The UK Graduate Trainee visa provides a route for international employees to come to the UK temporarily as part of a structured graduate training programme. This immigration category is designed for multinational companies that wish to deploy graduate staff to their UK operations to gain professional and personal experience. The visa replaced the Intra-Company Graduate Trainee route and now sits within the Global Business Mobility (GBM) framework.
This guide explains the eligibility criteria, application requirements, visa conditions and obligations placed on employers when sponsoring graduates under this route.
Section A: What is the UK Graduate Trainee Visa?
The Graduate Trainee visa enables overseas employees on a structured graduate training programme to undertake a temporary placement in a UK branch or subsidiary of their employer. It forms one of the five Global Business Mobility (GBM) routes, which are designed to allow overseas businesses to expand into the UK or transfer key staff.
This visa is specifically for workers undertaking a graduate training programme that leads to a senior management or specialist role, where a UK work placement is an integral part of the programme. The scheme ensures that international graduates can develop skills and gain exposure in the UK market under controlled sponsorship conditions.
Permission is usually granted for the period stated on the worker’s Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) plus 14 days, or for up to 12 months, whichever is shorter. While on this visa, the individual can only work in the role for which they are sponsored. Unlike the predecessor ICT Graduate Trainee visa, supplementary employment is no longer permitted. However, visa holders may engage in voluntary work and undertake study while in the UK, and they are allowed to travel in and out of the country during their leave.
Section B: UK Graduate Trainee Visa Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for a UK Graduate Trainee visa, the applicant must meet a set of core criteria set out in the Immigration Rules. These requirements ensure that the visa is used only by genuine graduates undertaking legitimate training placements in the UK.
The applicant must:
- be at least 18 years old at the date of application
- be part of a structured graduate training programme leading to a managerial or specialist role, which includes a UK placement
- be employed by an organisation that holds a valid sponsor licence for this route, with a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) assigned to them
- be coming to the UK to do a role listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations as eligible for the Graduate Trainee route
- be paid the minimum required salary for the role
- have worked for the linked overseas business outside the UK for at least 3 consecutive months prior to application
- meet the financial requirement unless the sponsor certifies maintenance on the CoS
1. Points-Based Requirements
Applications under the Graduate Trainee route are assessed using the points-based system. The applicant must score 60 points, made up of 20 points for each of the following three mandatory elements:
a. Sponsorship (20 points)
The applicant must be sponsored by a Home Office-approved employer licensed to sponsor workers under the Graduate Trainee route. The sponsoring business must be linked to an overseas entity by common ownership or control, or by a joint venture agreement. The overseas business must operate a structured graduate training programme leading to a managerial or specialist role, and the UK sponsor must be able to evidence this when applying for a licence.
Once the sponsor has a valid licence, it can assign a CoS. There is no annual limit on CoS allocations for this route. To meet the overseas employment requirement, the applicant must have worked for the linked overseas employer outside the UK for a continuous period of at least 3 months before the application date. Breaks in this period are not permitted, and time spent in the UK does not count towards the 3 months.
b. Job at an appropriate skill level (20 points)
The role must be one of those listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations as eligible for sponsorship under the Graduate Trainee subcategory. Each job is assigned a four-digit occupation code which must be used on the CoS. The job must meet the graduate-level skills requirement, but the applicant does not necessarily need a degree. What matters is that the role itself is a graduate-level occupation recognised by the Home Office.
c. Salary at the required level (20 points)
Graduate Trainee applicants must be paid at least £24,220 per year or 70% of the going rate for the relevant occupation code, whichever is higher. For certain health and education roles, the full going rate must be met. If the salary offered is below these levels, the application will be refused. If a worker is later found not to be paid in accordance with the rules, their visa may be curtailed and the sponsor’s licence placed at risk.
2. Additional Requirements
In addition to the 60 points, applicants must also meet other mandatory requirements. These include satisfying the financial requirement unless exempt. Where the sponsor has not certified maintenance on the CoS, the applicant must show they have held at least £1,270 in their bank account for 28 consecutive days before applying.
Section C: Apply for a UK Graduate Trainee Visa
Applications for the Graduate Trainee visa must be made from outside the UK. Switching into this category from within the UK is not permitted, as applicants must have been employed by the linked overseas business for at least 3 months immediately before applying.
The process is online, using the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number provided by the sponsoring employer. Applications can be submitted up to 3 months before the date the applicant is due to begin work in the UK, as shown on the CoS.
As part of the process, the applicant will need to verify their identity, provide supporting documents, and may need to attend a visa application centre to enrol their biometric information (fingerprints and a photograph).
Supporting Documents
The evidence required for a Graduate Trainee visa application will typically include:
- A valid passport or travel document confirming identity and nationality
- The Certificate of Sponsorship reference number issued by the employer
- Job title, annual salary, and occupation code as shown on the CoS
- Employer’s name and sponsor licence number
- Evidence of 3 months’ overseas employment with the linked employer, such as payslips or official letters
- Details of the structured graduate training programme
- Proof of personal savings, unless the sponsor has certified maintenance
- Proof of relationship for dependants (partner or children), where relevant
- Tuberculosis test results if applying from a listed country
- A blank page in the passport for the visa vignette, where biometrics are required
- Certified translations of documents not in English or Welsh
Financial evidence, where required, must show that the applicant held at least £1,270 in their account for 28 consecutive days before applying. Online payslips are acceptable if accompanied by a signed employer letter. Bank or building society statements may also be used.
Once the application and documents are submitted and identity verified, a decision is usually made within 3 weeks. Priority services may be available in some locations for an additional fee.
Section D: Graduate Trainee Visa Costs
Applicants for a Graduate Trainee visa must pay application fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS), in addition to meeting the financial requirement unless exempt.
The following charges apply:
- Application fee: £298 per applicant
- Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): £1,035 per year of leave
- Certificate of Sponsorship assignment fee: £55, payable by the sponsor
These fees are payable for each applicant, including dependants. The IHS provides access to the UK’s National Health Service on broadly the same terms as a permanent resident during the visa holder’s stay. Fees are subject to periodic review by the UK Government and should always be checked at the point of application.
Section E: How Long does a UK Graduate Trainee Visa Last?
Permission under the Graduate Trainee route is short-term. Leave is normally granted for the period stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) plus 14 days, or for a maximum of 12 months, whichever is shorter.
There is a cumulative cap across the Global Business Mobility (GBM) routes. A person must not have more than 5 years’ total permission on GBM routes (and time previously spent on the former Intra-Company routes counts towards this) in any rolling 6-year period. When considering a new application, the Home Office will deduct any prior time the worker has held on GBM or the predecessor ICT categories.
The Graduate Trainee route does not provide for in-country extension. If further time is required for a subsequent UK placement under the programme, the individual must leave the UK and apply again from overseas, subject to the overall 5-in-6 cap.
Switching into the Graduate Trainee route from within the UK is not permitted. Likewise, switching from Graduate Trainee into another immigration category from within the UK is not available; a new application must be made from outside the UK under the relevant route if the individual wishes to return in a different category.
This route does not lead to settlement. Time spent as a Graduate Trainee does not count towards qualifying residence for indefinite leave to remain, although separate, future residence under a settlement-leading route may be possible if eligibility is met following a fresh application from overseas.
Section F: Dependants
Graduate Trainee visa holders may be accompanied or joined in the UK by their spouse, partner and dependent children, provided they meet the relevant requirements. Each dependant must make a separate application and pay the required application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS).
To qualify as a dependant, the partner must demonstrate a genuine and subsisting relationship with the main visa holder. Dependent children must be under 18, or if over 18, must not be living an independent life and must have previously been granted permission as the dependant of the same migrant.
Unless the UK sponsor has certified maintenance for the family on the Certificate of Sponsorship, financial evidence is required. The minimum funds that must be shown are:
- £285 for a partner
- £315 for the first child
- £200 for each additional child
These funds must have been held for at least 28 consecutive days prior to the application. Bank statements or equivalent evidence are required unless the sponsor has undertaken the financial responsibility.
If granted, a dependant’s visa will end on the same date as the main applicant’s Graduate Trainee visa. While in the UK, dependants are permitted to work (except as a professional sportsperson) and to study without restriction.
Section G: Employer Obligations
The Graduate Trainee route relies on employer sponsorship. UK businesses that wish to bring graduate trainees must first obtain a sponsor licence and comply with the duties imposed by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
1. Sponsorship
Only employers with a valid sponsor licence can assign a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) under this route. To secure a licence, the employer must demonstrate to UKVI that it is a genuine and capable organisation, linked to the overseas business, and operating a structured graduate training programme leading to managerial or specialist roles.
Sponsors must monitor their sponsored workers, ensuring they comply with visa conditions. This includes working only in the role stated on the CoS, and not taking additional employment. Sponsors must track attendance, progression, and report issues such as non-attendance or early termination of employment to UKVI within the required timescales.
Record-keeping duties apply, including maintaining up-to-date contact details and retaining copies of right to work documents. Non-compliance can result in enforcement action, including suspension or revocation of the sponsor licence, which would also affect the status of current sponsored workers.
2. Visa Application
The employer’s key role in the application process is to assign the CoS. This confirms that the job is part of a genuine graduate training programme. The CoS must set out details of the role, training programme, salary, and duration of employment.
The programme should have a clear structure, with defined objectives and outcomes, to demonstrate that it is legitimate. The employer must ensure that the role meets the eligibility criteria, including the skill and salary thresholds. Once issued, the CoS enables the applicant to proceed with their visa application.
3. Change of role
A Graduate Trainee can only work in the job role specified on their CoS. If an employer wishes to move a trainee into a different role that falls under a new occupation code, the worker must apply for a new Graduate Trainee visa from outside the UK using a fresh CoS. In-country variation into a new role under a different code is not permitted. Minor role changes within the same occupation code may not require a new visa but must still be reported to UKVI through the sponsor management system.
Employers are strongly advised to take legal advice if considering altering the scope of a sponsored worker’s duties, to ensure compliance and avoid enforcement action.
Section H: Summary
The Graduate Trainee visa is a temporary immigration route designed for international graduates undertaking structured training programmes that include a UK placement. It enables overseas businesses to build future managerial and specialist talent by exposing trainees to UK operations, while ensuring strict compliance with immigration rules.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria, including sponsorship, job suitability, salary thresholds and overseas employment requirements. They must also provide evidence of finances and supporting documents. The visa is short-term, non-extendable in the UK, and subject to the five-year cumulative cap across Global Business Mobility routes.
For employers, the route brings responsibility. Sponsors must apply for and maintain a valid sponsor licence, assign Certificates of Sponsorship correctly, and comply with rigorous monitoring and reporting obligations. Non-compliance risks enforcement action and loss of the ability to sponsor future workers.
While the Graduate Trainee visa does not lead to settlement, it offers valuable professional and personal development opportunities for graduates and allows businesses to train and develop international talent in line with corporate objectives.
Section I: UK Graduate Trainee FAQs
What is the UK Graduate Trainee visa?
The Graduate Trainee visa allows international employees to come to the UK for a temporary work placement that forms part of a structured graduate training programme. The programme must lead to a senior management or specialist role.
Who is eligible to apply for the Graduate Trainee visa?
Applicants must be at least 18, employed by a linked overseas business, and part of a graduate training programme with a UK placement. They must have worked for the overseas business for at least 3 months outside the UK before applying and must be sponsored by a licensed UK employer.
Do you need sponsorship for this visa?
Yes. The Graduate Trainee visa requires sponsorship from a Home Office-approved employer that holds a licence for this route.
How long is the Graduate Trainee visa valid?
The visa is usually granted for up to 12 months, or the period stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter. Time spent on this visa counts towards the 5-year maximum allowed across Global Business Mobility routes.
How much does the Graduate Trainee visa cost?
The application fee is £298 per applicant. Each applicant must also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 for every year of leave granted.
Section J: Additional Resources
| UK Government Graduate Trainee Visa Overview | https://www.gov.uk/graduate-trainee-visa |
| Visa Sponsorship for Employers | https://www.gov.uk/uk-visa-sponsorship-employers |
| Visa Fees and Immigration Health Surcharge | https://www.gov.uk/healthcare-immigration-application |
| Apply for a Graduate Trainee Visa | https://www.gov.uk/apply-to-come-to-the-uk |
| Supporting Documents for Your Visa Application | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-visa-sponsorship-documents |
| Working in the UK as an International Graduate | https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-in-the-uk |
| Graduate Trainee Visa Guide – DavidsonMorris | https://www.davidsonmorris.com/graduate-trainee-visa/ |
| Graduate Trainee Visa Guide – Xpats.io | https://www.xpats.io/graduate-trainee-visa/ |
