The UK Expansion Worker route is part of the Global Business Mobility umbrella and allows an overseas business to send a senior manager or specialist employee to the United Kingdom for the purpose of establishing a new UK presence that has not yet commenced trading in the UK. As this is a sponsored immigration route, the business must obtain the appropriate sponsor licence before assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship to the employee. Guest post by Mounir Ghanem | Fennec Lawyers. The content in this post is for general information purposes only. It does not constitute immigration and/or advice. UK Expansion Worker Route vs Skilled Worker Route  The UK Expansion Worker route is designed for overseas businesses establishing a UK presence. Meanwhile, the Skilled Worker route is generally used to recruit workers into an already trading UK business.  Requirement Skilled Worker UK Expansion Worker Sponsor licence  Yes – once in place, the Skilled Worker application can be submitted  Yes – 2 stages: Sponsor Licence and then grant as UK Expansion Worker Overseas business presence in the UK No – however, eligibility and suitability criteria must still be satisfied Requires a ‘UK footprint’, but trading must not have started yet Number of workers N/A No more than 10 The worker’s role in the overseas business N/A Must already be employed by the overseas business as either a senior manager or a specialist worker Duration of overseas trading activity N/A A 3-year requirement, with some exceptions English Language requirement Yes – at least CEFR B2 No Duration of the worker’s overseas work for the business N/A A minimum of 12 months, unless the worker is a high earner Maximum permitted time under the route No maximum duration 2 Years Minimum salary £41,700, and depending on which ‘options’ apply £52,500, and the applicable going rate for the relevant occupation code Is it possible to bring dependants? Yes Yes Route leading to settlement Yes No – a switch to the Skilled Worker category is possible UK Expansion Worker sponsor licence criteria To qualify for a UK Expansion Worker sponsor licence, an overseas business must be genuine, lawful, and actively trading. Additionally, the business must demonstrate a clear intention to establish a new presence in the United Kingdom. The organisation must also be capable of fulfilling its sponsor duties and issuing Certificates of Sponsorship correctly. The principal eligibility criteria typically include the following: What does “UK footprint” mean?  The business must not already be actively trading in the UK. However, the business must demonstrate a UK footprint by providing one of the following forms of evidence: According to UKVI guidance, an application will be rejected if evidence of a UK footprint is not provided. An application will also be refused if the submitted evidence demonstrates that the business lacks a UK footprint or already maintains an active UK trading presence. Supporting documents for a UK Expansion Worker sponsor licence application A UK Expansion Worker sponsor licence application is document-heavy, with a minimum of 8 documents, compared with a standard Skilled Worker sponsor licence application, which usually requires a minimum of 4 documents. This is because the business must demonstrate both its genuine and lawful operation, as well as compliance with additional route-specific requirements for UK expansion. Appendix A of the sponsor guidance outlines the supporting documents that must be submitted, with the specific document set varying according to the organisation’s circumstances. Practically, the following pieces of evidence are expected to be provided.  Timing is critical. The required supporting documents must be submitted to the Home Office within 5 working days of the online sponsor licence application submission. Therefore, businesses should prepare the complete evidence bundle in advance rather than waiting until after submission. What the sponsored worker must meet under the UK Expansion Worker route The UK Expansion Worker visa falls under the Points-Based Immigration System, and applicants must score 60 points to qualify as a sponsored worker under this route.  Criteria Points Certificate of Sponsorship 20 Job at an appropriate skill level 20 Salary 20 Salary requirement General salary threshold: £52,500 per year, or the occupation code’s going rate, whichever is higher. You may include guaranteed allowances for the full period of employment in the UK, or a mobility premium to help cover the additional cost of living in the UK. Accommodation allowances may also be included, up to 30% of the total salary package.  Financial requirement The sponsor cannot certify maintenance on the Certificate of Sponsorship. There is no English language requirement for this visa. Costs The UK Expansion Worker route is classified as a ‘Temporary Worker’ category for sponsor licensing fee purposes. The applicable fees are as follows:  • Temporary Worker sponsor licence application fee: £611 • Temporary Worker Certificate of Sponsorship fee: £55 • No Immigration Skills Charge • Application fee: £340 • Health surcharge: £1,035 (per year) Limitations of the UK Expansion Worker route  The UK Expansion Worker route is quite limited in scope. It is designed for overseas businesses looking to set up a UK presence. It is not for businesses that are already operating in the UK. Moreover, it does not provide a route to settlement for sponsored workers. The main limitations are as follows.  Business planning point For many companies, the main strategic value of the UK Expansion Worker route is that it allows them to establish a UK presence before moving to a longer-term immigration structure. Once the UK business is operational, the Skilled Worker route may become relevant depending on the role and the sponsor’s circumstances. Common risks include weak sponsor evidence, a role that does not fit the route, and failure to show that the UK expansion is genuine and ready to proceed. Careful preparation of the sponsor licence, Certificate of Sponsorship, and supporting documents can help reduce refusal risk. About The Author | Mounir Ghanem Mounir Ghanem is a UK immigration expert accredited by the Immigration Advice Authority to handle complex immigration matters. He works at Fennec Lawyers, a UK immigration law firm…

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