The requirements of employee as an Representative of an overseas business
In the
Representative of an Overseas business application, there are requirements for the employee who will be the sole representative in the UK.
Recruit from outside of the UK
The employee have been recruited and employed outside the UK by the business. They intend to represent, and intend to work full-time as a representative of that overseas business only.
Shareholding in the company
If you own or control a stake in the overseas business, this must not amount to you owning or controlling a majority of that business. Sole Representatives cannot own more than 50% of the shares, control more than 50% of the voting rights, be the self-employed owner of that business, be the sole-proprietor of that business or be in a partnership agreement in which they own more than 50% of that business.
Media Representative job requirements in the UK
As a Media Representative applicant, you must be based mainly in the UK and working on a UK long-term assignment. Journalists are the usual applicants but other employees like producers, news cameramen and front-of-camera personnel are also possible. However,
Secretaries and other administrative support staff do not qualify and must apply under an alternative immigration route if one is available. Your employer must have its headquarters and principal place of business outside the UK. An overseas media business can have more than one representative in the UK at the same time.
Work experience and position in the company
You need to be employed outside the UK by the overseas business in a senior job role. You need to have a track record of setting up branches or subsidiaries for other businesses, if they have been employed specifically to undertake this role. You also need to have authority to negotiate and take operational decisions once in the UK, as indicated by their role in the overseas business’s hierarchy. You must be a direct employee of the overseas business at the point at which they first seek permission in this route. If the
Sole Representative is subsequently employed by the UK branch or subsidiary they have established, this is permitted provided the link to the overseas business is maintained and they still have sole executive responsibility for the direction of the branch or subsidiary. The overseas business cannot have more than one Sole Representative.
Sole Representatives cannot be an agent hired to market the business’s products in the UK (they are normally self-employed and provide services for a fee), a sales representative or buyer who only fulfils that role for the business: however, senior sales staff who are also responsible for other functions, for example, marketing and distribution, may qualify as a sole representative of an overseas business or a secretary or personal assistant accompanying a Sole Representative.
Should you interest in it,
please contact our Business immigration team regarding your representative of overseas business application at 0207 193 1996
