The UK Expansion Worker allows workers to come to Britain to establish UK-based operations for their overseas business.
The UK Expansion Worker Visa route is a new sponsored route for overseas businesses that wish to establish a branch or subsidiary in the UK. It allows eligible businesses to sponsor senior managers or specialist workers who are being assigned to the UK for a temporary period to undertake work related to the business’s expansion to the UK.
This route has replaced the sole representative provisions of the Representative of an Overseas Business route from 11 April 2022 (although the predecessor route will remain open to those with existing permission on that route). Whereas its predecessor route was an unsponsored route, the UK Expansion Worker route requires the worker to have a UK sponsor. That sponsor will be a branch or wholly-owned subsidiary of an established overseas business.
To be eligible for a UK Expansion Worker visa you need to:
UK Expansion Workers must be paid at least the general salary
threshold of £48,500 per year, or the specified going rate for the
occupation (whichever is higher) as stated in Appendix Skilled Occupations of the immigration rules.
You must have worked for your employer outside of the UK for at least 12 months unless you’re either:
You must have at least £1,270 in your bank account to show you can support yourself when you arrive in the UK.
You will need to have had the money available for at least 28 consecutive days. The end date of the 28 day period must be within 31 days of the date you apply.
This route can only be used when the business has not yet begun btrading in the UK. If the business is already trading in the UK, you should apply for a sponsor licence on a different route (for example, the Senior or Specialist Worker or Skilled Worker route) instead.
Your employer – also known as your sponsor – will give you a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ with information about the role you will do in the UK. It’s an electronic record, not a paper document.
You’ll need the reference number from the certificate of sponsorship for your visa application. You must apply for your visa within 3 months of getting your certificate of sponsorship.
The business is expected to establish a UK trading presence within two years. If you fail to do so, you will no longer be permitted to sponsor any new workers on this route, your existing sponsored workers will not be permitted to extend their stay (even if they would otherwise be eligible), and you may lose your sponsor licence
A UK Expansion Worker can come to the UK for up to one year initially, with the option to extend their stay by up to a further year. Two years is the maximum continuous period a person can stay in the UK on this route. UK Expansion Workers are also subject to the maximum cumulative period for the GBM routes.
You can only sponsor the number of workers you genuinely need to establish the UK business (up to a maximum of 5 workers at any one time). Once you have established a UK trading presence, you can add other routes to your licence and sponsor workers on those routes.
Your partner and children can apply to join you or to stay in the UK as your ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible. If their application is successful, their visa will end on the same date as yours.
Your partner and children must have a certain amount of money available to support themselves while they’re in the UK.
You – or your partner or child – will need:
The UK Expansion Worker Visa is initially granted for a period of up to one year. This duration provides the employee with sufficient time to establish a new branch or subsidiary of the overseas business in the UK. During this period, the visa holder is expected to set up and manage the UK operations, ensuring that the business complies with local regulations and standards.
If the business operations in the UK are successful and ongoing, the visa can be extended. The extension process requires the company to demonstrate continued eligibility and provide evidence that the UK branch or subsidiary is actively trading and compliant with all necessary legal requirements. The maximum duration of stay under this visa category is up to two years, including the initial visa period and any extensions granted. Extensions are typically considered in increments, and businesses must apply for each extension before the current visa expires.
We provide advice on the Home Office requirements to deploy personnel under the UK Expansion Worker route, including advice on the sponsorship licence and compliance obligations for employers and the visa application process for your employees, as well as strategic immigration guidance for the employer once they are established in the UK. Contact us for specialist advice.
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