UK Sponsored Work Routes 2024

The Skilled Worker visa allows UK organisations that have acquired a skilled worker sponsor licence to sponsor skilled workers from overseas or those that are in the UK on another visa which allows them to switch to the skilled worker route. The aim of this visa is to fill shortages in the UK labour market with qualified or skilled professionals, enhancing the country's competitiveness and promoting economic growth.

Overall, the Skilled Worker visa route offers a pathway for skilled individuals to live and work in the UK, contributing their expertise to the country's workforce while fulfilling the needs of UK employers.

GBM - Senior or Specialist Worker

The Global Business Mobility (GBM) Senior or Specialist Skilled Worker route benefits multinational companies that have a UK office. The UK arm of the group must have a senior or specialist sponsor licence, which in turn will allow the UK business to sponsor colleagues from their sister company overseas to work in the UK business.

As the name suggests, the person being sponsored must be in a senior role overseas (manager or above) or a specialist in their field of work.

The GBM Senior or Specialist Worker route does not lead to settlement in the UK but does allow a person to switch to another visa route such as the Skilled Worker visa.

Expansion Worker

The Expansion Worker visa allows an overseas company to send employees to the UK in order to set up a subsidiary office of the overseas operations.

The first step is for the overseas company to apply for an expansion worker licence. Once acquired, the business will then assign a certificate of sponsorship to the nominated expansion worker with which they will they apply for their expansion worker visa.

It should be noted that the expansion worker can only remain in the UK on this visa for two years and therefore if they will be required in the UK for longer, the UK subsidiary must apply for a skilled worker sponsor licence and in turn switch their visa to a skilled worker visa.

Scale-up Worker

The Scale-Up Worker route within the UK is a specialised visa pathway designed to attract and retain talented individuals who contribute to the growth and expansion of high-growth businesses, known as scale-ups. These businesses demonstrate rapid growth potential and play a significant role in driving innovation, creating jobs, and boosting the economy.

Overall, the route offers a valuable opportunity for talented individuals to contribute to the success of high-growth businesses in the UK, driving innovation, job creation, and economic prosperity.

Sponsored Work Routes
	Skilled Worker (experienced hire)	GBM - Senior or Specialist Worker	Expansion Worker	Scale-up Worker
Purpose of route	A Skilled Worker visa allows individuals to come to the UK to do an eligible job with an approved employer.	The GBM – Senior or Specialist Worker visa allows employees who are being assigned by their overseas employer to a linked entity in the UK.	An Expansion Worker visa allows individuals to set up a branch of an overseas business in the UK.	A Scale-up Worker visa allows individuals to do an eligible job for a fast-growing UK business.
Licence required?	✔	✔	✔	✔ sponsorship only required for initial 6 months.
Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)	£239	£239	£25	£25
Immigration Skills Charge (ISC)	£1,000 per year for medium/ large sponsors or £364 per year for small or charitable sponsors.	£1,000 per year for medium/ large sponsors or £364 per year for small or charitable sponsors.	No	No
Immigration Health Surcharge (HIS)	£1.035 per year for each applicant or £776 per year for each applicant under 18.	£719 (3 years or less) or £1,420 (more than 3 years).	£1.035 per year for each applicant or £776 per year for each applicant under 18.	£1.035 per year for each applicant or £776 per year for each applicant under 18.
Visa fee	£719 (3 years or less) or £1,420 (more than 3 years).	£719 (3 years or less) or £1,420 (more than 3 years).	£298	£822
Minimum salary	£38,700, or the occupation-specific threshold, whichever is higher. Discount applies to new entrants.	£48,500, or the occupation-specific threshold, whichever is higher.	£48,500 or the occupation-specific threshold, whichever is higher.	£36,300 or the occupation-specific threshold, whichever is higher.
Overseas experience with entity	Not applicable (N/A)	12 months, unless applicant is a high earner with a salary of £73,900.	12 months, unless applicant is a high earner (£73,900 per year) or is a Japanese national seeking to establish a UK branch or subsidiary of the sponsor group under the UKJapan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.	Not applicable (N/A)
English language requirement?	✔	Not applicable (N/A)	Not applicable (N/A)	✔
TB Test	✔ if in a TB listed country.	✔ if in a TB listed country.	✔ if in a TB listed country.	✔ if in a TB listed country.
Skill level	RQF Level 3 or above (UK A-Level).	RQF Level 6 (Graduate equivalent) .	RQF Level 6 (Graduate equivalent).	RQF Level 6 (Graduate equivalent).
Financial Requirement	£1,270, or maintenance can be certified by sponsor.	£1,270, or maintenance can be certified by sponsor.	£1,270, or maintenance can be certified by sponsor.	£1,270, or maintenance can be certified by sponsor.
Maximum period of stay	No set limit	5 years in any 6-year period (if gross annual salary is less than £73,900) or 9 years in any 10-year period (if high earner with a gross annual salary of £73,900 or higher).	2 years and must not exceed cumulative permission in GBM routes totalling 5 years in any 6-year period.	2 years. Leave can then be extended by 3 years, as many times as required.
Leads to Settlement	✔ 5 continuous years.	Not applicable (N/A)	Not applicable (N/A)	✔ 5 continuous years.
Dependants can accompany	✔	✔	✔	✔
Timeframe	Approximately 3 weeks from attendance at a biometrics appointment, or 1 week if priority service used.	Approximately 3 weeks from attendance at a biometrics appointment, or 1 week if priority service used.	Approximately 3 weeks from attendance at a biometrics appointment, or 1 week if priority service used.	Approximately 3 weeks from attendance at a biometrics appointment, or 1 week if priority service used.

UK Non-Sponsored Work Routes 2024

High Potential Individual

The High Potential Individual visa allows a graduate of one of the top 50 universities outside of the UK (UKVI Global Universities list) to apply for a visa to enter the UK to look for or take up employment in the UK.

The visa is granted for two years or three years if the person has completed a PhD. The person can take up any type of employment i.e. it does not need to be related to their field of study. This visa also allows a person to switch to another work visa for which the person meets the requirements.

Global Talent

The Global Talent Worker route within the UK is a prestigious visa pathway designed to attract highly skilled and exceptionally talented individuals from around the world. This visa category aims to recognise and facilitate the immigration of individuals who demonstrate exceptional abilities in their respective fields, including science, research, academia, arts, humanities, and digital technology.

Innovator Founder

The Innovator Founder visa allows a person to be endorsed by a UKVI endorsing body for their business idea. The endorsing body will want to be satisfied that the business idea is innovative, that the business will be scale-able in terms of revenue and creating employment. They will also want to be satisfied that the person applying for the endorsement has the relevant experience and background to start and grow the business in the UK. If approved, the person will be able to proceed with their visa application and will initially be granted a three year visa.

UK Ancestry

The UK Ancestry Worker route offers individuals with ancestral ties to the UK the opportunity to live, work, and settle in the country based on their familial connections. This visa category allows eligible individuals to work in the UK without the need for employer sponsorship, provided they can demonstrate their ancestral lineage and meet certain criteria.

Youth Mobility

The Youth Mobility Worker visa route gives young people from certain countries the opportunity to live, work, and experience life in the UK for a temporary period. This visa category aims to promote cultural exchange, facilitate international experiences, and strengthen ties between the UK and participating countries. A person who is in the UK on this visa is able to switch to another work visa if they meet the criteria.

Non-Sponsored Work Routes
	High Potential Individual	Global Talent	Innovator Founder	UK Ancestry	Youth Mobility
Purpose of route	The High Potential Individual Visa is available to recent graduates of top global universities who wish to work, or look for work, in the UK.	A Global Talent visa allows individuals to work in the UK if they are a leader or potential leader in one of the following fields: • academia or research • arts and culture • digital technology.	The Innovator Founder visa is for individuals who want to set up and run an innovative business in the UK – the business must be something that’s different from anything else which exists in the market.	The UK Ancestry visa is for Commonwealth citizens, British overseas citizens, British overseas territories citizens, British nationals (overseas), and citizens of Zimbabwe with a grandparent who was born in the UK (or the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man).	The Youth Mobility Scheme Visa is for young adults from participating countries and territories who wish to experience life in the UK.
Endorsement required prior to application	Not applicable (N/A).	✔ Unless the applicant has won an eligible award which exempts them from the endorsement requirement.	✔ From an authorised Endorsing Body.	Not applicable (N/A).	Not applicable (N/A).
Immigration Health Surcharge (HIS)	2 years’ leave: £2,070. 3 years leave: £3,105.	£1.035 per year.	£1.035 per year.	5 years’ leave: £5175.	£776 per year for each applicant.
Endorsement fee	Not applicable (N/A).	£524	£1,000, plus £500 each meeting with endorsing body (normally two).	Not applicable (N/A).	Not applicable (N/A).
Visa fee	£822	£192	£1,191	£1,048	£298
Minimum salary	Not applicable (N/A).	Not applicable (N/A).	Not applicable (N/A).	Not applicable (N/A).	Not applicable (N/A).
Education requirement	✔ The applicant must have been awarded a qualification by an eligible university in the last 5 years. The institution must appear on the Global Universities List in respect of the date the applicant was awarded the degree.	✔ Subject to the field in which the applicant will be applying.	Not applicable (N/A).	Not applicable (N/A).	Not applicable (N/A).
English language requirement?	✔	Not applicable (N/A).	✔	Not applicable (N/A).	Not applicable (N/A).
TB Test	✔ If in a TB listed country.	✔ If in a TB listed country.	✔ If in a TB listed country.	✔ If in a TB listed country.	✔ If in a TB listed country.
Skill level	Not applicable (N/A).	Not applicable (N/A). However, applicants need to be leaders or potential leaders in their relevant field.	Not applicable (N/A).	Not applicable (N/A).	Not applicable (N/A).
Financial Requirement	£1,270	Not applicable (N/A).	£1,270	Yes – no set amount but must be able to demonstrate funds to have enough money without help from public funds to support and house themselves and any dependants.	£2,530
Maximum period of stay	2 years, or if the applicant has a PhD or other doctoral qualification, 3 years, should the visa requirements continue to be met.	Maximum of 5 years in the first instance and can be extended indefinitely, should the visa requirements continue to be met.	Maximum of 3 years and can be extended by 3 years each time, indefinitely, should the visa requirements continue to be met.	Maximum of 5 years and can be extended by 5 years each time. This visa can be extended indefinitely, should the visa requirements continue to be met.	2 years for most applicants (extension of a further year only permitted for nationals of Australia, New Zealand and Canada).
Leads to Settlement	Not applicable (N/A).	✔ applicants might be eligible to apply for settlement after 3 or 5 continuous years in the UK, depending on which field they work in and how they apply.	✔ Applicants might be eligible to apply for settlement after 3 continuous years in the UK under this visa route.	✔ Applicants might be eligible to apply for settlement after 5 continuous years in the UK under this visa route.	Not applicable (N/A).
Dependants can accompany	✔	✔	✔	✔	Not applicable (N/A).
Timeframe	Approximately 3 weeks from attendance at a biometrics appointment, or 1 week if priority service used.	Approximately 4 weeks for endorsement and 3 weeks from attendance at a biometrics appointment, or 1 week if priority service available.	Approximately 4 weeks for endorsement and 3 weeks from attendance at a biometrics appointment, or 1 week if priority service available.	Approximately 3 weeks processing time from attendance at a biometrics appointment, or 1 week if priority service used.	Approximately 3 weeks from attendance at a biometrics appointment, or 1 week if priority service used.

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Additional Information

- The new entrant concession under the skilled worker category will apply to those who currently hold either a student visa or graduate route visa or are under the age of 26 when applying for their visa. The concession will only apply for the first four years of sponsorship (which includes any time spent on the graduate route visa).

- The 5 year period for eligibility of permanent residence (ILR) requires a person to have spent 5 years under their current work visa and in certain circumstances a combination of different visas, provided that other criteria for ILR are also satisfied.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Can a new entrant earning the £30,960 general salary get sponsorship that covers their dependents?

Yes. The restriction which was introduced in March 2024 only applies to those who are sponsored as care workers or senior care workers. However, care workers that were sponsored before this restriction came in to force can still sponsor their dependents.