LET’S DO BUSINESS
The quickest way from A to B is usually a conversation. So, if you want to find out more about how Legend Financial can boost your business, get in touch. We’ll give straight answers so you can make a confident decision, fast.
[ninja_form id=’38’]
Table of Contents
What is a UK Expansion Worker Visa?
The Expansion Worker visa is one of the specialised work visa routes within the Global Business Mobility (GBM) category, which caters to established overseas companies that want to expand into the UK market by sending senior or specialist employees to establish a new UK branch or subsidiary.
This visa is not for new business ventures or entrepreneurs already trading in the UK. For the latter, other visa routes (e.g., Skilled Worker/Senior or Specialist Worker visa) are more appropriate. A major requirement for the overseas employer is to obtain a Sponsor Licence, which is a prerequisite before employees can apply for the visa.
The Expansion Worker route offers a strategic way for companies to expand internationally and for employees to gain international experience.
More About GBM: Other work visas within the Global Business Mobility category include Senior and Specialist Worker Visa, Graduate Trainee Visa, Service Supplier Visa, and Secondment Worker Visa.
Benefits of UK Expansion Worker Visa
Both employer and employee benefit immensely from this route. For the employer, they:
- Get streamlined entry into the UK market
- Access opportunities for revenue, partnerships, and investments
- Effectively manage local operations through their senior representative in the UK
- Have simplified compliance process to UK standards and practices
For the visa holder, they generally have the freedom to:
- Work for the sponsoring employer in the specified job
- Study
- Bring eligible partner and children
- Do voluntary work
- Travel abroad and return
What You Cannot Do with the Expansion Worker Visa
However, you cannot do the following with this visa:
- access most public funds or the State Pension
- change jobs (unless you update your visa)
- hold a second job
- apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR)
Validity Period of Expansion Worker Visa UK
The UK Expansion Worker visa is granted for the shorter of:
- 12 months after the job’s start date on your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)
- the time specified on your CoS plus 14 days
You can extend this visa for an additional 12 months, but only once, which means you have a maximum of 2 years stay in the UK with an Expansion Worker visa.
This visa does not provide a direct route to Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). However, you might be able to switch to another visa category that does offer a path to UK settlement.
Expansion Worker Eligibility and Requirements
To qualify for the UK Expansion Worker route, you generally need to meet the following criteria:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from your employer
- Have worked for your employer outside the UK
- Be currently working for your overseas employer
- Your job is on the list of eligible occupations
- Your job pays the minimum eligible salary
- Have at least £1,270 to support yourself (held for 28 days)
- Meet general UK guidance immigration rules
Proof of English language skills is not required. We discuss all the UK Expansion Worker visa requirements in detail below.
Sponsorship Requirements
Securing your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number is one of the major requirements before you can apply for the visa. You get this from your UK-based employer granted a Sponsor Licence. You need to apply for your UK Expansion Worker Visa within 3 months of getting the CoS.
The CoS is an electronic record with information about your UK job description, which the Home Office uses to assess the genuineness of the job need, your skills and experience for the role, and the sponsor’s compliance history.
Your CoS will be largely dependent on your employer’s (or sponsor’s) compliance to maintain the Sponsor Licence. Unless you previously held this visa with the same sponsor or are the Authorising Officer applying for UK entry clearance, the sponsor must have an A-rating.
The sponsor licence obtained by your employer is only valid for 4 years. It cannot be renewed for the Expansion Worker route. After 2 years, your employer should apply for a different type of Sponsor Licence if they wish to continue sponsoring you.
Job-Specific Requirements
This includes your skill level, salary, and work experience.
Skill Level
- You need to be sponsored in a job listed in Appendix Skilled Occupations eligible for the Global Business Mobility route.
- The job must be skilled at least to RQF Level 6 (graduate equivalent), although a degree is not always required.
- The job description on your Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) must accurately reflect the actual duties. Generic templates may lead to refusal.
Salary Threshold
Each eligible occupation code has its own annual ‘going rate,’ but you need to be paid at least £48,500 per year, or whichever is higher. Salary includes guaranteed basic gross pay (up to 48 hours/week) plus guaranteed allowances. All weekly hours are considered when checking against the going rate.
Work Experience
You need to have worked for your employer outside the UK for at least 12 months before your application. This 12-month period does not need to be immediately before the application or consecutive, as long as you have been continuously employed for at least 12 months prior.
There are permissible breaks to this 12-month rule (i.e., statutory leave, sick leave, jury service). You may be exempted from this rule if you meet the following:
- You earn over £73,900 per year.
- You are a Japanese national working for a Japanese company expanding to the UK under the UK-Japan agreement.
- You are a national or permanent resident of Australia working for an Australian company expanding to the UK under the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement.
If asked, you will need to provide proof of payment from your overseas employer (i.e., payslips, bank statements, letter from sponsor).
Financial Requirements
You need to have at least £1,270 cash in your bank account for at least 28 consecutive days to prove you can support yourself upon arrival in the UK. This 28-day period ends within 31 days of submitting your visa application.
Your partner and children also need to prove they can support themselves. If you are applying to remain in the UK and have been here legally for 12 months or more on the application date, you do not need to show evidence of your personal savings.
Other Documents
Aside from your CoS reference number, be sure to prepare these documents:
- Valid passport
- Identification documents to prove relationship (if your partner or children are applying with you)
- Valid ATAS certificate (if your job involves researching a sensitive subject at PhD level or higher)
- Certified translations (for any documents not in English or Welsh)
- TB certificate (if required in your country)
- Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) receipt (for proof of payment)
UK Expansion Worker Visa Application Costs
Here are all the costs you need to prepare for:
- Application fee – £319
- Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) – £1,035
- Financial evidence – minimum of £1,270 savings
- Sponsor Licence – £574 for standard temporary workers or small sponsors; £1,579 for medium or large sponsors
You can also opt for priority service for expedited processing, which can cost you another £500 to £1000.
How to Apply for UK Expansion Worker Visa
The main application method is online. Only the process varies, depending on where you are submitting:
- Outside the UK
- Inside the UK to extend current visa or switch from another (see below for more information)
Your partner and children can apply to join you or stay as your dependants if they are eligible.
For applications outside the UK, here are how it generally works:
- Apply online and check the required documents.
- Prove your identity by either:
- using the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document, or
- visiting visa application centre to have your photo and biometric taken.
- You will be told which method to use when you apply.
- Provide documents to support your application.
How to Extend UK Expansion Worker Visa
You have specific requirements to meet when you are extending your visa. All the following must be true:
- You have the same job as when you were given your previous permission to enter or stay in the UK.
- Your job is in the same occupation code as when you were given your previous permission to enter or stay in the UK.
- You are still working for the employer who gave you your current certificate of sponsorship.
- You have not reached the maximum total stay.
- You are within the UK upon extending your visa. Your application will be withdrawn if you are not.
Your partner or child’s visa will not automatically extend if you extend yours. They can apply at the same time as you, or at any time before their current visa expires.
Remember that the maximum duration of stay under this visa category is up to two years. This includes the initial visa period and any extensions granted.
UK Expansion Worker Visa Processing Times
The processing time depends, but when it is waiting for the Home Office decision, they are usually within these timeframes:
- Applying outside the UK – usually within 3 weeks after submitting your online application
- Applying inside the UK – usually within 8 weeks after submitting your online application
Longer processing times are possible in certain situations, such as:
- Your supporting documents need further verification.
- You are required to attend an interview.
- You have personal circumstances that require more review (e.g., a criminal conviction).
You may be able to pay an extra fee for priority processing to get a decision sooner.
Bring Family with a UK Expansion Worker Visa
The following can apply as your dependants:
- Your spouse, civil partner, or unmarried partner (if you have been living together for at least 2 years when you apply).
- Children under 18 (including those born in the UK during your stay).
- Children over 18 (if they currently have permission to be in the UK as your dependant).
Proving Your Relationship
Here’s how to prove your relationship:
- Marriage certificate, civil partnership certificate, proof of cohabitation for 2+ years
- If not living together, provide evidence of ongoing commitment (regular communication, financial support, shared children, spending time together).
Requirements for Children
You are allowed to bring children as your dependants if they:
- Live with you (unless in full-time education away from home (e.g., boarding school, university).
- Not married or in a civil partnership.
- Children 16 or over; must also not have any children and be financially supported by you.
- Proof of address (if living with you); provide documents like bank statements, credit card bills, driving licence, National Health Service registration, or university letters.
They must separately apply online as your partner or as your child. They will need your Global Web Form (GWF) or Unique Application Number (UAN) (which you get when you apply).
Children born in the UK do not automatically become British citizens. You need to apply online for their visa as your dependant if you want to travel in and out of the UK with them. Be sure to apply for their visas before they turn 18 if they want to stay in the UK.
The visa expiry for your dependants is usually on the same day as yours. If you have different expiry dates with your spouse, your child’s visa will end on the earlier date.
UK Expansion Visa Guidance for Settlement
The UK Expansion Worker visa is not a direct pathway to permanent residency. However, whilst on a temporary residency in the UK under this visa, you may have the option to switch to a different immigration route that can eventually lead to settlement, provided you meet all the requirements for that specific route.
Sponsor Licence Compliance Obligations
Both employers and employees have responsibilities to maintain the UK-based company’s Sponsor Licence.
Employer Responsibilities
- Ensure the overseas business remains genuine and active whilst establishing the UK presence.
- Provide truthful information during the visa application and maintain this throughout.
- Ensure the employee works in the job specified in their CoS.
- Adhere to UK labour laws regarding salary, working conditions, and employment rights.
- Maintain detailed records of the employee’s work (proof of employment, job description, payroll).
- Inform the Home Office of any changes in the employee’s circumstances or employment status (job role, salary, departure).
Employee Responsibilities
- Work only for the employer and in the specific role stated in their visa and CoS.
- Not taking additional jobs or changing employers without proper visa amendments.
- Follow all UK laws and regulations, including tax and National Insurance.
- Keep employer and the Home Office informed of any changes (address, family circumstances).
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, depending on your current visa. If you’re in the UK on a visa that allows switching (e.g., a Skilled Worker or Student Visa), you can transition to an eligible self-sponsorship route. However, visas like Visit or Graduate do not permit switching.
No, this visa is temporary and does not directly lead to permanent settlement. However, switching to other routes like the Skilled Worker visa is possible.
You can only work for the sponsoring employer in the job specified on your Certificate of Sponsorship. You cannot take additional employment or change employers without updating your visa.
If refused, you can request an administrative review or reapply, addressing the reasons for the refusal. Legal advice can be beneficial.
No, the company needs an established presence in the UK (but not trading) and must have been operating overseas for at least three years, with capable staff to manage the license.
After a Tier 5 visa expiry, you cannot continue staying in the UK.
Need UK Expansion Worker Visa Guidance?
For the UK business, securing a Sponsor Licence is a prerequisite, whilst for employees, Certificate of Sponsorship. Obtaining these documents can be very challenging, as they are bound to undergo rigorous assessments. Many find their applications rejected in the process, which is just the start of applying for the UK Expansion Worker visa.
This is where Legend Consults come in. Our UK immigration lawyer offers comprehensive UK Expansion Worker visa guidance to both employers and employees. Let’s discuss your pathway to the UK. With us, the first consultation comes at no cost. Contact us today!
The UK Expansion Worker visa replaced the Sole Representative visa in 2022. This route is one part of the Global Business Mobility category that allows overseas companies to send senior personnel to the UK to establish their first UK branch or subsidiary. Find out more about this route in this UK Expansion Worker visa guidance.
