The UK Graduate Trainee visa is one of the five sub-routes under the Global Business Mobility (GBM) framework, designed for international graduates participating in structured training programmes with multinational companies that have a UK branch or subsidiary. It replaced the former Intra-Company Graduate Trainee visa (previously Tier 2 ICT Graduate Trainee) under the 11 April 2022 GBM reforms. The 22 July 2025 salary uplift raised the minimum threshold from £25,410 to £27,300, and the 8 April 2026 fee uplift raised the application fee from £319 to £340. Maximum grant 12 months with no in-country extension — but workers can apply for further Graduate Trainee permission from outside the UK, subject to the cumulative 5-years-in-6 cap across all GBM and former ICT routes.
The most accessible GBM sub-route for early-career professionals — half the salary threshold of Senior or Specialist Worker (£27,300 vs £52,500), a much shorter overseas employment requirement (3 months vs 12 months), no English language test, no Immigration Skills Charge, and no settlement strings attached. The trade-off: 12-month cap with no in-country extension; the worker must leave the UK and reapply from abroad if a further training placement is needed, and time on the route does NOT lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain. Ideal for graduate schemes in finance, consulting, engineering, technology and pharmaceuticals where a structured UK rotation is part of a longer global career path.
- What is the Graduate Trainee Visa?
- Eligibility Requirements
- Salary Requirements from 22 July 2025
- Fees and Costs from 8 April 2026
- How to Apply
- Bringing Your Partner and Children
- Duration, Extension and the 5-in-6 Cap
- Graduate Trainee vs Senior or Specialist Worker
- What Happens After Your Visa Ends?
- Frequently Asked Questions
UK Graduate Trainee Visa 2026: GBM Sub-Route for Multinational Training Programmes
The Graduate Trainee visa sits within the broader Global Business Mobility (GBM) parent route framework — the five-route umbrella the Home Office launched on 11 April 2022 to consolidate intra-corporate transfers, business expansion deployments, secondments and trade-agreement service supply into a single coherent framework. Where the GBM family as a whole reframed the UK's approach to corporate mobility, the Graduate Trainee sub-route specifically preserves the early-career training pathway that previously sat under the Intra-Company Graduate Trainee category.
What is the Graduate Trainee Visa?
The UK Graduate Trainee visa lets existing overseas employees of multinational companies undertake a structured training programme at the company's UK branch, leading to a senior management or specialist position. Eligibility requires 3 months' prior employment with the linked overseas business, a Certificate of Sponsorship from a GBM-licensed UK sponsor, a job on the eligible occupations list at RQF Level 6, and minimum salary of £27,300 (or 70% of the SOC 2020 going rate, whichever is higher). No English language test required. Visa runs for up to 12 months and cannot be extended in-country.
Origin and Evolution of the Route
Before April 2022, the equivalent route was the Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer (Graduate Trainee) visa. The GBM reforms preserved the same fundamental purpose — structured graduate training placements within multinational corporate groups — but rebranded the route, removed the per-sponsor cap of 20 Graduate Trainees per year, and aligned the underlying points-based framework with the rest of the GBM family. The current legal basis is Appendix Global Business Mobility — Graduate Trainee of the Immigration Rules.
Eligibility Requirements
Existing employee of an overseas business linked to a UK sponsor by common ownership, control or joint venture; worked for that overseas business for at least 3 months immediately before the application date; valid Certificate of Sponsorship issued within 3 months of the application; job on the eligible occupations list at RQF Level 6; salary at least £27,300 OR 70% of the SOC 2020 going rate (whichever is higher); the training programme must lead to a senior management or specialist role. No English language test required. Must apply from outside the UK — no in-country switching.
- Existing overseas employment: Currently employed by a business linked to the UK sponsor by common ownership, common control, or a joint venture arrangement.
- 3-month overseas work history: Worked for that linked overseas business for at least 3 months immediately before the application date.
- Certificate of Sponsorship: Issued by the UK GBM-licensed sponsor within 3 months of the visa application, describing the training programme and UK role.
- Eligible occupation: Role must be on the eligible occupations list — RQF Level 6 (graduate / degree level) or above under SOC 2020.
- Salary threshold: At least £27,300 per year OR 70% of the going rate for the occupation (whichever is higher). For health and education occupation codes the requirement is 100% of the going rate.
- Structured training programme: The programme must lead to a senior management or specialist position within the corporate group; the sponsor must evidence this in the CoS narrative.
- Financial maintenance: £1,270 in personal savings held for 28 consecutive days, unless the sponsor certifies maintenance on the CoS.
- TB test certificate: Required if applying from a listed country with TB screening obligations.
- NO English language test: Unlike Skilled Worker, no SELT or CEFR demonstration is required.
- Outside-UK application only: All applications must be made from outside the UK — the 3-month overseas work requirement makes in-country switching impossible.
- Suitability: Must not fall for refusal under general grounds of the Immigration Rules.
Salary Requirements from 22 July 2025
From 22 July 2025 the Graduate Trainee general salary threshold rose from £25,410 to £27,300 per year — a 7.4% uplift aligned with the wider points-based system salary recalibration. The applicant must earn either £27,300 or 70% of the SOC 2020 going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher. Health and education occupations require 100% of the going rate. Salary is calculated on guaranteed basic gross pay (up to 48 hours/week) plus guaranteed allowances (London weighting, mobility premium, cost of living supplements). Bonuses and discretionary payments do not count toward the threshold.
The 22 July 2025 salary uplift was part of the broader Skilled Worker / GBM salary recalibration that also raised the Skilled Worker baseline to £41,700, the Senior or Specialist Worker and UK Expansion Worker threshold to £52,500, and the Scale-up Worker rate to £39,100. The Graduate Trainee threshold remains the lowest within the GBM family — reflecting the route's purpose as an early-career training pathway rather than a substantive senior corporate transfer.
| Salary Component | Counts Toward £27,300 Threshold? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic gross pay (guaranteed) | Yes — up to 48 hours/week | Pro-rated for part-time roles |
| London weighting | Yes — if guaranteed for full UK employment | Guaranteed for duration of UK employment |
| Mobility premium | Yes — if guaranteed | Specifically for additional cost of relocation |
| Cost of living allowance | Yes — if guaranteed | Must be contractually guaranteed |
| Performance bonuses | No | Discretionary payments are excluded |
| One-off sign-on payments | No | Must be ongoing, not one-time |
| Benefits in kind (accommodation, healthcare, etc.) | No | Non-cash benefits do not count |
| Overtime payments | Only if guaranteed | Variable overtime is excluded |
Source: Appendix Global Business Mobility: Salary Requirements; SOC 2020 occupation code going rates under Appendix Skilled Occupations.
Fees and Costs from 8 April 2026
From 8 April 2026 the application fee is £340 (up from £319 — same uplift applied across the GBM sub-route family under Statement of Changes HC 1691). Immigration Health Surcharge is £1,035/year for adults paid up front for the full grant period (typically £1,035 for a 12-month visa). Total cost for a single adult applicant: £1,375. The Immigration Skills Charge (£1,320/year large / £480/year small under the December 2025 uplift) does NOT apply to the Graduate Trainee route — a significant employer cost saving versus Skilled Worker sponsorship.
| Fee Component | Amount from 8 April 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visa application fee | £340 per person | Up from £319; same uplift across all GBM sub-routes |
| Immigration Health Surcharge — adult | £1,035 per year | Standard work-visa rate; paid up front for full grant period |
| Immigration Health Surcharge — under 18 | £776 per year | Discounted rate for dependent children |
| Personal maintenance | £1,270 | 28 consecutive days; waived if sponsor certifies maintenance |
| Total Home Office charges (12-month visa, single adult) | £1,375 | £340 + £1,035 IHS |
| Priority service uplift | +£500 | Targets decision within 5 working days |
| Super-priority service uplift | +£1,000 | Targets next working day decision |
| Sponsor — CoS assignment | £55 | Paid by employer, not worker |
| Sponsor — Immigration Skills Charge | £0 (exempt) | GBM routes are exempt from ISC |
Source: gov.uk Graduate Trainee visa fee schedule (updated 29 April 2026); Statement of Changes HC 1691 (5 March 2026).
The ISC exemption is material for sponsoring employers. From 16 December 2025 the ISC rose by 32% — large sponsors now pay £1,320/year per worker and small sponsors £480/year for Skilled Worker sponsorship. Multiplied across a 12-month Graduate Trainee deployment, this represents a direct saving of £1,320 (large sponsor) or £480 (small sponsor) versus equivalent Skilled Worker sponsorship — a meaningful factor in route selection for multinationals operating both pathways. For the wider UK work visa fees and ISC comparison across all sponsored routes, see the dedicated fees guide.
How to Apply
All applications are submitted online via the gov.uk Graduate Trainee visa apply portal from outside the UK. The applicant can apply up to 3 months before the role start date listed on the Certificate of Sponsorship. Successful applications are issued as eVisas linked to the worker's UKVI account — the older Biometric Residence Permit format is no longer used for new grants.
- Step 1: Sponsor assigns the Certificate of Sponsorship via the Sponsorship Management System, with role description, salary, training programme details and start date.
- Step 2: Applicant completes the online visa application on gov.uk — typically takes 30–60 minutes.
- Step 3: Pay the £340 visa fee and £1,035 IHS by debit or credit card.
- Step 4: Verify identity — either via the UK Immigration: ID Check app (eligible passports) or by booking a biometric appointment at a Visa Application Centre.
- Step 5: Upload supporting documents — current passport, CoS reference, evidence of 3 months' overseas employment with the linked business (payslips and employment contract), training programme description, financial maintenance evidence, TB certificate if applicable.
- Step 6: Wait for decision — standard service is approximately 3 weeks from biometric enrolment.
- Step 7: Create a UKVI account, link the eVisa, and travel to the UK to start the training programme.
Documents Required
- Valid passport with at least one blank page.
- Certificate of Sponsorship reference number from the UK sponsor.
- Proof of overseas employment — typically payslips covering the 3 months immediately before the application date plus the employment contract showing the linked overseas business.
- Bank statements showing £1,270 held for 28 consecutive days, unless the sponsor certifies maintenance on the CoS.
- Training programme details — usually a programme prospectus or sponsor-issued document confirming the structured graduate training nature and the senior management or specialist position to which it leads.
- TB test certificate if applying from a listed country.
Bringing Your Partner and Children
Graduate Trainee visa holders can bring eligible dependants to the UK — spouse, civil partner, unmarried partner (2+ years' cohabitation), and children under 18 (or over 18 if already in the UK as a dependant). Each dependant submits a separate dependant partner and children visa application and pays the same fee structure as the main applicant.
Dependant Financial Requirements
- Partner: Additional £285 in savings held for 28 consecutive days.
- First child: Additional £315 in savings.
- Each additional child: Additional £200 in savings.
- Example: Main applicant + partner + 1 child = £1,270 + £285 + £315 = £1,870 total in savings.
- Sponsor certification waiver: Where the sponsor certifies maintenance for the family on the CoS, the savings requirement is waived for the first month.
Each dependant pays the same £340 visa fee and £1,035 IHS per year (£776 for under-18s). Dependants can work in most jobs, study, and travel freely. Their visa end-date aligns with the main applicant's grant unless they qualify for a longer stay on their own merits.
Duration, Extension and the 5-in-6 Cap
The Graduate Trainee visa is granted for the shorter of the period on the Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days or 12 months. In-country extensions are NOT permitted — the 3-month overseas employment requirement structurally rules this out. The applicant can apply for further Graduate Trainee permission from outside the UK, subject to the cumulative 5-years-in-6 cap across all GBM sub-routes and former ICT routes.
Time on the Graduate Trainee visa counts toward a maximum 5 years of permission in any 6-year period across the entire GBM and ICT route family — including Senior or Specialist Worker, the UK Expansion Worker visa for new branch setup, the Secondment Worker visa for high-value contracts, the Service Supplier visa for trade agreement contractors, the older Intra-Company Transfer (Long-Term and Short-Term) routes, and the older Intra-Company Graduate Trainee route. A worker who has already spent 4 years on a Senior or Specialist Worker visa can therefore add at most 1 further year as a Graduate Trainee within the same rolling 6-year window. Plan long-term UK immigration strategy carefully with this cumulative cap in mind.
Graduate Trainee vs Senior or Specialist Worker
The two GBM sub-routes most often confused are Graduate Trainee and the Senior or Specialist Worker visa for experienced staff. They serve fundamentally different corporate purposes and have substantially different requirements — selecting the wrong route at the application stage is a common cause of refusal or delay.
| Requirement | Graduate Trainee | Senior or Specialist Worker |
|---|---|---|
| Salary threshold (from 22 July 2025) | £27,300 / year (or 70% of going rate) | £52,500 / year (or 100% of going rate) |
| Prior overseas employment | 3 months minimum | 12 months minimum (waived if salary ≥ £73,900) |
| Maximum grant per visa | 12 months | 5 years |
| In-country extension permitted? | No | Yes |
| English language test required? | No | No |
| Application fee (8 April 2026) | £340 short-term | £819 outside UK / £943 inside UK (over 3 years rate) |
| Cumulative 5-in-6 cap | Yes — applies | Yes — applies |
| Leads to settlement? | No | No |
| Programme requirement | Structured graduate training programme leading to senior/specialist role | Senior or specialist sponsored role; programme not required |
In practice, multinational corporate HR teams typically use Graduate Trainee for early-career rotations (12–24 months UK exposure as part of a 3–5 year global graduate scheme) and Senior or Specialist Worker for substantive multi-year corporate transfers where the worker holds an existing senior or specialist role offshore. The salary threshold differential (£27,300 vs £52,500) reflects this — Graduate Trainee deliberately targets the lower-end early-career band that wouldn't otherwise qualify for the senior route.
What Happens After Your Visa Ends?
The Graduate Trainee visa is strictly temporary. In-country extension is not permitted because the 3-month overseas employment requirement structurally rules out switching from within the UK. At the end of the 12-month grant, the worker must either leave the UK or — if eligible — switch to a different visa category that does permit in-country switching from Graduate Trainee.
Onward Visa Options
- Skilled Worker visa after training completes: Where the UK sponsor offers a permanent or longer-term role meeting the Skilled Worker £41,700 salary threshold (from 22 July 2025) at RQF Level 6 occupation code. Skilled Worker permits in-country switching from Graduate Trainee and leads to ILR after 5 years.
- Senior or Specialist Worker visa: Where the worker has now accumulated 12 months' overseas employment (via the original employment plus the UK Graduate Trainee period plus a post-return period) and the role qualifies at £52,500. Note: in-country switching from Graduate Trainee to Senior or Specialist Worker IS permitted, but the 12-month overseas employment requirement still applies.
- Another Graduate Trainee visa: From outside the UK for a new training programme, subject to the cumulative 5-years-in-6 cap across all GBM and ICT routes.
- Family visa routes: Where the worker has formed a qualifying relationship with a British citizen or ILR holder during the UK stay.
- Global Talent or Innovator Founder: Where the worker qualifies on talent or business grounds independently of corporate sponsorship.
Time on the Graduate Trainee visa does NOT count toward the 5-year continuous-residence period required for Indefinite Leave to Remain. If long-term UK settlement is the goal, the worker must switch to a settlement-leading route (Skilled Worker is the most common) — and the ILR clock starts from the date the new visa is granted, not from the Graduate Trainee entry date. The GBM family is fundamentally designed as a corporate mobility framework, not a migration pathway, and this distinction matters at the long-term planning stage.
- One of five Global Business Mobility sub-routes — replaced the Intra-Company Graduate Trainee visa in April 2022.
- Application fee £340 from 8 April 2026 (up from £319) plus £1,035/year IHS — total £1,375 for a 12-month single adult application.
- Minimum salary £27,300 from 22 July 2025 (up from £25,410), or 70% of the SOC 2020 going rate, whichever is higher.
- 3 months' prior overseas employment with a linked business required — the shortest GBM threshold.
- Maximum 12 months per visa, with NO in-country extension; can apply again from outside the UK subject to the 5-years-in-6 cumulative cap.
- NO English language test required — unlike Skilled Worker.
- NO Immigration Skills Charge — £1,320/year (large) or £480/year (small) saving for the sponsoring employer versus Skilled Worker.
- Dependants permitted; partner £285 / first child £315 / each additional child £200 maintenance.
- Does NOT lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain — must switch to a settlement-leading route if long-term UK residence is the goal.
- 5-years-in-6 cap applies across all GBM and former ICT routes combined — plan corporate mobility carefully.
For official guidance and to start the application, the authoritative entry point is the gov.uk Graduate Trainee visa overview. The legal framework sits in Appendix Global Business Mobility: Graduate Trainee. SOC 2020 going rates and eligible occupations sit in Appendix Skilled Occupations. The 2026 fee uplifts were set out in Statement of Changes HC 1691 (5 March 2026). For sponsor-side requirements applicable to all GBM routes including Graduate Trainee, see the Home Office sponsor licence requirements framework. Sponsors must also ensure ongoing payment of the Immigration Health Surcharge for sponsored workers and dependants at the applicable rates.
The UK Graduate Trainee visa is a Global Business Mobility (GBM) sub-route for existing employees of multinational companies on a structured graduate training programme that requires UK placement. The programme must lead to a senior management or specialist position. The visa runs for up to 12 months and cannot be extended from inside the UK. It replaced the Intra-Company Graduate Trainee visa (formerly Tier 2 ICT Graduate Trainee) on 11 April 2022.
From 22 July 2025 the minimum salary is £27,300 per year (up from £25,410), OR 70% of the SOC 2020 going rate for the specific occupation code — whichever is higher. For health and education occupation codes, the requirement is 100% of the going rate. The salary calculation includes guaranteed basic gross pay plus guaranteed allowances (London weighting, mobility premium, cost of living supplements), but excludes bonuses, sign-on payments and benefits in kind.
From 8 April 2026 the application fee is £340 per person (up from £319). The Immigration Health Surcharge is £1,035 per year for adults (£776 for under-18s), paid up front for the full grant period. A standard 12-month visa costs £1,375 total in Home Office charges (£340 fee + £1,035 IHS). The Immigration Skills Charge does NOT apply to GBM routes — a significant employer saving versus Skilled Worker sponsorship.
No. The Graduate Trainee visa cannot be extended in-country because the 3-month overseas employment requirement structurally rules out continuing in-country applications. The maximum grant is 12 months. To remain in the UK after the training programme ends, the worker must either leave and apply for a further Graduate Trainee visa from outside the UK (subject to the cumulative 5-years-in-6 cap across all GBM routes), or switch to a different in-country-switchable route such as Skilled Worker or Senior or Specialist Worker.
No. All Graduate Trainee visa applications must be made from outside the UK. This is because the eligibility requirement states the applicant must have worked for the linked overseas business for at least 3 months immediately before the application date — a condition that cannot be satisfied if the applicant is already in the UK on another visa. Plan the application timing around the worker's overseas employment record.
Graduate Trainee has substantially lower thresholds: £27,300 salary, 3 months prior overseas work, 12-month maximum grant with no in-country extension. Senior or Specialist Worker requires a higher £52,500 salary (from 22 July 2025), 12 months prior overseas work (waived for high earners ≥ £73,900), and allows up to 5 years per grant with in-country extension. Both cap at 5 years cumulative across the GBM family, and neither leads to settlement. Use Graduate Trainee for early-career structured training; Senior or Specialist Worker for substantive senior corporate transfers.
Yes. Spouses, civil partners, unmarried partners (2+ years' cohabitation) and dependent children under 18 can apply as dependants. Each dependant submits a separate application and pays the £340 visa fee plus IHS (£1,035/year adult, £776/year under-18). Maintenance requirements: £285 partner, £315 first child, £200 each additional child — waived if the sponsor certifies maintenance on the CoS. Dependants can work in most jobs and study during the visa period.
No. Unlike the Skilled Worker route (which requires CEFR B2 from 8 January 2026), the Graduate Trainee visa has NO English language requirement. This applies across the entire Global Business Mobility family — the assumption being that corporate transfers within a multinational group bring their own internal language standards. Applicants do not need to take IELTS, Trinity GESE or any other Secure English Language Test.
No. Time on the Graduate Trainee visa does NOT count toward the 5-year continuous-residence period required for Indefinite Leave to Remain. The GBM family is fundamentally designed as a corporate mobility framework rather than a migration pathway. If long-term UK settlement is the goal, the worker must switch to a settlement-leading route (most commonly Skilled Worker) — and the ILR clock starts from the date the new visa is granted, not from the Graduate Trainee entry date.
Time on the Graduate Trainee visa counts toward a maximum 5 years of permission in any 6-year rolling period across the entire GBM and ICT route family — including Senior or Specialist Worker, UK Expansion Worker, Secondment Worker, Service Supplier, and the older Intra-Company Transfer (Long-Term and Short-Term) routes. A worker who has already accumulated time on any of these routes will find their available Graduate Trainee window reduced proportionally. Plan multi-year corporate mobility strategies carefully against this cumulative cap.