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The short answer
The Senior or Specialist Worker visa, part of the Global Business Mobility routes, lets a group move an existing employee from its Nigerian business to the UK. GOV.UK says the worker must earn at least £52,500 or the going rate, whichever is higher, and must have worked for the employer outside the UK for at least 12 months unless paid £73,900 or more. It does not lead to settlement.
Groups with a company in Nigeria and one in the UK often want to move a senior engineer or a finance manager for a defined project. The Senior or Specialist Worker route was designed for that kind of intra-group transfer. It is narrower than the Skilled Worker route in some ways and more flexible in others.
Who qualifies
According to GOV.UK, the applicant must:
- be an existing employee of an organisation the Home Office has approved as a sponsor;
- have a certificate of sponsorship describing the UK job;
- be doing a job on the list of eligible occupations;
- be paid at least £52,500 a year or the going rate for the job, whichever is higher;
- have worked for the employer outside the UK for at least 12 months, unless paid £73,900 a year or more, in which case there is no minimum time.
How long staff can stay
The visa is granted for the shorter of the certificate period plus 14 days, or 5 years. There is an overall cap: 5 years in any 6-year period if paid less than £73,900 a year, or 9 years in any 10 if paid £73,900 or more. Time on some earlier intra-company and Global Business Mobility visas counts towards the cap.
What the worker can and cannot do
| Can | Cannot |
|---|---|
| Work for the sponsor in the job on the certificate | Settle permanently (no indefinite leave to remain on this route) |
| Bring a partner and children if eligible | Take a second job (narrow exceptions) |
| Study, travel and return | Change job without updating the visa |
| Do unpaid voluntary work for approved organisations | Claim most benefits or public funds |
Costs for the employer
The employer assigns a certificate of sponsorship and pays the Immigration Skills Charge, which applies to this route just as it does to Skilled Worker: GOV.UK lists £1,320 for the first 12 months and £660 per further 6 months for medium or large sponsors (£480 and £240 for small or charitable sponsors), as checked in October 2026. The EU-national exemption on that page does not cover Nigerian nationals. The worker, partner and children each pay the application fee and the health surcharge and show enough savings; the GOV.UK route page sends you to a separate 'how much it costs' page for the amounts, so check it when you budget.
Worked example
Example only. A medium-sized group moves a Lagos engineer to London for 2 years at £60,000. The salary clears £52,500; because it is under £73,900, the engineer needs 12 months' prior service with the group outside the UK. Skills Charge: £1,320 + 2 × £660 = £2,640. The engineer cannot switch to settlement on this visa, so if the group expects a permanent move, compare the Skilled Worker route.
Senior or Specialist Worker or Skilled Worker?
- Settlement: Skilled Worker can lead to indefinite leave to remain after 5 years if the requirements are met; Senior or Specialist Worker cannot.
- Salary floor: £52,500 on Senior or Specialist Worker against £41,700 (or lower in some cases) on Skilled Worker.
- Prior service: 12 months with the group for Senior or Specialist Worker (unless high earner); none for Skilled Worker.
- Purpose: a temporary transfer within the group against a UK job in its own right.
The Global Business Mobility family also includes other routes, such as the UK Expansion Worker route, which GOV.UK says carries a 4-year licence. Each has its own rules; read the GOV.UK page for the one you are considering.
Planning the transfer
- Confirm the employee's start date with the group outside the UK and count the 12 months (unless the salary is £73,900 or more).
- Check that the UK job's occupation code is on the eligible list and that the salary meets the higher of £52,500 and the going rate.
- Confirm your sponsor licence covers this route and budget the certificate and Skills Charge.
- Agree in writing which company employs and pays the worker during the transfer, and how the cost is recharged.
- Plan the end: return to Nigeria, extension within the cap, or a switch to another route if eligible.
On the Nigerian side, a long transfer can also affect the Nigerian company's payroll, pension and tax position for that employee, so involve the Nigerian adviser before the employee leaves.
Where Pryme fits
A transfer means the employee's money moves too: a UK salary in pounds, and often rent, school fees or family support still paid in naira. A Pryme Personal Account keeps NGN and GBP in one place, and the group can pay both payrolls from a Business Account with approvals recorded. See also the Skilled Worker route and the Skills Charge.
Questions people ask
What is the salary for the Senior or Specialist Worker visa?
At least £52,500 a year or the going rate for the job, whichever is higher, as GOV.UK lists it.
How long must my Nigerian employee have worked for us?
At least 12 months for the employer outside the UK, unless they will be paid £73,900 or more.
Can a Senior or Specialist Worker get ILR?
No. GOV.UK says this route does not lead to settlement.
Does the Skills Charge apply to Global Business Mobility?
Yes, for the Senior or Specialist Worker route, at the same rates as Skilled Worker.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Senior or Specialist Worker visa (Global Business Mobility) · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Senior or Specialist Worker visa, eligibility · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: UK visa sponsorship for employers, Immigration Skills Charge (page metadata 23 Oct 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: UK visa sponsorship for employers, eligibility · accessed Oct 2026
- GOV.UK: Skilled Worker visa, your partner and children (updated 14 Sep 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.