Graduate Trainee Visa

Applications for the Graduate Trainee Visa can be made online through the gov.uk website at least 3 months before the intended start date of employment in the UK. This start date can be found on the Certificate of Sponsorship given to the employee by their employer.

After the Graduate Trainee visa application has been submitted, the applicant will then need to submit a variety of documents and pay the necessary visa fees. The applicant will then be asked to submit biometric information (a photograph and fingerprints. This information can either be collected at the nearest visa application center or the applicant will be asked to scan their identity document using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app. The applicant will be informed on which course of action to take after submitting their application.

To apply for a Graduate Trainee visa, applicants will need to submit the following documents:

• A valid passport or another valid travel document that shows the graduate trainees’ identity and nationality
• A valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number (this will be given to the applicant by their employer)
• Any evidence that documents the applicant’s job title and annual salary
• The eligible job occupation code (This can be found on the Eligible Occupations List)
• Any evidence that documents the name of the applicant’s employer and their sponsor license number
• Financial documents that prove that the applicant has the necessary funds to support themselves whilst in the UK (ex. bank statements)
• Any evidence that proves the applicant has worked for their employer outside the UK for at least 3 months prior to submitting their visa application (ex. payslips)
• Any documents that detail the type of training program the applicant will be attending
• A valid Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) Certificate (if the applicant’s job involves researching a sensitive subject at a Ph.D. level or higher)
• Any documents that provide proof of relationship to dependants if applying with family members (ex. marriage certificate, birth certificates, adoptions certificates, etc)
• Tuberculosis test results (if applying from a country where this is required)

All documents submitted will need to be in either English or Welsh. If not, they will need to be accompanied by certified translations.

Visa applicants will need to pay the following fees for a Graduate Trainee Visa:

• Visa application fee: £715
• Health Surcharge fee: this is calculated as £624 per year

If your partner or child is coming to the UK with you, the applicant will need to pay an additional £259 per person. It should be noted that unless your UK sponsor will fund your trip, the applicant will need to have at least £1,260 in their bank account. This money will need to be in the applicant’s bank account for at least 28 consecutive days within the 31 days prior to the visa application.

The amount of personal savings may increase depending on if the Graduate Trainee Visa holder is coming to the UK with their partner or children.

Once the applicant has submitted their visa application online, proved their identity, and submitted the necessary documents, the applicant should receive a decision on their visa application within 3 weeks if the application was filed from outside the UK.

If the applicant is switching from one UK visa to the Graduate Trainee Visa and is applying from within the UK, the visa application will be processed within 8 weeks.

Graduate Trainees are permitted to stay in the UK for either:

• The time allotted on the Certificate of Sponsorship plus a grace period of 14 days
• A period of stay up to 12 months

Graduate Trainee visa holders are not permitted to extend their visa but may leave the UK and apply for another Graduate Trainee visa from outside the UK in the future.

According to immigration rules, foreign nationals can only stay in the UK for a maximum cumulative period of 5 years in any 6-year period if under the following visas:

• Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa (now expired)
• Intra-company Transfer visa (now expired)

and/or any of the visas under the Global Business Mobility routes such as the following:

• Graduate Trainee visa
• Secondment Worker visa
• Senior or Specialist Worker visa
• Service Supplier visa
• UK Expansion Worker visa

While in the UK under this visa, Graduate Trainee Visa holders are permitted to do the following:

• Work for their UK sponsor under the job described in their Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)
• Engage is study
• Participate in volunteer work
• Freely travel in and out of the United Kingdom
• Sponsor eligible family members for dependant visas

Graduate trainees are not permitted the following activities whilst in the UK under this type of Global Business Mobility Visa:

• Apply or access public funds or a State Pension
• Change jobs
• Work in a second job
• Apply for UK permanent residence (‘Indefinite Leave to Remain’)

Our dedicated team of experienced attorneys at IAS keeps up to date with the latest changes in the UK immigration system. We can help you navigate the complicated world of UK business visas as well as sponsorship license applications. To help you do business in the UK, our immigration professionals can offer you the following services to aid you on your UK immigration journey:

• Helping to make sure that your foreign employer meets the eligibility criteria necessary to obtain a Sponsor License
• Checking to make sure that you have provided the necessary documents for your visa application
• Make sure that your UK visa application was completed to the highest standard
• Informing you on time frames and helping to make sure that they are met
• Maintaining contact with the Home Office on your behalf

To learn more about the services we can provide for you, contact us today by calling +1 844 290 6312 or leave us a message in the chat.