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SCALE-UP WORKER VISA

The Global Business Mobility route provides five distinct pathways, offering you the flexibility
to choose the one that best aligns with your business needs.

Overview

Scale-up Worker visa

A Scale-up Worker visa allows you to work in the UK for a fast-growing company, known as a ‘scale-up business’, in an eligible role.
Your UK employer must meet specific requirements to qualify as a sponsor for scale-up workers.

If you or a family member began living in the UK by 31 December 2020, you may be eligible to apply to the free EU Settlement Scheme.

The deadline for most people was 30 June 2021. However, you can still apply if:

  1. you have a later deadline – for example, if you’re joining a family member who was living in the UK by 31 December 2020

  2. you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for missing the 30 June 2021 deadline – such as illness or being a victim of domestic abuse

Check whether you’re still eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.

If not, you will need a visa to work in the UK.

Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.

To be eligible for a Scale-up Worker visa, you must:

  1. hold a confirmed job offer from a registered scale-up business for a minimum of six months

  2. have a valid certificate of sponsorship from your UK employer detailing the role offered

  3. be offered a position listed under the eligible occupations

  4. receive a salary that meets or exceeds the minimum threshold for the role

Check if your job is eligible.

You must be able to speak, read, write and understand English. You’ll usually need to prove your knowledge of English when you apply.

If you’re not eligible for a Scale-up Worker visa

You may be eligible for another type of visa to work in the UK.

You may stay in the UK on a Scale-up Worker visa for 2 years. Once it expires, you must apply to extend your stay.

If you wish to remain in the UK longer:
You can renew your visa in 3-year increments, as many times as needed, provided you continue to meet the eligibility criteria.

After 5 years, you may be eligible to apply for permanent settlement in the UK (known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’), allowing you to live, work, and study without time restrictions and access public benefits if eligible.

You must apply online.

How you apply depends on whether you’re:

inside the UK and switching from a different visa

If you want to change your employer during the first 6 months of working in your sponsored job, you must apply to update your visa.

Your partner and children can apply to join you or stay in the UK as your ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible.

 

You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before your intended start date in the UK, as stated on your certificate of sponsorship.

As part of the application process, you must prove your identity and submit supporting documents.

Additional time may be required if an appointment is needed to complete this step. You will be informed if this applies to you once you begin your application.

Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within:

  • 3 weeks, if you’re outside the UK
  • 8 weeks, if you’re inside the UK

You may be able to pay to get a faster decision. How you do this depends on whether you’re outside the UK or inside the UK

 

You, your partner or children will each need to:

  • pay the £715 application fee
  • pay the healthcare surcharge for each year of your stay
  • prove you have enough personal savings

Check how much money you’ll need.

With a Scale-up Worker visa you can:

  • work in your sponsored job for at least 6 months
  • leave your sponsored job after 6 months
  • study
  • bring your partner and children with you as your ‘dependants’, if they’re eligible
  • take on additional work, including becoming self-employed
  • do voluntary work
  • travel abroad and return to the UK
  • apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’) if you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years and meet the other eligibility requirements

You cannot:

  • apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension
  • work as a professional sportsperson, for example a sports coach

If your application is successful, you’ll get a full list of what you can and cannot do with a Scale-up Worker visa.

During the first 6 months of your stay

You cannot change employer unless you apply to update your visa.

You do not need to update your visa if you start a different, eligible job with the same employer.

After 6 months

You can:

  • continue working in your job
  • change or stop doing your job without telling the Home Office
  • be self-employed

You do not need to update your visa.

You can extend your Scale-up Worker visa without a new sponsor when your current visa expires. You must meet the earnings requirements.

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