
- for an overseas government or international organisation
- as a private servant in a diplomatic household
- as an employee in the household of someone who works for a ‘recognised international organisation’
Those contracted to provide services to a UK company should apply for a Service Supplier visa (Global Business Mobility) instead.
This is a sponsored immigration route, so a sponsor licence is required by sponsors who assign a certificate of sponsorship for an employee on this route. They can stay for two years, or the time given on the certificate of sponsorship plus up to 28 days -whichever is shorter.
Eligible dependent relatives may accompany or join people on a Temporary Work – International Agreement visa.
We are very experienced at guiding employers and employees throughout the eligibility requirements and sponsorship and visa processes.
To find out how we can help you please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
Temporary Work - Religious Worker visa
This temporary visa for those who want to do religious work in a non-pastoral role or religious order has replaced the T5 (Temporary Worker) Religious Worker visa.
This is a sponsored immigration route, so a sponsor licence is required by sponsors who assign a certificate of sponsorship for a Religious Worker on this route. They can stay for two years, or the time given on the certificate of sponsorship plus up to 28 days -whichever is shorter.
Eligible dependent relatives may accompany or join people on a Temporary Work – Religious Worker visa.
We are very experienced at guiding you and your employees through the genuineness and supernumerary requirements and supporting you throughout the sponsorship and visa processes.
To find out how we can help you please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
Temporary Work - Seasonal Worker
This sponsored route enables Seasonal Workers to come to the UK to work in horticulture for up to six months – for example, picking fruit and vegetables or flowers.
NB: They can no longer apply to do poultry work, ‘pork butchery’ or to drive a heavy goods vehicle to transport food.
To find out how we can help you please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
Graduate visa
Since July 2021, graduates are able to work or look for work for two years after graduation (three for doctorates). The new Graduate visa means firms can hire bright migrant graduates with no need to sponsor them first, so there is plenty of time to get to know them without the responsibility of sponsorship.
After this period, they can work on a Skilled Worker visa as a New Entrant on a minimum salary of only £20,960 pa.
To find out how we can help you please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
High Potential Individual visa
UK’s High Potential Individual visa is a fantastic immigration route for those that qualify. It’s a particularly useful immigration route for employers and those who have graduated from a list of around 40 top universities in the past five years to come and work in the UK without having to be sponsored.
Those granted a High Potential Individual (HPI) visa will be able to bring family to the UK and look for work, work for an employer, work for themselves or set up a business.
This means that applicants applying on this route will not be restricted to taking up employment with a UK business that holds a sponsor licence and any employment they undertake will not be subject to belonging to a standard occupation classification (SOC) code or minimum salary restrictions.
The lists of eligible international universities are published every year by UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI). The latest listis yet again dominated by a majority of universities from North America. Out of 40 on the list for those graduating between 1 November 2022 and 31 October 2023, 21 are US education institutions and three are from Canada.
Potential applicants can check the lists below for the year they graduated to see if their higher education institution would qualify them to apply for a High Potential Individual visa.
NB: you must have been awarded your qualification in the last five years – ie: the date of actual award – this will normally appear on the diploma/certificate itself must be within five years of your application.
Check the list of High Potential Individual visa eligible universities for the month and year you were awarded your qualification:
- 1 November 2022 to 31 October 2023
- 1 November 2021 to 31 October 2022
- 1 November 2020 to 31 October 2021
- 1 November 2019 to 31 October 2020
- 1 November 2018 to 31 October 2019
- 1 November 2017 to 31 October 2018
- 1 November 2016 to 31 October 2017
You can read more about how the HPI visa works and eligibility here.
If you or your employer would like to find out how we can help you please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
Youth Mobility Scheme
The Youth Mobility Scheme (YMS) is a great route for youth aged 18 – 30 wishing to live, study or work in the UK to spend two years in the country without the need to be sponsored. Applicants must have certain types of British nationality or are a national from one of the eligible countries which all have a cap on applicants.
International agreements between the UK and Canada, New Zealand, Australia as well as the new India Young Professionals Scheme have recently expanded YMS options. There are reports of agreements on the horizon with more countries for such reciprocal youth mobility schemes.
The allocation for different participating nationalities does not follow the population size of those countries. India for instance, will have 3,000 places for its similar Young Professionals Scheme. Far less populous Iceland has 1,000 places, while San Marino, with a population of just 33,000 has 1,000 places on the scheme. The total allocation of places listed for 2023 for each country participating in the scheme was as follows:
- Australia – 35,000 places
- Canada – 8,000 places
- Hong Kong – 1,000 places
- Iceland – 1,000 places
- India – 3,000 places
- Japan – 1,500 places
- Monaco – 1,000 places
- New Zealand – 13,000 places
- Republic of Korea – 1,000 places
- San Marino – 1,000 places
- Taiwan – 1,000 places
There is no annual limit on places for British Overseas Citizens, British Overseas Territories Citizens and British Nationals (Overseas).
Applications from some countries tend to be within the quotas, though the Home Office operates a lottery for applicants from Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea, who have to register interest in the scheme by email to revive an invite if chosen at random. These ballots usually take place in January and July. There will be a ballot for applicants for India’s ‘Young Professionals Scheme’ details fo which are yet to be announced.
There are some country-specific requirements, especially the agreement with India which allows only those at the equivalent of graduate level and above to apply to the Young Professionals Scheme.
The UK Government has also announced that such visas will be expanded for applicants from Canada and Australia as they have been for New Zealand to allow visas to last up to three years and for applicants up to the age of 35.
We can advise on eligibility requirements as well as alternative routes too. For more information on the Youth Mobility Scheme and the latest on ballots, read our latest guide here.
To find out how we can help you please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
Immigration routes only open to legacy applications: Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) and Tier 1 (Investor)
Tier 1 (Entrepreneur)
The Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) route is only available to those already in the UK with leave granted in this category.
We can support you with an application for further leave to remain (until the cut-off which in most cases is 6 April 2023) or indefinite leave to remain (until the cut-off which in most cases is 6 April 2025). The firm is ranked highly in legal guides for such work.
Tier 1 (Investor)
The Tier 1 (Investor) route was closed for new applications in February 2022. It had been an immigration route for those with £2 million under their control to invest in share or loan capital in UK companies. The Home Secretary announced the immediate closure of the route on 17 February 2022 due to what she said were concerns of abuse of the system.
We still assist people already in the UK on Investor visas. If you already have a Tier 1 (Investor) visa (or had one in the last 12 months and it was your most recent visa), you can still apply to settle in the UK (indefinite leave to remain), to extend your visa for two years, as well as applying for family members to join you.
To find out how we can help you please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
Frontier Worker permit
The Frontier Worker permit was created to comply with the EU Withdrawal Agreement commitments to certain cross-border workers living in the European Economic Area (EEA) and travelling to the UK for employed or self-employed work.
Post-Brexit, applying for the Frontier Worker permit allows people to come to the UK to work (employed or self-employed) while living elsewhere if all of the following apply:
- they are an EEA/Swiss national
- they live outside of the UK
- they have worked in the UK by 31 December 2020
- they have kept working in the UK at least once every 12 months since they started working here
We can help you to navigate the guidance and make an application for a Frontier Worker permit.
To find out how we can help you please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
Service Providers from Switzerland visa
This category is for individuals working for a company based in Switzerland which requires them to work on contract in the UK. Swiss nationals can also apply as self-employed service providers if they are based in Switzerland.
The contract to carry out work in the UK must have been signed and started before 11pm on 31 December 2020. Service providers would be able to enter multiple times during the validity of the visa. Note that there is an overall limit across all Swiss employees and contracts such that all staff collectively must not exceed 90 days per calendar year in the UK (including weekends and bank holidays).
The visa will potentially be valid for the shorter of the end date of the contract to work in the UK, the end date of their work contract with their Swiss employer (if the employee is on a fixed-term contract), the day before their right to live in Switzerland expires and 31 December 2025.
To find out more please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email
Overseas Domestic Worker visa
This visa is for domestic workers such as cleaners, carers, chauffeurs, cooks and allows spending up to six months in the UK with an employer they have worked for for at least one year. There are other eligibility requirements and it cannot be extended.
(Those who were on a Domestic Worker in a Private Household visa on or before 5 April 2012 may extend their stay every 12 months, settle in the UK, bring family members and change employer if their visa is valid.)
To find out more please call us on 0207 033 9527 or click here to send us an email