Global Business Mobility Scheme
UK Expansion Worker Visa
Individual Immigration
The UK Expansion Worker visa allows you to come to the UK to set up a branch of an overseas business that has not started trading in the UK yet.
It is imperative that you must already work for the overseas business as either a senior manager or a specialist employee.
With a UK Expansion Worker visa, you can stay for whichever is short of: 12 months after the start date of the job on your certificate of sponsorship and the time given on your certificate of sponsorship with an additional 14 days.
If you are interested in staying for a longer period in the UK, you can extend your visa by 12 months.
The maximum time you can stay in the UK on a UK Expansion Worker visa is 2 years.
If you have spent time in the UK on this or another visa, you might not be able to stay on a UK Expansion Worker visa for as long. You can only stay in the UK for a maximum of 5 years in a 6 year period if you have spent time on the other visa routes.
REQUIREMENTS:
To be eligible for a UK Expansion Worker visa you need to:
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Have a valid certificate of sponsorship from your employer. You must apply for your visa within 3 months of getting your certificate of sponsorship.
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Have worked for your employer outside the UK for at least 12 months. Unless you are either earning £73,900 or a Japanese national doing work for a Japanese company that is expanding to the UK.
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Do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations. To find, out you need to know its 4 digit occupation code found on your certificate of sponsorship or from your employer.
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Be paid the minimum eligible salary required for your job: at least £42,400 per year or the ‘going rate’ for your job – whichever is higher.
HOW TO APPLY:
You must apply online
How you apply depends on whether you’re:
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Outside the UK and are coming to the UK:
You will need to prove your identity by either:
- have your fingerprints and photograph taken at a visa application centre – this is to get a biometric residence permit
- use the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document (you will also create or sign into your UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) account).
- Inside the UK and extending your current visa
You can apply to extend your visa if:
- you have the same job as when you were given your previous permission to enter or stay in the UK.
- your job is in the same occupation code as when you were given previous permission to enter/stay in the UK
- you are still working for the same employer who gave you your current certificate of sponsorship
- you have not reached the maximum total stay.
- Inside the UK and switching from a different visa
You might be able to apply to change if you are already in the UK on a different type of visa.
You are unable to apply to switch to this via if you are currently in the UK:
- on a visit visa
- on a short-term student visa
- on a Parent of a Child Student visa
- on a seasonal worker visa
- on a domestic worker in a private household visa
- on immigration bail
- because you were given permission to stay outside the immigration rules, i.e. on compassionate grounds
You must leave the UK and apply for a UK Expansion Worker visa from abroad.
Check if your job is eligible
You need to know the correct 4-digit standard occupation code (SOC) to find out if the job you intend to join is eligible under the rules. You can get this from your employer or your certificate of sponsorship.
When you know your occupation code, view the Global Business Mobility: eligible occupations and codes to see if it’s included.
Salary requirements
You must be paid at least £45,800 per year or the ‘going rate’ for your job - whichever is higher.
Each occupation code has its own annual going rate. Check the going rate for your job in the Global Business Mobility: going rates for eligible occupations.
HOW MUCH IT COSTS
You will need to have enough money to:
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Pay the £259 application fee
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Pay the healthcare surcharge – this is usually £624 per year.
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Support yourself when you arrive in the UK – you will need to have at least £1,270 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.
You will need to show proof of this
TIME-FRAME
You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. This date is listed on your certificate of sponsorship.
Once you have applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you will usually get a decision on your visa within:
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3 weeks if you are outside the UK
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8 weeks if you are inside the UK.
What you can and cannot do
What you can do
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Work for sponsor in the job described on certificate
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Study
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Bring your partner and children as ‘dependents’
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Do voluntary work
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Travel abroad and return to the UK
Cannot do
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Apply for most benefits (public funds) or the State Pension
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Change jobs unless you are eligible and update visa
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Have a second job
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Apply to settle permanently in the UK