Introduction of the Scale-up route

Policy effect

From August 22, 2022, the Scale-up route provided a work route for qualifying workers sponsored by authorised scale-up businesses. The sponsored application required a qualifying job offer, and the sponsorship requirement applied for the initial six-month period. Subsequent unsponsored applications were subject to separate eligibility and earnings requirements.

Conditions and exceptions

Validated condition or limit: The sponsored application required a qualifying job offer, and the sponsorship requirement applied for the initial six-month period.; Subsequent unsponsored applications were subject to separate eligibility and earnings requirements.

Official source excerpt

Quoted verbatim from the official source below. Ellipses indicate omitted text.

… d by a UK Scale-up Sponsor, who have the skills needed to enable the Scale-up business to continue growing. The person must have a high-skilled job offer from a qualifying Scale-up business at the required salary level. A dependent partner and dependent children can apply on this route. The Scale-up route is a route to settlement. Validity requirements for a Scale-up Worker SCU 1.1. A person applying for entry clearance or permission to stay as a Scale-up Worker must apply online on the gov.uk website on the specified form as follows: (a) for applicants outside the UK, form “Scale-up visa”; or … o, which must: (a) confirm the applicant’s name, that they are being sponsored as a Scale-up Worker, details of the job and salary the Sponsor is offering them and PAYE details; and (b) include a start date for the job, stated by the Sponsor, which is no more than 3 months after the date of application; and (c) confirm the applicant is expected to work for the Sponsor for at least the first 6 months of their permission; and (d) not have been used in a previous application which was either granted or refused (but can have been used in a previous application which was rejected as invalid, made v …

Review method

Two separate automated exact-claim source reviews

Other United Kingdom changes operative in 2022

• 2022-02-15Addition of Social Care and Care Workers to Health and Care Visa & Shortage Occupation List
• 2022-02-17Immediate Closure of the Tier 1 (Investor) Visa Route (CP 632)
• 2022-02-26United Kingdom removes European Social Charter work-visa fee concessions
• 2022-04-06Removal of No Time Limit (NTL) Application Fee
• 2022-04-06Use of Identity Document Validation Technology (IDVT) for Digital Right to Work Checks
• 2022-05-03Ukraine Extension Scheme opens for eligible people already in the UK
• 2022-05-11Imposition of Visitor Visa Regime on Nationals of El Salvador
• 2022-05-30Introduction of the High Potential Individual route
• 2022-06-01New Legal Advice Service for Immigration Detainees
• 2022-06-24Revision of UK Expansion Worker Guidance (Endorsement Streamlining)
• 2022-06-28Commencement of Core Nationality Reforms (Remedying Historical Injustices)
• 2022-06-28Implementation of Differentiated Refugee Status Regime (HC 17)
• 2022-06-30End of COVID-19 Student Sponsorship Concessions
• 2022-08-10Homes for Ukraine opens to new applications from children without parents or legal guardians
• 2022-08-31Devolution of Immigration Bail Regulations for Scotland and Northern Ireland
• 2022-10-01Reinstatement of In-Person Right to Work Checks
• 2022-11-30Closure of the Afghan Ex-Gratia Scheme