The Skilled Worker visa is the primary route for foreign nationals seeking employment in the UK and requires individuals to have received sponsorship from a UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) licenced employer. The Skilled Worker visa is valid for up to five years, after which individuals may qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain and ultimately, British Citizenship.
The Scale-Up visa is a route which helps businesses to ‘scale-up’ by enabling them to recruit top talent from overseas. The Scale-Up Worker visa allows talented individuals, who have a job offer from an approved 'Scale-Up business', to reside and work in the UK for up to two years. During the initial six months, applicants must be sponsored. However, after this period, they have the freedom to switch jobs or become self-employed without needing to obtain a new sponsor.
The costs associated with the Scale-Up Worker visa are less than those associated with a Skilled Worker visa.
The cost of obtaining a sponsor licence varies between £536 and £1,476 depending on the size and type of organisation.
Businesses must pay £199 every time they assign a certificate of sponsorship to a sponsored worker under the Skilled Worker route.
Businesses are also required to pay the Immigration Skills Charge which is £364 for small businesses and charitable organisations. For medium and large organisations the Immigration Skills Charge is £1,000 for each year of sponsorship of the skilled worker.
A Skilled Worker application fee is between £625 and £1,423, with the amount depending on circumstance.
The cost of obtaining a sponsor licence is £536 regardless of the size and type of organisation.
Businesses must pay £21 every time they assign a certificate of sponsorship to a sponsored worker under the Scale-Up Worker route.
Businesses do not have to pay the Immigration Skills Charge.
A Scale-Up application fee is £715.