Who is this route for?

This route is for overseas workers who are undertaking temporary work assignments in the UK, where the worker is on a graduate training course, and is required to do a work placement in the UK. This type of assignment is often called an intra-company transfer (graduate trainee) or ‘ICT’.

To qualify for a Graduate Trainee visa, you must:

• be an existing employee of an organisation that’s been approved by the Home Office as a sponsor
• have worked for your sponsor outside the UK for at least 3 months immediately before you apply
• have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your employer with information about the work you will do in the UK
• do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations
• be paid at least £25,410 per year

You cannot apply to change (‘switch’) to a Graduate Trainee visa from inside the UK because you need to have worked for your employer overseas for 3 months immediately before you apply.

You can stay in the UK with a Graduate Trainee visa for whichever is shorter of:

• the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days
• 12 months

You cannot extend your visa, but you can apply for another Graduate Trainee visa from outside the UK.

You can only stay in the UK for a maximum of 5 years in any 6 year period if you’ve spent time on any of these visas:

• Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa
• Intra-company Transfer visa
• Graduate Trainee visa (Global Business Mobility)
• Secondment Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
• Senior or Specialist Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
• Service Supplier visa (Global Business Mobility)
• UK Expansion Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)

You must have been working for your sponsor outside the UK for at least 3 months immediately before the date you apply.

Can dependants join me on this route?

Your partner and children can also apply to join you or stay in the UK as your ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible.

If your partner or child’s application is successful, their visa will usually end on the same date as yours. If a child’s parents have visas with different expiry dates, the child’s visa will end on the earlier date.

If you extend or switch your visa, your partner or child’s current visa will still be valid until its original end date. Your partner or child need to apply to extend or switch their visa, either:

• at the same time as you
• at any time before their current visa expires

This includes children who have turned 18 during your stay.

Your partner or children cannot apply to switch to your visa as your dependants if they are currently in the UK:

• on a visit visa
• on a short-term student visa
• on a Parent of a Child Student visa
• on a seasonal worker visa
• on a domestic worker in a private household visa
• on immigration bail
• because they were given permission to stay outside the immigration rules, for example on compassionate grounds

If your partner or child is currently in the UK on a Student visa, they can only switch if they have either:

• completed the course they were sponsored to study
• studied for a PhD for at least 24 months

How much does it cost?

• you must pay the £298 application fee
• pay the immigration healthcare surcharge – this is currently set at £1,035.00 per annum for applicants 18 years of age and over, and £776.00 per annum for applicants under the age of 18
• support yourself when you arrive in the UK – you’ll usually need to have at least £1,270 available (unless you’re exempt)

How long does it take?

Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within:

• 3 weeks, if you’re outside the UK
• 8 weeks, if you’re inside the UK

If you need to go to an appointment, you may be able to pay for a faster decision. How you do this depends on whether you’re outside the UK or inside the UK.

When should I apply?

You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. This date is listed on your certificate of sponsorship.

As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity and provide your documents.

You may need to allow extra time if you need an appointment to do this. You’ll find out if you need one when you start your application.

What you can and cannot do:

With a Graduate Trainee visa you can:

• work for your sponsor in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship
• study
• bring your partner and children with you as your ‘dependants’, if they’re eligible
• do voluntary work
• travel abroad and return to the UK

You cannot:

• apply for most benefits, public funds, or the State Pension
• change jobs unless you are eligible and you update your visa
• have a second job – unless you’ve previously had an Intra-company Transfer visa or a Tier 2 (Intra-company Transfer) Long term Staff visa
• apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’)

If you require assistance with applying for the Graduate Trainee visa, please contact us for a quote.