With the increase in innovation and global expansion, UK businesses have been striving to hire more workers with the UK expansion worker visa who will fill the skill gaps in their company and also bring in fresh/diverse perspectives.
The UK expansion worker visa is part of the Global Business Mobility route that allows foreign workers to come to the UK and establish a UK branch of an overseas business that hasn’t started functioning yet in the UK.
Although the UK expansion worker visa is a last resort option for businesses that are not yet established enough for a Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence, the requirements are quite tricky to navigate.
For instance, the business must be established physically and have a detailed business plan but at the same time, they must not have started trading. The latter would have been a suitable requirement for a skilled worker visa.
This article seeks to guide UK businesses on how to navigate the UK expansion worker visa requirements in 2025 and prepare them for the upcoming key changes and updates.
Understanding the UK Expansion Worker Visa 2025
The UK expansion worker visa allows employees of overseas businesses, not yet trading in the UK – who are either senior managers or specialist employees to come to the UK and establish a branch or subsidiary of that business in the UK.
It has a provisional rating that requires an upgrade by the sponsor once the transferee arrives in the UK, and it does not have a priority service despite the government’s goal of attracting more foreign investment.
To qualify for the UK expansion worker visa, you must have worked for the company overseas for at least 12 months and have received a Certificate of Sponsorship from a UK employer.
Also, you need to have enough money to support yourself while in the UK and your current salary must either be at £42,400 or the ‘going rate’ for the occupation to meet the minimum salary requirements.
Continuously, the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code which is managed by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) uses a 4-digit code to classify jobs based on qualifications/content and skill level which helps in visa applications.
The SOC codes play vital roles in helping both employment agencies to match job seekers with suitable positions and government agencies to develop and evaluate labour market policies.
The minimum salary threshold for the UK expansion worker visa has been increased to £38,700 in 2025. There has also been a change in eligible occupations as the Immigration Salary List has replaced the Shortage Occupation List (SOL).
A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Obtain a Sponsor License
Overseas companies who wish to get their employees into the UK on a UK expansion worker visa need to obtain a sponsor license to enable them to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS).
Before a business can get the sponsor license, it needs to meet certain requirements mentioned by the appropriate immigration authority (e.g. the UK Home Office).
They need to show that they will comply with existing immigration and employment laws, and have the intention of also employing local labour.
Businesses also need to be prepared for or have the following:
- have up-to-date HR systems and records to show that they can effectively manage the sponsorship process.
- Be prepared for visits from the UKVI – both announced and unannounced ones.
- Have enough finances to handle the cost of sponsoring a foreign worker.
- Need to nominate at least three (3) qualified staff members to fulfil roles as listed on the Sponsor Management System (SMS).
If they meet the above criteria, then they will need to follow the steps below to apply:
- Select the right license type.
- Complete an online application through the SMS.
- Upload all required documents
- Pay the application fee
- Prove of genuine vacancy
It is important to show that the vacancy is genuine and not a ploy by the employer to work around immigration rules.
The costs of obtaining and maintaining a sponsor license differ based on the size and type of organization, and they are as follows:
- Application fees: Any company that falls within the Companies Act definition of a small business or charity will have £536 application fees while larger businesses will pay £1476.
- A priority processing fee for those who want a quicker service is £500.
- Fees for assigning CoS – £239 per CoS for General worker (except international sportsperson) and international sportsperson (over 12 months), and £25 per CoS for temporary worker and international sportsperson (12 months or less)
- Immigration Skills Charge: This only applies to companies that hire foreign workers on Senior or Specialist Worker or Skilled Worker visas.
Tips on Best Practices to Navigate the Application Process
This complex process requires that companies do their due diligence to present thorough and accurate documentation. This shows the UK Home Office that you are eligible and prepared to sponsor workers and helps the application process go smoothly.
Not having complete or missing documents is one of the common errors businesses make when applying for a sponsor licence. Other errors include not satisfactorily proving the need to sponsor a worker, weak compliance systems, incorrect job codes, errors in CoS information and failure to update information.
One of the recommendable ways to avoid these mistakes is to hire experienced immigration lawyers and/or consultants. They will help you prepare the documents and guide your company through the application process.
Since they are already on your retainer, if legal issues arise, they can tackle them immediately to ensure that nothing taints your company’s record or reputation.
Conclusion
International talent contributes immensely to the success of a business as it fills up skill gaps that cannot be sourced locally. They also bring in different perspectives and fresh ideas that can promote innovation and global advancement.
Hence, companies need to adopt proactive planning to ensure that the process of bringing over employees is smooth and hitch-free.
