Service Supplier

The Service Supplier route allows you to sponsor overseas workers who are undertaking temporary work assignments in the UK, where the worker is either a contractual service supplier employed by an overseas service provider, or is an independent professional established outside the UK, and the work is part of a contract covered by one of the UK’s international trade commitments.

This route has replaced the provisions for contractual service suppliers and independent professionals on the Temporary Work – International Agreement route. The requirements of the new route are essentially the same as its predecessor route, except that:

• you must register details of any eligible contracts, and the overseas
  a service provider with whom you have that contract when you apply for
  your licence
• sub-contracting is expressly permitted, provided there is a clear
  the contractual link between you, the sub-contractor and the overseas
  service provider

Requirements for a  Service Supplier

In order to qualify for a UK Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

• You are aged 18 or over;
• You are currently working as or for an overseas service provider that will provide services to your UK sponsor;
• You have worked as or for an overseas service provider outside the UK for a cumulative period of 12 months;
• Your UK sponsor has a contract with an overseas service provider, where that contract has been registered with the Home Office, and on which you as a Service Supplier will work;
• You have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship issued by your UK sponsor for the job you are planning to do;
• The job you are planning to do is genuine;
• The job you are planning to do is at an appropriate skill level;
• You satisfy a nationality requirement;
• You have enough money to support yourself without relying on public funds;
• You have provided a valid TB certificate if required.

Service Supplier Visa Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) Requirement

In order to obtain a UK Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa you will need to have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job you are planning to do.  Your Certificate of Sponsorship will need to have been issued by an employer that is authorised by the Home Office to sponsor a Service Supplier.

Your sponsor must be listed as A-rated on the Home Office’s register of licensed sponsors, unless you were last granted permission as a Service Supplier and are applying to continue working for the same sponsor as in your last permission.

Your Certificate of Sponsorship must have been issued not more than 3 months before the date of your UK Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa application.

Your Certificate of Sponsorship must include certain mandatory information, including:

• Details of your name, job and salary;
• Confirmation that you have worked as or for your overseas service provider outside the UK for a cumulative period of 12 months;
• A start date which is no more than 3 months after the date of your Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa application;
• Confirmation that the Certificate of Sponsorship has not been used in a previous application which was either granted or refused and has not been withdrawn by the sponsor or cancelled by the Home Office.Service

Supplier Job Skill Level Requirement

Option A

In order to qualify for a UK Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa, the job you are being sponsored to do must be an eligible job at or above a minimum skill level.

Once the route opens the Home Office will publish a list of jobs that are eligible for the Global Business Mobility routes. The list will include the relevant occupation code, job type and related job titles.

You will usually meet the job skill level requirement if the job you are being sponsored for is on the list.

However, your sponsor must choose an appropriate occupation code.  If the Home Office has reasonable grounds to believe that your sponsor has not chosen the most appropriate occupation code then your application for a Global Business Mobility Visa will be refused.

In assessing whether your sponsor has chosen the most appropriate occupation code, the Home Office will consider factors such as whether they have shown a genuine need for the job as described, whether you have the appropriate skills, qualifications and experience needed to do the job as described and the sponsor’s history of compliance with the immigration system.

Option B

In order to qualify for a UK Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa, you must have a university degree or equivalent level technical qualification unless you are employed by an overseas service provider supplying one of the following types of services, in which case the qualification requirements in parentheses apply:

• Fashion and modelling (none required)
• Chef de cuisine (an advanced technical qualification)
• Entertainment services (excluding audio-visual services under the CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement) (none required)
• Management consulting services and services related to management consulting (managers and senior consultants) (university degree (equivalent level technical qualification not permitted)
• Advertising or translation (relevant qualifications)
• Technical testing and analysis (university degree or a relevant technical qualification)

You will need to hold any professional qualifications or registrations required to provide the services under UK law or sectoral requirements.

You must have professional experience in the sector in which you will supply services as follows:

• 3 years’ experience; or
• if you are supplying chef de cuisine services under the CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement, 6 years’ experience; or
• if you are a self-employed overseas service provider, 6 years’ experience.

Service Supplier Salary Requirement

Employers that are authorised by the Home Office to sponsor a Service Supplier under the UK Global Business Mobility Visa: Service Supplier route do not need to satisfy either a general salary requirement or the ‘going rate’ for the occupation (as set out in the relevant occupation code mentioned above).

Service Supplier Visa Financial Requirement

Subject to the exemptions below, you will need to have cash funds of at least £1,270 available.

You will need to have held the money for at least 28 consecutive days ending not more than 31 days before the date of your UK Global Business Mobility – Service Supplier Visa application.

You will be exempt from the financial requirement if your sponsor is willing to meet your maintenance costs up to the end of the first month of your employment, to an amount of at least £1,270, if necessary.  Your sponsor will need to confirm this on your Certificate of Sponsorship.

If you are applying for permission to stay and have been in the UK with permission for 12 months or more at the date of application, you will meet the financial requirement and will not need to show funds.

Service Supplier Visa Duration

Service Suppliers can come to the UK for up to 6 months or 12 months (depending on the trade agreement) per assignment. Service Suppliers can return to the UK for further assignments but are subject to the maximum cumulative period for the GBM routes.