- The Isle of Man Immigration Service has announced plans to launch the Global Business Mobility route, replacing an existing visa category
- The new framework covers five separate temporary worker visa categories aimed at foreign professionals and corporate transferees
- Workers currently holding the Intra-Company Transfer visa will retain their existing leave and settlement rights after the transition
The Isle of Man Immigration Service has announced a new Global Business Mobility (GBM) route, set to take effect on 2 November 2026, opening five distinct visa categories for foreign workers and corporate transferees.
The move, published as an official government notice, marks a significant shift in how the island manages temporary worker immigration, bringing its framework more in line with international mobility standards.
Source: UGC
Visa categories under the new GBM route
The five categories introduced under the Global Business Mobility route each serve a different type of worker or business arrangement:
The Senior or Specialist Worker visa is designed for senior managers and specialists transferred to an employer's existing Isle of Man branch.
The Expansion Worker route, by contrast, covers staff sent to the island to help establish a new business presence for an overseas company.
A Graduate Trainee visa will be available for workers participating in structured graduate training programmes within a company.
The Secondment Worker category covers individuals placed on secondment under high-value contracts.
The Service Supplier visa applies to contractors delivering services under international trade agreements.
What happens to current ICT visa holders
The existing Intra-Company Transfer visa will close to new applicants on the same date the GBM route launches. However, individuals who already hold an ICT visa will still have recourse. Under the government notice, existing ICT holders retain their leave and settlement rights under paragraph 3.4 of Appendix W, so the change will not affect those already in the system.
The Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown dependency in the Irish Sea, operates its own immigration rules separately from the United Kingdom. The GBM route brings greater clarity and structure to how overseas businesses can deploy staff to the island, whether for short-term secondments, graduate placements, or longer corporate expansion projects.
In a similar report, Legit.ng published that the UK announced the annual allocation of youth mobility visa places by country.
UK closes 2 pathways, mentions alternative routes
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the UK announced the new Immigration Rules, which remove some routes migrants previously used to extend their stay while keeping the Skilled Worker route available.
The changes took effect in stages, tightening application deadlines and suitability rules. Which applicants could no longer use their usual path to stay in the UK?
Source: Legit.ng