SCALE UP VISAS
What is Scale Up Visa?
Scale Up is a new route that aims to attract global talents to the UK. Applicants on this route must receive a sponsored job offer from a company that has been granted a UK Scale Up licence.
To get Scale Up licence, a company must have grown by at least 20% in the last three years (in terms of turnover or number of employees).
In addition, the company must have at least 10 employees at the beginning of the 3 years. You can find the list of employers with Scale Up sponsor licenses
here.
Eligibility
- You must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship issued by your UK sponsor
- You must have B1 English proficiency certificate (speaking, listening, reading, writing)
- If you are not exempt, you must have £1270 in your bank account for at least 28 days
- Your annual salary should be determined by whichever is the highest: min £33,000 or the going-rate for your occupation
How Does the Extension Process Work?
-Scale Up visa requires a sponsor for the first application, but if you meet the criteria, you can extend your visa without a sponsor. For this, you must:
- Have worked in your sponsored job for at least 6 months
- Have met the financial requirements.
Financial Requirements
- You must have earned min £33,000 per year for at least half of your most recent stay.
- If you are applying for an extension visa after 2 years, you must have earned a minimum salary of £33,000 per year for at least 12 months.
- If you are extending your visa after 5 years, you must have earned a minimum salary of £33,000 per year for at least 2.5 years.
-You cannot count your income from your self-employed business, if you have any. This is because your salary is not paid through PAYE (Pay as You Earn).
Your Rights
-You must work in your sponsored job for the first 6 months (If you want to change your sponsor during this period, you must update your visa)
-After the first 6 months, you can leave your sponsored job, change your job, or start your own business without updating your visa.
-You can study
-You can work as a volunteer in an organization
Dependants
Successful applicants can bring their family members to the UK as dependents. Dependants are free to work, they can establish their own companies or work in an institution on a salary basis. If they comply with the necessary rules, the applicant and their dependants can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain at the end of 5 years and then for British Citizenship.
