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The UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa — now formally known as the Senior or Specialist Worker visa under the Global Business Mobility (GBM) framework — allows multinational companies to transfer senior managers and specialist employees from an overseas branch to their UK counterpart on a temporary assignment. It does not lead to settlement in the UK and is not available for general recruitment from outside the sponsor group.
Applications are submitted online via the UKVI portal. Employees can apply up to 3 months before their UK start date, and the UK entity must hold an A-rated Sponsor Licence issued by the Home Office before a Certificate of Sponsorship can be assigned.
Documents your UK entity must prepare and submit before your employee can apply
Documents your employee must gather and upload with their online UKVI application
Download a simple reference PDF listing all 15 document names — useful for briefing your employee before their biometrics appointment or sharing across your HR team. For embassy-specific format rules, nationality-specific requirements (TB, ATAS, translations), and compliance guidance tailored to your employee's role and country of residence, talk to the Jobbatical team.
Document names only — no embassy-specific details
Get the full tailored checklist →Format rules · TB guidance · Rejection prevention
The UK Senior or Specialist Worker route has complex salary thresholds (£52,500 minimum, SOC code-specific going rates), 12-month overseas employment requirements, and a Sponsor Management System with reporting obligations that carry real licence risk. Missing any of these turns a routine transfer into a compliance incident that can put your entire sponsorship portfolio at risk.
These are the most common reasons the Home Office refuses or delays UK ICT applications in 2026. Each item maps to a checklist document above.
| Rejection cause | Risk level | How to prevent it |
|---|---|---|
| Wrong SOC code on CoS — duties don't match the assigned code | High | Select the SOC code based on job duties, not job title. Jobbatical reviews all CoS fields before assignment. |
| Salary below £52,500 or going rate for SOC code — whichever is higher | High | Confirm both the general threshold and occupation-specific going rate. Overtime above 48 hrs/week cannot be counted. |
| Missing or insufficient overseas employment evidence (12 months payslips) | High | Submit 12 consecutive monthly payslips from the overseas entity. Gaps, currency changes, or different entity names cause refusals. |
| ISC (Immigration Skills Charge) not paid or miscalculated | High | ISC is calculated by sponsor size and visa duration. Underpayment causes automatic CoS rejection before the employee can apply. |
| Sponsor licence rated B — cannot assign CoS to new workers | High | Confirm A-rating before any transfer project begins. Upgrading from B to A takes time and requires an action plan with UKVI. |
| Missing TB certificate for employees resident in listed countries | Medium | Assess residence history, not nationality, at offer stage. TB must be obtained from a Home Office-approved clinic before entry clearance. |
| Non-English payslips or contracts submitted without certified translation | Medium | All supporting documents not in English or Welsh must have a certified translation. Machine translations are not accepted. |
| CoS expired — employee applied more than 3 months after CoS assignment date | Medium | Coordinate application timeline carefully — employee must submit their UKVI application within 3 months of CoS being assigned. |
If your employee is applying for a different UK route, or you're onboarding a wider team, these tools cover the full range of UK work permit scenarios.
Disclaimer: This checklist is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice; requirements may change without notice. Document requirements, salary thresholds, and sponsor obligations for the UK Senior or Specialist Worker (ICT) route are updated regularly by the Home Office — verify against current official guidance on GOV.UK before submitting any application. Jobbatical accepts no liability for visa refusals, licence downgrades, delays, or complications arising from reliance on this checklist. For a complete, case-specific document list and professional guidance, consult the Jobbatical immigration team.
🇮🇳 India | Additional requirements beyond the standard checklist:
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🇵🇰 Pakistan | Additional requirements beyond the standard checklist:
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🇳🇬 Nigeria | Additional requirements beyond the standard checklist:
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🇨🇳 China | Additional requirements beyond the standard checklist:
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🇵🇭 Philippines | Additional requirements beyond the standard checklist:
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🇺🇸 United States | Additional requirements beyond the standard checklist:
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🇩🇪 Germany | Additional requirements beyond the standard checklist:
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🇿🇦 South Africa | Additional requirements beyond the standard checklist:
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| Not sure what your employee's specific VAC or embassy requires? Email us at [email protected] or book a call with our UK immigration team. | |
See the full UK Intra-Company Transfer Visa service page for Jobbatical's end-to-end support offer.
Requirements are based on UKVI guidance current as of May 2026. Salary thresholds, ISC rates, and visa fees are subject to change. Always verify against current GOV.UK guidance before submitting an application.
Need support beyond this calculator? Our experts handle the full process, from eligibility checks to application and compliance.
Explore UK Intra-Company Transfer (ICT)A: The UK ICT route — now formally the Senior or Specialist Worker visa under Global Business Mobility — requires a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) issued by the UK entity, a current passport, and proof of 12 months' continuous overseas employment with the sponsor group (for employees earning under £73,900/year). The employee must also show financial maintenance of £1,270 for 28 consecutive days (or have employer certification on the CoS), and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge upfront. Additional documents — TB test certificate, ATAS certificate, and certified translations — apply depending on the employee's country of residence and job role.
A: A Certificate of Sponsorship is a digital record — not a physical document — assigned by a UK employer via the Sponsor Management System (SMS) once the Home Office has approved their sponsor licence. The CoS contains the employee's name, occupation code (SOC), salary, start date, and assignment end date. The UK entity must hold an A-rated sponsor licence to assign a CoS to a new worker; a B-rated licence blocks new assignments. Each CoS assignment costs £525 and must be issued no more than 3 months before the employee's intended start date.
A: Standard processing for applications made outside the UK is typically 3 weeks from the point the application is fully "lodged" — meaning the online form is submitted, identity proven, and biometrics enrolled at a Visa Application Centre. Applications from inside the UK typically take up to 8 weeks. A priority service is available for £750, reducing turnaround to approximately 10 working days. HR teams should factor in 2–3 months' advance planning in high-demand countries such as India, Nigeria, and Pakistan, where VAC appointment wait times can add weeks before the visa clock starts.
A: The five most frequent refusal causes in 2026 are: (1) incorrect SOC code on the CoS — the code must match actual job duties, not job title; (2) salary below £52,500 or below the going rate for the specific SOC code, whichever is higher; (3) missing or incomplete 12-month payslip evidence for employees earning under £73,900; (4) Immigration Skills Charge underpaid or not paid at all; and (5) CoS assigned on a B-rated sponsor licence. For tailored rejection-prevention support, talk to the Jobbatical team before submitting.
A: For the Senior or Specialist Worker route, the minimum salary is £52,500 per year or the going rate for the employee's occupation code (SOC code), whichever is higher. For Graduate Trainees, the minimum is £25,410 or the going rate, whichever is higher. Importantly, only the first 48 hours worked per week count towards the salary threshold — overtime above this cap cannot be used to satisfy the minimum. Employees earning £73,900 or more are exempt from the 12-month overseas employment requirement.
A: No. The Senior or Specialist Worker route under Global Business Mobility is a temporary assignment route and does not lead to settlement in the UK. Employees cannot accrue time towards Indefinite Leave to Remain on this route. If your business anticipates a long-term or permanent need for an employee in the UK, you should consider switching them to the Skilled Worker route at the appropriate time — Jobbatical advises on route planning as part of its UK immigration service.
A: The application is submitted online through the UKVI portal. After submitting the online form, most employees outside the UK must attend a Visa Application Centre (VAC) to enrol biometrics — this is managed through VFS Global in most countries (India, Pakistan, Nigeria, South Africa, UAE) and TLScontact in others. Alternatively, employees with a chip-enabled passport may be eligible to prove identity using the UK Immigration: ID Check smartphone app, avoiding a VAC visit entirely. The application is not counted as "lodged" until biometrics are enrolled.
A: Yes. Dependent partners and children can apply to join or remain in the UK under the dependant family member route. Dependants must apply separately and pay their own visa fees and Immigration Health Surcharge (£1,035 per year per adult; £776 per year per child under 18). Each dependant must also prove their relationship with the main applicant via official documentation (marriage certificate, birth certificate). Dependants are permitted to work in the UK without restriction while the main applicant holds a valid Senior or Specialist Worker visa.
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Complete UK ICT visa checklist for 2026 — 15 required documents, CoS requirements, salary thresholds, and rejection causes. Free download for HR teams and global mobility managers.
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