Scale-up Visa

The Scale-up visa is a UK work route designed for talented individuals taking jobs at fast-growing British companies. Its distinguishing feature is flexibility: although you need an initial sponsored job offer, you only have to remain with your sponsoring employer for the first six months. After that, you can work for any employer, switch jobs freely, or be self-employed for the remainder of the visa - a level of freedom unmatched by the standard Skilled Worker route.

To sponsor a Scale-up visa, an employer must qualify as a scale-up business: it must have demonstrated annualised growth of at least 20% in turnover or employment over a three-year period, with a minimum of ten employees at the start. The role offered must be skilled to RQF level 6 (graduate level) and meet the relevant salary threshold.

The visa is granted for two years initially. It can be extended for a further three years, and it counts towards settlement. In 2026 the Scale-up visa appeals to professionals who want the security of a settlement-eligible route but the agility to move freely across the UK's high-growth economy.

You need a job offer from an approved Scale-up sponsor for a role at RQF skill level 6 or above. The salary must meet the route's threshold - generally £41,700 or the going rate for the occupation, whichever is higher, for the sponsored period.

The sponsoring company must independently meet the scale-up growth test: at least 20% annualised growth in turnover or staffing over three years, and at least ten employees at the start of that period. You must demonstrate English language ability at CEFR level B1 and, unless your sponsor certifies maintenance, hold at least £1,270 in savings. You need a Certificate of Sponsorship for the initial application. For the six-month sponsored phase you must be genuinely employed and paid by the sponsor.

Step 1: Secure a job offer from a company that holds a Scale-up sponsor licence, for a role at graduate skill level meeting the salary threshold.

Step 2: Your sponsor assigns you a Certificate of Sponsorship via the Sponsorship Management System, generating a unique reference number.

Step 3: Prepare your evidence - proof of B1 English, savings if maintenance is not certified, and a tuberculosis test certificate where required.

Step 4: Complete the online Scale-up visa application on GOV.UK within three months of the CoS being assigned.

Step 5: Pay the application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge for the full visa length.

Step 6: Verify your identity using the UK Immigration: ID Check app or at a visa application centre.

Step 7: Submit your documents and await the decision. After arrival, you must work for your sponsor and earn the required salary for at least six months - after that, the job and employer flexibility kicks in. Extensions are unsponsored but require you to evidence prior PAYE earnings.

The application fee is around £822 for the initial application. The Immigration Health Surcharge is £1,035 per year, so a two-year grant adds £2,070. For the initial sponsored application your employer pays the Immigration Skills Charge. Extension applications are unsponsored, so no Skills Charge or Certificate of Sponsorship is needed, but you must show you met PAYE earnings thresholds during your time in the UK. Budget for English testing and tuberculosis screening where applicable. An optional priority service may be available at extra cost.

Scale-up visa applications are usually decided within three weeks for applications made from outside the UK and up to eight weeks for in-country applications and extensions. A priority service can shorten this where offered. Because extensions rely on demonstrating PAYE earnings rather than a new Certificate of Sponsorship, keep thorough records of your UK employment income - gaps or insufficient evidence are the main cause of extension delays.

For the first six months you must work for your sponsoring employer in your sponsored role and meet the salary requirement. After that six-month period you gain substantial freedom: you can work for any employer, change jobs, take on additional work, or be self-employed for the rest of your visa.

The Scale-up visa counts towards Indefinite Leave to Remain. Under current rules, settlement is possible after five continuous years on the route, including extensions. The 2026 White Paper proposed extending the general qualifying period towards ten years, so verify the timeline before relying on it. To extend or settle, you must show you earned a qualifying salary through PAYE for a defined portion of your time in the UK. Dependants can join you and may work and study.