UK Expansion Worker Visa

On April 2022, the UK Expansion Worker route for senior managers and specialist employees of overseas businesses expanding into the UK replaced the current Sole Representative provisions of the Representative of an Overseas Business route. 

The UK Expansion Worker visa is for employees of foreign based Companies who wish to come to the UK for a Work Placement which forms part of a training course and:

• Have a Sponsor in the UK who has common ownership with foreign based Company
• Must have been employed by the foreign based Company for more than 12 months or earning a salary of £73,900
• Be on the list of eligible occupations at RQF Level 6
• Paid at least £42,400 in the UK

As a businessowner, you may wish to expand your business in the United Kingdom but, with the introduction of this UK Visa, you may find it difficult to understand whether your employee would be eligible.

The new route is part of the Global Business Mobility category under the UK's Points-based System.    

The Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker route is for overseas workers who are undertaking temporary work assignments in the UK, where the worker is a senior manager or specialist employee and is being assigned to the UK to undertake work related to a business’s expansion to the UK. 

This route can only be used when the business has not yet begun trading in the UK. 

Applicants will need to achieve 60 points as follows:

Sponsorship - 20 points 

Job at an appropriate skill level - 20 points

Salary at required level - 20 points

The UK Expansion Worker Visa will be for senior managers and specialist employees who wish to be assigned to the UK temporarily to undertake work related to the expansion of an overseas business in the UK. This route does not lead to settlement status.   

UK Expansion Worker Visa applicants will need to be currently working for a business or organisation that is linked to their UK sponsor by common ownership or control, or by a joint venture on which they are sponsored to work.    

They must have worked outside the UK for the linked business or organisation for a cumulative period of at least 12 months, unless they are a high earner earning £73,900 per year or more or they are a Japanese national seeking to establish a UK branch or subsidiary of the linked business or organisation under the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.   

Applicants will also need to have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship for the job they are planning to do, issued by an employer that is authorised by the Home Office to sponsor a UK Expansion Worker.    The job will need to be an eligible job at or above a minimum skill level and the applicant will need to be paid a salary which equals or exceeds £45,800 per year and 100% of the pro-rated going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher.    

Applicants will not, however, need to satisfy an English language requirement.    

Permission will be granted for either 1 year after the start date of the job detailed in the applicant’s Certificate of Sponsorship, the time given on the Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days, the date on which the applicant will have had continuous permission as a UK Expansion Worker totalling 2 years or the date on which they will have had cumulative permission in the Global Business Mobility routes totalling 5 years in any 6-year period, whichever is shorter.   

Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker Visa holders will be permitted to work for their sponsor in the job described on their Certificate of Sponsorship.    

Our Services    

UK Visa Expansion Worker Business Plan Drafting 

We will gather detailed information about your overseas business and the rationale behind the UK company branch that requires expansion during an initial consultation with an expert business plan writer. Once we have all the information, we transform this information into a commercially viable and UK Visa Immigration compliant business plan.     

We will then review the full draft together and make sure you are familiar with the business plan so you are prepared in the event of an interview with the Home Office.     

For further information on how we can assist you with your UK Expansion Worker business plan, please e-mail one of our specialist UK Expansion Worker Business Plan writers at hello@ukvisabusinessplans.com, or pop a message to one of our expert business plan writers using our enquiry box.      

We look forward to hearing about your business! ​​