The UK Expansion Worker route is part of the Global Business Mobility visa UK route. It enables senior managers and specialists from overseas businesses to establish a UK branch or subsidiary. This route replaced the old Sole Representative visa and is not a settlement route.
This is a temporary setup visa for overseas companies not yet trading in the UK.
Important Note: If you compare it to the Tier 2 route, this visa actually does not permit the complete relocation of the business to the UK. While establishing its new UK branch or subsidiary, the foreign company must keep up its operations outside of the UK.
The UK Expansion Worker Visa allows an overseas business to expand its first footprint in the UK. This visa is meant for senior employees from overseas branches who intend to come and set up a new branch or subsidiary in the UK. The process to apply for Expansion Worker visa works in two stages: the sponsorship licence and a work visa to enter and stay in the UK.
Step 1: The overseas business gets a UK Expansion Worker Sponsor Licence.
Step 2: The senior employee applies for the UK Expansion Worker route with a Certificate of Sponsorship
The nominated employee cannot begin day-to-day business operations in the UK until the visa is formally granted. Any early activity may lead to compliance issues with the Home Office scrutiny process. A Y & J Solicitors ensures compliance at every stage from the Sponsor Licence application to visa approval. Check the best business sectors that thrive in the UK before you make your expansion plans.
Set up a new branch or subsidiary in the UK.
Relocate essential senior or specialist staff.
Maintain strategic control over your UK market entry.
Include spouse & children under 18
The UK Expansion Worker route offers significant advantages for overseas companies seeking to establish a foothold in the UK.
Establish and run a new UK operation with minimal delays and complete operational control..
Enter one of the world’s largest economies with seamless corporate mobility, a business network in the UK, and opportunities for immigrants to grow.
Add spouse/partner and children below 18 years as UK Expansion Worker visa dependents to enter the UK.
Visa holders can enrol in UK educational courses while taking care of their operations.
Extend the visa for up to 12 more months to continue your stay in the UK.
From this visa, you can switch from the UK expansion worker visa to the Skilled Worker or Self Sponsorship route, which leads to UK settlement.
Important: This visa does not provide a direct path to permanent settlement in the UK. It is a short-term work route intended to help your business get a foothold in the UK.
Both your business and the applicant must meet the UK Expansion Worker visa requirements.
Check out the entrepreneur’s guide to know how to get a UK Expansion Worker visa with more detailed guidance on the UK Expansion Worker visa eligibility and the application process.
The following are the documents you need to have ready before you apply for Expansion Worker Visa Route. These are two document checklists for applications of UK Expansion Worker Sponsor Licence and the UK Expansion Worker Visa.)
All documents must be emailed within 5 working days of online submission, and missing this deadline is a frequent cause of rejection. These documents are crucial to meet the UK Expansion Worker visa eligibility criteria.
The full application process for overseas companies expanding to the UK through the Expansion Worker visa route.
Firstly, set up and register the new UK branch with Companies House and get a lease on UK office space. This usually takes 1–2 weeks, depending on how quickly you finalise office arrangements.
Select three individuals to run the licence portal: an Authorising Officer, a Key Contact, and a Level 1 User. Identifying and appointing key staff can often be done within a few days if the team is ready.
Fill in the online application form for a UK Expansion Worker Sponsor Licence and submit the required documents. If available, priority service can shorten the standard processing time of eight weeks to ten working days.
Once the business has its licence, it can assign a CoS for the senior employee(s) coming to the UK. This can be issued within 1 working day of licence approval
The employee then completes the visa application online, pay the relevant fees, and submits all required documents. It usually takes one to two weeks to prepare the application and upload the necessary files.
The visa applicant will then need to attend a biometric appointment to provide fingerprints and a photo. Appointment wait times vary but are generally 1–2 weeks.
The Home Office usually makes a decision on the visa within three weeks of the biometric appointment. (Priority and Super Priority services are faster).
After the visa is granted, the employee can travel to the UK to set up and operate the new UK branch office. After a visa is approved, most businesses proceed within a week or two.
Tip: Priority services can help you save time if you have a strict schedule. Priority or super-priority applications can shorten the total timeline by 1-2 weeks if you wish to launch your UK branch without too much delay.
Many applicants are delayed as their HR systems are incomplete or out of compliance. One essential part of this setup is to set up a payroll system correctly in the UK, which ensures both compliance and smooth operations. A Y & J Solicitors will front-load compliance for you from the start in ensuring that your systems meet Home Office requirements and help you avoid unnecessary delays.
Note: These UK Expansion Worker visa fees are subject to UK government changes. Legal fees and professional services fees are separate.
Although it adds to your costs, hiring immigration solicitors helps you avoid mistakes that frequently result in delays or rejections.
Each dependant pays both a visa fee (£319) and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). For families, this can significantly increase overall costs.
While faster decision services exist, they are not available in every country. Many Indian applicants face confusion because these options are not always offered locally.
Note: Due to additional business setup requirements like office leasing, company registration, and compliance systems, the Expansion Worker route is typically more costly than the Skilled Worker route.
Beyond 2 Years: This visa doesn't lead directly to settlement but can serve as a stepping stone to securing UK residency via the UK visa route. To stay longer, you would need to switch from a UK expansion worker visa to another visa route, such as the Skilled Worker visa. Alternatively, you can try Self-Sponsorship to sponsor yourself in the UK, which leads to settlement after completing 5 years.
For maintaining your UK Expansion Worker sponsor licence and securing your ability to sponsor workers, sponsor compliance is very much essential. Failure to comply with such duties could bring suspension, a downgrade or revocation. A sponsor must adhere to ongoing responsibilities to sustain their Sponsor Licence A-rating.
Maintain records of sponsored workers that include details relating to passports, CoS documents, right-to-work checks, and contact information.
Any changes on the company address and employee status must be reported to the Home Office by updating on the Sponsor Management System (SMS).
Ensure that the sponsored employees are working only on the duties specified on their CoS and complying with all UK laws.
The process of how to get a UK Expansion Worker visa doesn't end with approval. Maintaining compliance is a continuous duty. Non-compliance risks licence revocation. Our team provides ongoing support to ensure compliance.
The UK Expansion Worker Visa replaced the Sole Representative visa in 2022. The following is a simple comparison for former Sole Rep applicants to understand the changes. This comparison helps businesses that previously considered the Sole Rep visa understand the new Expansion Worker route.
If you previously considered the Sole Representative route, the Expansion Worker route allows for further planning on the route for switching from a UK expansion worker visa to settlement routes, like Skilled Worker or Self-Sponsorship.
Knowledge of reasons for application refusal helps to enhance the success rates of your application. Here are the most common mistakes that lead to UK Expansion Worker visa refusals:
Failure to prove that the business does not engage in any trading activities in the United Kingdom. Refusal may result from even small trading activity, such as contracts or invoices.
For not having adequate proof that the role requires a senior manager or specialist from overseas. All job descriptions must express the position's seniority and the duties related to expansion.
Submitting vague plans without due market research, financial projections, or clear operation strategies. To show sincere intent, avoid ambiguous or generic business plans and use market research specific to the UK.
Not showing genuine steps toward establishing a presence in the UK, such as signed lease agreements or a registered UK company.
The UK Expansion Worker visa salary is below £52,500 or the going rate established for that occupation without justification.
No proof of continuous employment during the specified 12+ months duration with the overseas sponsor. If you are going to rely on an exception, explain it clearly and provide supporting evidence.
Key documents such as overseas bank statements, tax records, or an organisational chart are missing from the licence application. Before submitting, review your document checklist again.
For not demonstrating £1,270 held for 28 consecutive days if CoS lacks maintenance certification. Ensure statements are in the applicant’s name and exactly meet the 28-day requirement.
Experienced immigration lawyers who know the expansion visa logic and Home Office evidence expectations can help avoid these very costly mistakes.
This visa is a part of the Global Business Mobility route through which senior managers and specialists of overseas companies have been sent to establish a UK branch or subsidiary. The Expansion Worker visa has replaced the former Sole Representative visa. This visa enables companies to post key personnel for operating the UK's branch. The other visas part of the Global Business Mobility are Senior or Specialist Worker Visa, Graduate Trainee Visa, Service Supplier Visa, and Secondment Worker Visa.
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