Under the UK’s Graduate Trainee visa, overseas companies can deploy graduates to the UK temporarily as part of qualifying structured graduate training programmes. The Graduate Trainee visa replaced the Intra-Company Graduate Trainee route and offers international graduates the opportunity to build both professional and personal experience in the UK.
In this guide, we set out the eligibility and procedural requirements for the UK Graduate Trainee visa, as well as explaining the visa terms and providing guidance on the employer’s obligations through the process.
Section A: What is the UK Graduate Trainee Visa?
Overseas graduate trainees looking to undertake a graduate training programme at a UK branch or subsidiary of their overseas employer will need to apply for a visa under the new Graduate Trainee visa route. The UK Graduate Trainee visa is one of five Global Business Mobility (GBM) immigration routes. The GBM umbrella is aimed at overseas businesses looking to establish a UK presence or transfer staff to the UK.
The Graduate Trainee route is specifically for overseas workers on a structured graduate training programme leading to either a senior management or specialist position who are required to do a work placement in the UK as a part of that programme.
The Graduate Trainee visa allows stays for either the time given on the workers Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days, or 12 months – whichever is shorter.
Under a Graduate Trainee visa, a successful applicant will be able to come to the UK to participate in the graduate training programme for which the application was made. Under the predecessor route, Intra-Company trainees were permitted to undertake supplementary employment, but this is no longer the case under the new GBM rules. Under the new rules, a Graduate Trainee will not be allowed to take employment additional to their sponsored work, but will be able to do voluntary work or pursue a course of study in the UK. They’ll also be permitted to travel abroad and return to the UK during their period of leave.
A Graduate Trainee visa holder can, however, work in different job roles for their UK sponsor during their period of permission without needing to make a new application, provided the sponsor notifies the Home Office of any changes. In addition, each job must be related to the visa-holder’s graduate training programme and they must continue to meet the requirements of the route. However, a change of job role will not serve to extend the visa-holder’s leave.
Section B: UK Graduate Trainee Visa Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for a UK Graduate Trainee visa, the applicant must:
a. be aged 18 years old or more at the date of application
b. be part of a structured graduate training programme for a managerial or specialist role with an overseas business that has a legitimate work placement in the UK
c. be an existing employee of an organisation that’s been approved by the Home Office as a UK sponsor and have been assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from that sponsor
d. be doing an eligible job to the appropriate skill level as set out in the Immigration Rules
e. be paid the minimum eligible salary required for the job role
f. be working for the linked overseas business at the date of application and have worked for that business outside the UK for at least 3 months before applying
g. satisfy a financial requirement, where applicable.
1. Points-Based Requirements
All applicants on the GBM routes must meet a points requirement. Applicants applying as a Graduate Trainee must score 60 points against the following three criteria (20 points each):
a. Sponsorship (20 points)
To obtain a UK Graduate Trainee visa, the applicant will need to be sponsored by a Home Office approved business authorised to sponsor this category of worker.
When applying for a Global Business Mobility licence to sponsor a Graduate Trainee, the sponsor must be linked by either common ownership or control, or by a joint venture agreement, to an overseas business. In addition, the linked overseas business must offer a structured graduate training programme leading to either a senior management or specialist position that has a legitimate work placement in the UK. When applying for a licence to sponsor under this route, the sponsor must provide evidence of this training programme, for example, a course brochure and evidence of recruitment.
In some cases, if they’re covered by the transitional arrangements for existing licence holders under the predecessor route, the UK sponsor may not need to apply for a licence to sponsor workers under the Graduate Trainee route. Under these provisions, if the UK sponsor had requested a CoS allocation for the Intra-Company Graduate Trainee route since 1 December 2020, or they’ve assigned a CoS to a graduate trainee either before or after this date, the new Graduate Trainee route should be automatically added to their existing licence.
Only once the UK sponsor has a valid licence in place can they issue a CoS. There is no limit on how many CoS can be assigned on this route in each financial year.
To score 20 points for sponsorship, the applicant must have a valid CoS on their Graduate Trainee route, being sponsored for employment which is genuine and meet the overseas work requirements. This means that the applicant must have worked for the linked overseas business for a minimum continuous period of 3 months prior to the date of their application, with no breaks, even where any break would be a permitted absence on another GBM route. This also cannot include any time spent working in the UK.
b. Job at an appropriate skill level (20 points)
The job role must feature on the UK Government’s ‘
Global Business Mobility: eligible occupations and codes’ list. Each eligible role is assigned a 4-digit code, which will be used on the CoS.
To score 20 points for skill level, the job the applicant is being sponsored to do must be skilled to level 6 or above (graduate level) on the Regulated Qualifications Framework for England and Northern Ireland, or the equivalent level in Wales or Scotland. Where this requirement applies, the worker doesn’t necessarily need to have a degree-level qualification but the work they do must be a graduate level role.
c. Salary at the required level (20 points)
To score 20 points for salary, applicants must be paid at least £25,410 per year, or the applicable going rate for the occupation code, whichever is higher. For most occupations, the applicable going rate is 70% of the full going rate, although for some health and education occupations, workers must be paid the full going rate. Of note, if the amount the sponsor intends to pay the worker is below these rates, their visa application will be refused. If permission is granted, but it subsequently transpires that the worker is not being paid in line with these rates, the worker’s leave may be cancelled and the sponsor’s licence revoked.
2. Additional Requirements
The applicant must score these mandatory 60 points to be awarded a UK Graduate Trainee visa. However, they must also satisfy all the other non-points requirements under the rules, otherwise their visa application will be refused.
Specifically, under the financial requirement, unless their sponsor is prepared to certify maintenance on their CoS, the applicant must be able to support themselves on their arrival in the UK, where they must show proof of funds of at least £1,270. The applicant will need to have had this amount of money available in their bank account for at least 28 consecutive days.
Section C: Apply for a UK Graduate Trainee Visa
An individual can apply for entry clearance under the UK Graduate Trainee route from outside the UK, but they cannot apply to switch to a Graduate Trainee visa from inside the UK. This is because they need to have worked for their employer overseas for 3 months immediately before they apply.
To apply for a UK Graduate Trainee visa, an application must be made online by the individual using the reference number found on their CoS. An application can be made for a Graduate Trainee visa up to 3 months before the day the applicant is due to start work in the UK. This date is listed on the sponsorship certificate. This is an electronic record containing various details, including information about their job role and start date.
As part of their application, the applicant will need to prove their identity and provide certain documents in support, where they may need to attend an appointment to do this. They may also need to provide their fingerprints and a photo, known as their biometric information.
The documentation needed will include a valid passport or other travel document to prove the applicant’s identity and nationality. The applicant will also need evidence that they’ve worked for their employer outside the UK for 3 months, details of their training programme, proof of personal savings, where applicable, and tuberculosis test results if from a listed country.
| Supporting Documents for Graduate Trainee Visa Application |
|
|---|---|
| Document | Description |
| Certificate of Sponsorship reference number | Provided by your employer |
| Valid passport or other identity document | Must show your identity and nationality |
| Job title and annual salary | Details of your job role and compensation |
| Job’s occupation code | Specific code related to your job |
| Employer’s name and sponsor licence number | Found on your Certificate of Sponsorship |
| Evidence of personal savings | Bank statements or proof that your employer can support you, as indicated on the Certificate of Sponsorship |
| Proof of relationship with partner or children | Required if they are applying with you |
| Tuberculosis test results | Necessary if you are from a listed country |
| Blank page in passport | Needed if you must give biometric information at a visa application centre |
| Certified translation | Required if your documents are not in English or Welsh |
| Evidence of employment outside the UK for 3 months | Proof of employment with your employer outside the UK for the 3 months immediately before applying |
| Details of your training programme | Information about the structured training you will undertake |
| Valid ATAS certificate | Required if your job involves researching a sensitive subject at PhD level or higher, as advised by your employer |
| Printed payslips | Physical copies of your payslips |
| Online payslips with supporting letter | Online payslips accompanied by a letter from your sponsor signed by a senior staff member |
| Bank or building society statements | Statements showing your salary deposits |
| Building society pass book | Record of your salary deposits in a pass book |
Once an application for a UK Graduate Trainee visa has been made, and the applicant has proved their identity and provided their supporting documentation, they’ll usually get a decision within 3 weeks, although they may be able to pay for a faster decision.
Section D: Graduate Trainee Visa Costs
When applying for a UK Graduate Trainee visa, in addition to being able to show proof of funds of at least £1270 (unless exempt), there will be an application fee and an immigration health surcharge for each year of the applicant’s stay in the UK.
The visa application fee £298 and the health surcharge is payable at £1035 per year of leave.
Section E: How Long does a UK Graduate Trainee Visa Last?
Graduate Trainees can come to the UK for up to one year at a time. However, this is up to the maximum cumulative period permitted on the GBM routes of 5 years in any 6-year period. This means that any previous permission the worker has had on any of the GBM routes, or the former ICT routes, will be taken into account by the Home Office when deciding what, if any, permission they can be granted under the Graduate Trainee route.
Equally, because of the 3 month overseas work requirement, a Graduate Trainee visa-holder cannot extend their visa, but they can apply for another Graduate Trainee visa from outside the UK, provided they don’t exceed the maximum cumulative period permitted.
Section F: Dependants
A Graduate Trainee visa-holder can be accompanied or joined by their spouse or partner, and dependent children, provided these individuals meet the relevant requirements for dependants. This includes a relationship and a financial requirement.
Under the financial requirement, unless the UK sponsor is able to certify maintenance for the entire family, a spouse or partner would need to show proof of funds of £285, whilst a dependent child would need £315, and any additional children would need £200 each. Each applicant would also need to pay a separate application fee and annual healthcare surcharge.
If the application of a spouse, partner or dependent child of a Graduate Trainee is successful, their visa will end on the same date as the primary visa-holder.
Read more about Dependant Visas here >>
Section G: Employer Obligations
Employer sponsorship is central to the application process for the UK Graduate Trainee visa.
1. Sponsorship
To sponsor a graduate trainee, employers must hold a valid sponsor licence. This licence is issued by UKVI and permits employers to sponsor overseas workers. Obtaining a sponsor licence involves a rigorous application process where employers must demonstrate that they are genuine and capable of meeting the sponsorship obligations.
Employers must comply with several requirements to maintain their sponsor licence. They must ensure that their sponsored employees comply with the terms of their visa, including working only in the role specified in the Certificate of Sponsorship. Employers are also required to monitor the attendance and progress of the trainees within their programme and report any issues or changes in circumstances to UKVI.
Furthermore, employers must adhere to record-keeping and reporting duties. They need to maintain accurate records of the sponsored employees, including contact details and copies of relevant documents, and must report certain events, such as if a sponsored worker does not turn up for their first day of work, within a specified timeframe.
Failure to comply with these requirements can result in severe consequences for the employer, including the revocation of their sponsor licence. This not only affects their ability to sponsor future visa applicants but can also impact their existing sponsored employees, who may have their visas curtailed as a result.
Read our full guide to Sponsor Licence Applications here >>
2. Visa Application
The employer’s primary responsibility in the visa application process is to assign the CoS. This confirms that the employer has offered a job to the international graduate as part of a structured graduate training programme. The CoS includes detailed information about the job role, the training programme, and the duration of employment.
Employers must ensure that the job offered is part of a bona fide training programme designed to prepare the graduate for a managerial or specialist role. The training programme should be clearly structured, with defined objectives and outcomes. Additionally, employers are responsible for ensuring that the job meets the necessary skill level and salary thresholds set by the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
Once the Certificate of Sponsorship is issued, the employer must support the graduate throughout the visa application process. This includes providing necessary documentation and information, such as job descriptions, proof of the training programme, and any other relevant details that may be required by UKVI.
Section H: Summary
The UK Graduate Trainee Visa provides a valuable pathway for international graduates to enhance their careers and personal development by gaining work experience in the UK. This visa offers graduates the opportunity to participate in structured training programmes that can lead to managerial or specialist roles, enriching their professional skills and cultural understanding. However, the process involves meeting a complex set of requirements, both for the applicants and their sponsoring employers. Employers must obtain a sponsor licence, issue a Certificate of Sponsorship, and adhere to strict compliance and reporting obligations. Similarly, graduates must fulfill eligibility criteria, submit necessary documentation, and navigate the detailed application process. Despite these challenges, the Graduate Trainee Visa remains a significant opportunity for career advancement and growth for overseas graduates committed to developing their professional journey in the UK.
Section I: Need Assistance?
DavidsonMorris’ business immigration specialists provide guidance on the Home Office requirements to deploy personnel under the Graduate Trainee route, including advice on the sponsorship obligations for employers and the visa application process for your employees.
As a team of immigration lawyers and former Home Office personnel, we can work in support of your in-house HR team or take care of all aspects of your sponsor licence and visa applications. Contact our UK immigration specialists for advice.
Section J: UK Graduate Trainee FAQs
What is the UK Graduate Trainee visa?
The UK Graduate Trainee visa is for individuals being transferred to the UK temporarily by their overseas employer for a work placement as part of a structured graduate training programme leading to a senior managerial or specialist role.
Who is eligible to apply for the Graduate Trainee Visa?
To be eligible, you must be a recent graduate with a relevant degree, have a job offer from a UK employer with a valid sponsor licence and be part of a structured graduate training programme that leads to a managerial or specialist role.
Do you need to be sponsored for the UK Graduate Trainee visa?
To be eligible for a UK Graduate Trainee visa, the applicant must be sponsored by a Home Office approved sponsor authorised to sponsor this category of workers.
How long is the Graduate Trainee Visa valid?
The visa is typically valid for up to 12 months, depending on the duration of the training programme specified by the employer.
How much is the UK Graduate Trainee visa?
The fee to apply for a UK Graduate Trainee visa is £298. The applicant must also usually pay an immigration health surcharge for each year of stay in the UK.
Section K: Additional Resources
UK Government Graduate Trainee Visa Overview
https://www.gov.uk/graduate-trainee-visa
Comprehensive details on eligibility, application process, and requirements.
Visa Sponsorship for Employers
https://www.gov.uk/uk-visa-sponsorship-employers
Information for employers on sponsoring a graduate trainee.
Visa Fees and Immigration Health Surcharge
https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application
Details on the costs associated with the visa application.
Apply for a Graduate Trainee Visa
https://www.gov.uk/apply-to-come-to-the-uk
Step-by-step application instructions and the online application portal.
Supporting Documents for Your Visa Application
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-visa-sponsorship-documents
A list of required documents and evidence.
Working in the UK as an International Graduate
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-in-the-uk
Insights and guidance on employment rights and opportunities in the UK.
Author
Founder and Managing Director Anne Morris is a fully qualified solicitor and trusted adviser to large corporates through to SMEs, providing strategic immigration and global mobility advice to support employers with UK operations to meet their workforce needs through corporate immigration.
She is a recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers as a legal expert and delivers Board-level advice on business migration and compliance risk management as well as overseeing the firm’s development of new client propositions and delivery of cost and time efficient processing of applications.
Anne is an active public speaker, immigration commentator, and immigration policy contributor and regularly hosts training sessions for employers and HR professionals
