The Scale-up visa is designed for highly skilled individuals recruited by a UK Scale-up Sponsor. This route is intended for workers with the talent and expertise needed to help high-growth UK businesses continue expanding.
- Applicants must hold a high-skilled job offer from a qualifying Scale-up business at the required salary level.
- The visa also allows applicants to bring a dependent partner and dependent children.
- Unlike some other routes, the Scale-up visa leads to settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) in the UK.
Entry Clearance or Permission to Stay
Applicants must:
- Not fall under any of the grounds for refusal in the Immigration Rules.
- If applying from within the UK, not be in breach of immigration rules or on immigration bail.
- Provide a valid tuberculosis (TB) certificate if required under paragraph A39 and Appendix T.
Eligibility & Points Requirements
Applicants must score 70 points:
- 50 points for meeting the sponsored or unsponsored application criteria
- 10 points for meeting the English language requirement
- 10 points for meeting the financial requirement
Sponsored Application Requirements
To meet this route, applicants must satisfy:
- Sponsorship requirement:
- Hold a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) for the proposed job
- The sponsor must be A-rated and listed on the Home Office’s register of licensed sponsors for the Scale-up route
- The job must be a genuine vacancy
- Job at an appropriate skill level:
- The job must fall under an eligible occupation code in Appendix Skilled Occupations
- The sponsor must select a suitable occupation code
- The Home Office must be satisfied that the occupation code chosen is appropriate
- Salary requirement:
- The salary must meet or exceed £36,300 per year and the going rate for the job according to the occupation code
Unsponsored Application Requirements
To qualify without sponsorship:
- You must have had monthly PAYE earnings equivalent to at least £36,300 per year for at least 50% of your permission as a Scale-up Worker.
English Language Requirement
Applicants must demonstrate English language ability at B1 level or higher in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, unless exempt.
Financial Requirement
Applicants must either:
- Show proof of at least £1,270 in savings held for 28 continuous days, or
- Have a sponsor certify maintenance for the applicant’s first month of employment at this amount.
This requirement is waived for applicants applying to extend their stay after living in the UK for 12 months or more.
Grant of Permission
If successful:
- 2 years of permission is granted for sponsored applications
- 3 years for those meeting the unsponsored requirements
Visa holders are permitted to work, volunteer, and study, but cannot access public funds.
Sponsored workers must remain in the sponsored job for the first 6 months of their permission.
If aged 16 or over and a national of a country listed in the Immigration Rules (or a stateless person/non-national travel document holder), applicants must register with the police.
Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain)
After 5 years of continuous residence in the UK, applicants can apply for settlement if they meet the following:
- Continuous residence requirement
- Knowledge of Life in the UK requirement (unless exempt)
UK earnings requirement
To satisfy the earnings requirement:
- You must be employed in the UK, earning a salary of at least £36,300 per year through PAYE, if you got your certificate of sponsorship on or after 4 April 2024
- You must be employed in the UK, earning a salary of at least £34,600 per year through PAYE, if you got your last certificate of sponsorship on or after 12 April 2023 and before 4 April 2024
- You must be employed in the UK, earning a salary of at least £33,000 per year through PAYE, If you got your certificate of sponsorship on or before 11 April 2023
- You must provide evidence of earnings equivalent to this at the time of application.
