The UK enlargement employee visa is a part of the worldwide enterprise mobility route. It allows abroad companies in search of to increase into the UK to quickly assign senior managers and specialist workers, together with enterprise homeowners, to the UK to ascertain a British operation. Opening on 11 April 2022, it changed the consultant of an abroad enterprise visa (apart from journalists).
Preliminary permission as a UK enlargement employee will be granted for as much as a 12 months. This may be renewed for an additional 12 months, to a most of two steady years. There’s additionally an total restrict on time allowed on this route, even when not steady: 5 years in any six-year interval on this visa or any of the next:
- Intra-company graduate trainee visa
- Intra-company switch visa
- Graduate trainee visa (world enterprise mobility)
- Secondment employee visa (world enterprise mobility)
- Senior or specialist employee visa (world enterprise mobility)
- Service provider visa (world enterprise mobility)
If the employee wants to stay within the UK for longer than 5 years, they would wish to change into a unique route (usually expert employee). It’s not potential to get indefinite depart to stay (settlement) as an enlargement employee.
Most companies can sponsor as much as 10 enlargement employees at anybody time they usually can carry members of the family. Beforehand the restrict was 5 employees, however this was expanded to 10 from 22 July 2025.
Instance
TechGiant Corp, primarily based in San Francisco, has been buying and selling since 2017. It needs to increase into the UK.
TechGiant executives have held preliminary scoping conferences in London (as permitted underneath the customer guidelines) and employed Regus shared workplace house as a base. They’ve determined that it’s time to speed up the UK enlargement plan and technical director Dan has volunteered to supervise it on the bottom.
The corporate will first have to get a UK enlargement employee sponsor licence. As soon as obtained, TechGiant can switch Dan and as much as 9 of his workforce to the UK to arrange the British arm.
Then, as soon as TechGiant is established and buying and selling within the UK, it could apply to exchange its enlargement employee sponsor licence with a talented employee licence to rent extra individuals.
Key data
Crucial doc to learn intimately earlier than you embark on giving recommendation on this route is the World Enterprise Mobility sponsor steering. This accommodates important data on each the sponsor licence course of — which differs considerably from the extra acquainted course of for the expert employee and different world enterprise mobility routes, akin to senior or specialist employee — and the necessities that the employee should fulfil.
Then there’s the same old overview on gov.uk and the immigration guidelines in Appendix World Enterprise Mobility.
Take into account alternate options first
The enlargement employee route goes to be tough for the overwhelming majority of companies in search of to increase into the UK, as Ross beforehand defined in his evaluate of the route a 12 months on from its creation, and Robert’s evaluate two years on.
The shortage of recognition is mirrored within the variety of purposes by companies making use of for a licence to sponsor employees within the route. Within the statistics for the 12 months ending June 2025, there have been 120,778 organisations and establishments registered as licensed sponsors for work and examine however solely round 600 sponsors with a licence within the enlargement employee route.
At an early stage, think about if there’s any chance that the expert employee, world expertise or excessive potential routes might work as a substitute. If that’s the case, I’d suggest utilizing these for the employee(s) who want to come back to the UK.
Early issues
If enlargement employee is the one possibility, the following factor to think about is which employees are eligible for a visa.
Initially, they have to already be employed by the “sponsor group”. Because of this they should be working for the abroad enterprise that’s increasing to the UK or an entity that’s linked to that enterprise by the use of widespread possession or management, as outlined within the glossary of the sponsor steering. The employee can meet the requirement by employment as an worker, self-employed contractor or different foundation.
The particular person being transferred should have labored for the sponsor group for a cumulative interval of at the least 12 months outdoors the UK: paragraph UKX 5.6(a) and UKX 5.6 (b) of the principles. That is waived if:
- they’re a “excessive earner” (presently outlined as incomes a gross wage of at the least £73,900);
- they’re a Japanese nationwide and the UK enterprise is being established underneath the CEPA commerce deal; or
- they’re a nationwide or everlasting resident of Australia and the UK enterprise is being established underneath the UK-Australia Free Commerce Settlement.
Paragraph UKX 5.7 confirms that this 12 months of employment should have been “steady”, except one of many exceptions listed (e.g. maternity depart) applies.
It’s additionally vital to examine the particular person’s UK visa file at an early stage. They’re solely allowed to remain within the UK for a most of 5 years in any six-year interval. This restrict contains time within the UK on one other world enterprise mobility visa or on the outdated Intra-company Switch routes:
UKX 11.1. The grant of permission should not result in the applicant being granted cumulative intervals of permission within the World Enterprise Mobility routes and Intra-company routes totalling greater than 5 years in any 6-year interval.
It’s vital to additionally think about the talent and wage necessities at an early stage. I’ll clarify extra about these factors later.
Lastly, as at all times, early consideration of the common grounds for refusal is advisable.
Sponsorship
To ensure that the employee to use for immigration permission, they are going to want a certificates of sponsorship quantity to enter onto the appliance kind. The certificates of sponsorship should be assigned by the abroad enterprise which is increasing into the UK and which has been authorised to carry a UK enlargement employee sponsor licence.
Licence
The necessities for getting a licence are within the sponsor steering and there are each common world enterprise mobility guidelines (in part GBM 2) and further enlargement employee guidelines (part GBM 3). The latter are onerous and embrace:
- GBM 3.3: the sponsor will not be already actively buying and selling within the UK (companies which can be actively buying and selling within the UK would wish to make use of the expert employee / senior or specialist employee route as a substitute);
- GBM 3.4: the sponsor has a UK “footprint”, that means it could exhibit that it has secured enterprise premises right here and/or has registered the department/subsidiary with Corporations Home;
- GBM 3.6: the sponsor has been energetic and buying and selling abroad for at the least three years, except one of many exceptions in paragraphs GBM 3.11-3.16 of the steering applies.
As with every sponsor licence utility, there should be sure “key personnel” nominated, together with an authorising officer. But when there isn’t any UK-based employee who can act because the authorising officer, a “senior worker of the abroad enterprise who shall be assigned to the UK to supervise the enlargement” can tackle that position. In our instance, Dan might be the authorising officer. The sponsor steering has extra element about particular steps to absorb this state of affairs.
A licence lasts 4 years however, once more in contrast to different routes, can’t be renewed after that.
Certificates of sponsorship
As soon as the sponsor has a licence, a certificates of sponsorship can then be assigned to the particular person being transferred.
Paragraph UKX 5.1 of Appendix World Enterprise Mobility confirms that the certificates of sponsorship should:
(a) verify the applicant’s title, that they’re being sponsored as a UK Enlargement Employee, particulars of the job, wage and any allowances the sponsor is providing them (if relevant) and PAYE particulars if HM Income and Customs (HMRC) requires earnings tax and nationwide insurance coverage for the sponsored job to be paid through PAYE; and
(b) embrace a begin date for the job, said by the sponsor, which is not more than 3 months after the date of utility; and
(c) not have been utilized in a earlier utility which was both granted or refused (however can have been utilized in a earlier utility which was rejected as invalid, made void or withdrawn); and
(d) not have been withdrawn by the sponsor or cancelled by the House Workplace; and
(e) verify that the applicant has labored for the sponsor group for the interval required at UKX 5.6.(b); and
(f) verify whether or not the Tutorial Know-how Approval Scheme (ATAS) requirement in Appendix ATAS applies.
The would-be enlargement employee should not submit their visa utility greater than three months earlier than the beginning date on the certificates of sponsorship, and the certificates of sponsorship should be used inside three months of the date it’s assigned. A certificates of sponsorship is “used” when a sound immigration utility is submitted which cites the certificates of sponsorship quantity.
Instance
Dan is because of begin work within the UK on 1 July 2024. He assigns himself a certificates of sponsorship on 1 February 2024. Dan should submit his utility by 1 Could 2024. If he applies later than that, a brand new certificates of sponsorship will have to be utilized for, which is finished by the Sponsor Administration System, and assigned.
The steering tells sponsors that “You’ll solely be permitted to sponsor as many individuals as you genuinely want to ascertain what you are promoting within the UK, as much as a most of 10. Your [certificate of sponsorship] allocation will due to this fact not be increased than 10 at any time”. The allocation can even be decreased to zero after two years. That’s as a result of the House Workplace expects the corporate to have established its UK buying and selling presence by then and to don’t have any additional want of enlargement employees.
Talent stage
The job that the applicant shall be doing within the UK, as said on the certificates of sponsorship, should be listed as eligible for the worldwide enterprise mobility routes in Appendix Expert Occupations. These are roles thought-about to require at the least an undergraduate diploma.
If doubtful, examine the separate record of jobs which can be eligible for enlargement employee. You’ll often meet the job talent stage requirement if the job you might be being sponsored for is on that record.
The Appendix World Enterprise Mobility guidelines enable House Workplace caseworkers to reject a visa utility in the event that they suppose the particular person won’t actually be doing work that qualifies as a talented occupation:
UKX 6.2. The choice maker should not have cheap grounds to consider the sponsor has chosen a much less applicable SOC 2020 occupation code for any of the next causes:
(a) essentially the most applicable SOC 2020 occupation code will not be eligible underneath the World Enterprise Mobility routes; or
(b) essentially the most applicable SOC 2020 occupation code has the next going charge than the proposed wage.
UKX 6.3. To help the evaluation in UKX 6.2, the choice maker might, specifically, think about:
(a) whether or not the sponsor has proven a real want for the job as described; and
(b) whether or not the applicant has the suitable expertise, {qualifications} and expertise wanted to do the job as described; and
(c) the sponsor’s historical past of compliance with the immigration system together with, however not restricted to, paying its sponsored employees appropriately; and
(d) any further data from the sponsor.
Wage requirement
The applicant’s wage for the position within the UK, as said on the certificates of sponsorship, should be at the least £52,500. This is called the “common wage requirement”.
As well as, the wage should even be at or above the “going charge” referred to in Appendix Expert Occupations if that’s increased than the overall wage threshold.
Instance
Dan is TechGiant Corp’s technical director. He’ll be transferring to the UK as a part of the preliminary workforce establishing the UK presence. His position shall be to supervise the techniques integration challenge and workers (till a UK-based HR workforce is established).
The suitable occupation code from Appendix Expert Occupations is 1137 (data expertise administrators). The “going charge” for code 1137 is £61,200 primarily based on a 37.5-hour week.
Dan shall be paid £75,000 and contracted to work 45 hours per week. To get the going charge for a 45-hour week, we have to use the system in paragraph GBM 8.8 of the sponsor steering:
1 x (the going charge for the occupation code said in Desk 2 or 2b of Appendix Expert Occupations) multiplied by (the variety of weekly working hours said by you on the [certificate of sponsorship] / 37.5)
So on this case, we get 1 x (£61,200) x (45 / 37.5) = £73,440. Dan’s wage of £75,000 is due to this fact above the going charge.
If wanted, sure allowances will be taken into consideration in addition to gross wage. Part GBM 8 of the sponsor steering accommodates detailed data and examples of what allowances will be taken into consideration. This contains the truth that lodging allowances will be taken into consideration, however solely as much as a most of 30% of the overall wage package deal. It additionally lists allowances that particularly can’t be counted in the direction of the wage threshold, akin to in-kind advantages, firm vehicles, funds to cowl enterprise bills, and so on.
The sponsor steering units out a further calculation for many who have irregular working patterns. That is relevant for these whose hours aren’t the identical every week, leading to uneven pay. Work in extra of 48 hours in some weeks will be thought-about in the direction of the wage threshold of £45,800, offering the common over a daily cycle (which will be lower than, however no more than, 17 weeks) will not be greater than 48 hours every week. Any unpaid relaxation weeks will rely in the direction of the common when contemplating whether or not the wage thresholds are met.
Genuineness
On 7 August 2023, a brand new requirement was been added to the principles, as paragraph UKX 9A.1. This specifies that the applicant should genuinely intend and have the ability to do the required position, and never intend to take employment aside from within the position they’re being sponsored to fulfil.
Switching from contained in the UK
The rule on switching onto enlargement employee from one other immigration route is in paragraph UKX 1.5ZA of Appendix World Enterprise Mobility. This primarily states that it’s potential to change into this route offered you weren’t final right here as a customer, short-term scholar, mum or dad of little one college students, seasonal employee, home employee in a non-public family, or with depart outdoors the immigration guidelines. Paragraph UKX 1.5A supplies restrictions on switching for college kids. Switching is allowed in all different circumstances.
Instance
Dan is within the UK as a customer for preliminary scoping conferences. He can not swap onto UK enlargement employee and should as a substitute apply from abroad. Dan returns to San Francisco and applies from there.
Visa utility course of and paperwork
The visa utility should be made through a web-based utility kind. The shape itself ought to take not more than 15-20 minutes to finish as a lot of the key data is contained within the certificates of sponsorship.
The documentation for this route will typically be very simple. There isn’t a English language requirement so many candidates will simply want to offer ID. The exhausting work can have already been carried out to make sure that the certificates of sponsorship accommodates all of the important data.
One factor the applicant might want to present is proof that they meet the monetary requirement (beforehand referred to as the upkeep requirement) in paragraphs UKX 10.1-10.3. This implies they might want to have held money funds of at the least £1,270 for at the least 28 consecutive days ending no more than 31 days earlier than the appliance is submitted. There’s extra data in Appendix Finance. Sponsors underneath this route can not certify upkeep, however there’s an exception for individuals who have already been residing within the UK for 12 months or extra.
It is usually vital to make sure that payslips or different proof that demonstrates that the particular person has labored for the sponsor group abroad for the cumulative interval of at the least 12 months is able to present if requested.
The place the applicant is topic to the Tutorial Know-how Approval Scheme (often known as ATAS) as set out in Appendix ATAS, they might want to submit a sound ATAS certificates. Likewise, a TB certificates could also be required for entry clearance purposes, underneath Appendix Tuberculosis (TB).
As at all times, it is vital for attorneys serving to with these purposes to organize an in depth cowl letter to guide the caseworker by the related Guidelines and guarantee any complexities are completely addressed.
How a lot does it value?
The present charges related to every UK enlargement employee utility are:
- Certificates of Sponsorship: £55
- Utility payment: £319
- Immigration Well being Surcharge: £1035 per 12 months
The sponsor licence prices £574. There isn’t a Immigration Expertise Cost.
As soon as the appliance is authorised
Profitable candidates shall be granted an eVisa overlaying the period of their keep within the UK.
They are going to be permitted to:
- work as described on the certificates of sponsorship;
- examine
- do voluntary work
Supplementary employment will not be allowed. Entry to public funds is prohibited.
Not like the outdated consultant of an abroad enterprise route, this route doesn’t result in settlement within the UK.
This text was initially printed on 24 Could 2022 and has beforehand been up to date by Pip Hague. It has most lately been up to date by Rachel Whickman in order that it’s appropriate as of the brand new date of publication proven.
