The UK Expansion Worker visa is a new sponsored route which replaces the Sole Representative of an Overseas Business Visa. 

This new route allows eligible businesses to sponsor an existing senior manager or specialist worker assigned to the UK temporarily to undertake work to expand a business in the UK. This route can only be used when the business has not yet initiated trading in the UK.

UK Expansion Worker visa requirements

To be eligible for a UK Expansion Worker visa you need to:

• Must be at least 18 and hold a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from your employer
• Currently working for a business or organisation that is linked to your UK sponsor by common ownership or control;
• have worked for your employer outside the UK for at least 12 months (unless you’re either earning over £73,900 or a Japanese national) 
• do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations
• be paid at least £45,800 per year or the ‘going rate’ for your job (whichever is higher)
• Have sufficient personal savings when arriving in the UK available for at least 28 days
• Provide a valid tuberculosis test results (if from a listed country)

Sponsor requirements 

The business must be a branch or wholly-owned subsidiary of an established overseas business. To sponsor a UK Expansion Worker, the sponsor must hold a valid licence for the category of worker, and ensure that the employment offer in the UK meets the relevant expertise and salary requirements.

The licence will be valid for 4 years however, as the Home Office expect the overseas business to establish a full trading presence within 2 years. The licence cannot be renewed at the end of the 4 years.

It is important to note if the business is looking to sponsor a senior or specialist employee to the UK for temporary work and if the business is already trading in the UK, they should as an alternative apply for either a Skilled Worker or Senior or Specialist Worker visa. The business would need to be licenced to sponsor under the chosen category. 

Employers sponsoring UK Expansion Worker are not required to pay the Immigration Skills Charge.

‍Duration of Visa and Settlement 

The initial leave will be granted for there 1 year after the start date of the job detailed in your Certificate of Sponsorship or the time given on your Certificate of Sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter. If the applicant wishes to stay longer in the UK, it is possible to extend their visa, however this is capped by 12 months. The maximum time an applicant under the visa is 2 years.

Settlement 

The UK Expansion Worker route does not provide a route to settlement. However, a senior or specialist employee may be able to apply for leave to remain under a different immigration category, which cou