| For whom | skilled professionals with a job offer from an approved scale-up |
| Salary | at least £39,100 or the going rate, whichever is higher |
| Tie to the sponsor | at least 6 months, then free |
| Fee | £937 plus £1,035 health surcharge a year |
| Length | 2 years, then extensions of 3 years each |
| Settlement | after 5 years |
Which companies may sponsor
Not every start-up is a scale-up in the Home Office's sense. A company must either be endorsed by an approved body or show that in the three years before it applied it grew by an average of 20 per cent a year in staff or turnover, and had at least ten employees at the start of those three years.
An employer that qualifies appears on the public register of sponsors with the Scale-up Worker route. A scale-up licence lasts four years at most. For your own company this is rarely the right path; that is what the sponsor licence and the Skilled Worker route are for.
What you need to bring
You need a job offer in an eligible occupation, a certificate of sponsorship and a salary of at least £39,100 a year or the going rate, whichever is higher. The job must last at least six months.
Since 8 January 2026 you prove English at B2. If you held the visa before that date and are extending, B1 still applies. On top come £1,270 in personal funds unless the employer covers your first month.
The six months and the freedom after
The sponsor's responsibility ends six months after the visa is granted. After that you can keep working for them until the visa ends, change employer or work for yourself, without a new certificate of sponsorship. Extensions then follow their own rules, under which your income from employment counts.
That makes the route attractive for people who want to come to the UK without tying themselves to one employer for years.
Costs and length
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Visa fee | £937 |
| Immigration Health Surcharge | £1,035 a year |
| First grant | 2 years |
| Extension | 3 years each time, as long as you meet the requirements |
| Settlement | after 5 years |
| Funds for dependants | £285 partner, £315 first child, £200 each further child |
GOV.UK, Scale-up Worker visa, as of November 2026
The path to staying
After five years you can apply for indefinite leave to remain. From 26 March 2027 that needs B2 English, including for people already on the route today. And the earned settlement proposal would lengthen the standard period; more under earned settlement.
Because the freedom after six months includes self-employment, the questions of the right company and tax come up quickly. That is where we come in.
The process
- 1
Check the employer
Are they on the register of sponsors with the Scale-up Worker route? If not, this visa is out.
- 2
Job offer and salary
Eligible occupation, at least six months of employment, salary at least £39,100 or the going rate.
- 3
Certificate of sponsorship
The employer assigns the certificate. You then have three months to apply.
- 4
Application
Online, with B2 English evidence, the £937 fee and the health surcharge.
- 5
After six months
Free choice of employer until the visa ends, with no new certificate.
- 6
Extend and settle
Extensions of three years each, settlement after five years.
Partner and children
A partner and children can come as dependants. You must show funds for each of them if you have not yet been in the UK on a visa for twelve months: £285 for a partner, £315 for the first child and £200 for each further child. Unmarried partners usually need to have lived together for at least two years. More under family and dependants.
Scale-up or Skilled Worker?
| Question | Scale-up Worker | Skilled Worker |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum salary | £39,100 or going rate | £41,700 or going rate |
| Tie to the employer | 6 months | the whole visa |
| Visa fee from outside the UK | £937 | £819 up to 3 years, £1,618 above |
| Settlement | after 5 years | after 5 years |
GOV.UK, as of November 2026
What it means for your plans
For professionals with an offer from a genuine scale-up, this route is usually the better choice: a slightly lower salary floor, a shorter tie and the same path to settlement. It does not suit business owners who want to sponsor themselves, because their own young company will hardly meet the growth criteria. For them it is the Skilled Worker route through their own company.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know whether my employer qualifies?
They appear on the public register of licensed sponsors with the Scale-up Worker route.
Can I start a business after six months?
You may work for yourself after six months. For the extension, though, what counts is whether you meet the income rules.
Does the time count towards settlement?
Yes. The Scale-up Worker route leads to indefinite leave to remain after five years.
What does the visa cost with a family?
Each family member pays their own visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge of £1,035 a year, or £776 for children under 18. On top come the funds of £285 for a partner and £315 for the first child.
Sources: GOV.UK: Scale-up Worker visa; GOV.UK: UK visa sponsorship for employers; GOV.UK: Statement of changes HC 1691, explanatory memorandum; GOV.UK: Earned settlement (consultation); GOV.UK: Pay for UK healthcare as part of your immigration application
