Scale-up visa – Eligibility, Requirements & More
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Scale-up Visa
The Scale-up Visa is for talented individuals recruited by a UK Scale-up Sponsor, who have the skills needed to enable the Scale-up business to continue growing. You will need to have a highly skilled job offer from a qualifying Scale-up business at the required salary level.
The Scale-up Visa route will open on 22 August 2022.
The Scale-Up route is a route to settlement in the UK. Applicants may be joined or accompanied by a partner and dependent children.
The Scale-up Visa route offers both a Sponsored Application route and an Unsponsored Application route. The Unsponsored Application route is only available to applicants who have previously been granted permission as a Scale-up Worker.
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Requirements for a Scale-up Visa – Sponsored Application
To qualify for a Scale-up Visa via a Sponsored Application, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:
- You must be aged 18 or over.
- You must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship issued by your UK sponsor for the job you are planning to do.
- The job you are planning to do must be genuine.
- The job you are planning to do must be at a suitable skill level.
- Your salary must be equal to or exceed both £33,000 per year, £10.58 per hour and the ‘going rate’ for the job.
- You must be competent in the English language to at least CEFR Level B1 (equivalent to IELTS 4.0).
- You must have enough money to support yourself without relying on public funds.
- You must have provided a valid TB certificate, if needed.
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Requirements for a Scale-up Visa – Unsponsored Application
To qualify for a Scale-up Visa via an Unsponsored Application, you will need to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:
- You must be aged 18 or over.
- You must have previously been granted permission as a Scale-up Worker.
- You had monthly PAYE earnings in the UK equivalent to at least £33,000 per year during at least 50% of your most recent grant of permission as a Scale-up Worker.
- You must be competent in the English language to at least CEFR Level B1 (equivalent to IELTS 4.0).
- You must have enough money to support yourself without relying on public funds.
- You must have provided a valid TB certificate, if needed.
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Eligibility criteria if you are a sponsoring business
The UK-based scale-up visa sponsors are expected to meet the following eligibility criteria before hiring a skilled foreign worker through the UK scale-up visa scheme 2022.
That is, in the future, they must be able to demonstrate:
- 20% employment growth or,
- Annual average ROI (return on investment) for a minimum of 3-years and
- The business must have at least 10 employees at the time of its establishment for 3 years.
If your scale-up business satisfies the eligibility requirement, you will qualify to hire foreign workers via fast-track applications without securing a sponsorship licence under the scale-up visa scheme.
More Information & Help
For more details on this new immigration Scale-up worker route, connect with our Immigration Experts at Axis Solicitors UK.
Our legal team offers professional, affordable and sincere advice according to your circumstances. So, speak to our immigration lawyers today.
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