The UK Expansion Worker visa has succeeded the former Sole Representative visa, though individuals currently in the UK on the old route may seek to extend their stay without switching to the new system. This preserves the old route for those already granted permission under it.
Part of the Global Business Mobility (GBM) visa program, the UK Expansion Worker visa introduces five sponsored categories aimed at fostering economic development and international trade in post-Brexit UK.
Holders of the UK Expansion Worker visa are authorized to work in the job specified by their sponsorship certificate and engage in voluntary activities and studies while in the UK.
Those on the Expansion Worker visa can bring their partners and dependent children, provided they fulfill the dependant eligibility criteria. Visa holders and their families are also entitled to travel in and out of the UK throughout the duration of their visa validity.
Upon successfully setting up a UK office, there is an initial 2-year period to get the business off the ground. After establishing the business, it is possible to add additional immigration routes to the Expansion Worker’s license.
The employer must be an existing overseas business with a branch or wholly-owned subsidiary that has not yet commenced operations in the UK. The UK Expansion Worker route is exclusively for companies that are yet to start trading within the UK.
Should a related overseas company wish to assign a high-level or specialist employee to the UK for a temporary work assignment within an already operational UK business, the appropriate visas would be the Senior or Specialist Worker visa or the Skilled Worker visa. It’s important to note that for these types of visas, the UK entity must be authorized to sponsor employees under these respective categories.
The UK Expansion Worker visa, a points-based system, mandates 60 points across sponsorship, skill, and salary criteria:
On obtaining a UK Expansion Worker visa, the visa holder is granted permission to stay for up to 12 months beyond the job’s start date as per their sponsorship certificate or for 14 days after the job’s end date, whichever comes first. Extensions are possible for up to 12 months at a time, with a total limit of 2 years on this visa.
The time spent in the UK on a UK Expansion Worker visa counts towards the overall 5-year cap applicable to various Global Business Mobility (GBM) routes. This cap restricts an individual to a maximum of 5 years in any 6 year period across GBM routes, including time spent as an Intra-company graduate trainee or transferee.
The UK Expansion Worker visa does not lead directly to permanent settlement. However, senior or specialist workers may transition to other immigration categories that could pave the way for indefinite leave to remain, subject to meeting those categories’ specific criteria.
Applicants for the UK Expansion Worker visa must submit an online form, using the reference number from their Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). They can initiate the visa process three months before their UK job start date as indicated on the CoS.
The application necessitates proof of identity and supporting documentation. Some applicants must attend an appointment for biometric data collection. The need for an appointment will be confirmed upon application.
Essential requirements for the applicant include:
After the application submission, and fee payment, decision times are typically 3 weeks for applications made outside the UK and 8 weeks for those within the UK.
