The UK Expansion Worker visa allows you to come to the UK and set up a new branch on an overseas business.
The Expansion Worker visa allows foreign workers to come to the UK and set up a UK branch of an overseas business that hasn’t started trading in the UK yet.
Only applicants who already work for the business as a senior manager or specialist employee are eligible for this visa.
Note that if the business is already trading in the UK, applicants should apply for a Senior or Specialist Worker visa instead.
This visa is a part of the UK government’s Global Business Mobility category of work visas.
In order to be eligible for the Expansion Worker visa, you must:
When in the UK on an Expansion Worker visa, you will be able to do the following:
Note that you will not be able to:
All applicants applying under the Expansion Worker visa must meet the points requirement for this route.
In total, you must accrue 60 points across three categories. These categories are worth 20 points each.
The categories are as follows:
Note that as well as accruing 60 points total across the above metrics, you must also satisfy the other necessary eligibility requirements in order to qualify for this visa.
You will be able to stay in the UK with a UK Expansion Worker visa for either 12 months after the start date of the job on your certificate of sponsorship, or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days, whichever is shorter.
You will be able to extend your visa by an extra 12 months if you wish. However, the maximum time you’ll be able to stay in the UK on this visa is 2 years.
Note that if you’ve spent time in the UK on this or another visa, you may not be able to stay on a UK Expansion Worker visa for as long as expected. You can only stay in the UK for a maximum of 5 years in any 6 year period if you’ve spent time on any of these visas:
You must apply for an Expansion Worker visa online through the Gov.uk website.
Note that you must have been working for your employer outside the UK for at least 12 before you apply, unless one of the exemptions applies to you.
When applying for this visa for the first time, you’ll have to fill in the application form and upload the necessary supporting documents needed.
You’ll also have to prove your identity. This will either be done at a visa application centre, where you’ll give your biometrics information, or the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document.
If you need to attend a visa application centre, you’ll give your fingerprints and have a photograph taken of you for your biometric residence permit. In addition, the visa application centre may need to keep your passport and documents while they process your application.
You’ll be notified of how you’ll have to prove your identity when you apply.
There are also separate application processes if you wish to extend your Expansion Worker visa, switch to it from another visa in the UK, or update it if your job changes.
Applying for an Expansion Worker visa is made easier with the aid of a legal professional by your side. Call us today, or contact us online for further help and information.
You will need to provide the following documents when applying for an Expansion Worker visa:
You may also be asked to provide some additional documents with your visa application. These may include the following:
You will not need to show that you’ve been working for your employer outside the UK for at least 12 before you apply unless one of the exemptions applies to you.
Note that for all of the documents you provide, you’ll need to provide a certified translation for any documents that are not in English or Welsh.
The Expansion Worker visa costs £259 to obtain.
You will also have to pay the immigration healthcare surcharge when applying. This will be £624 per year, for every year you’ll be in the UK.
You must also have at least £1,270 in your bank account to show you can support yourself when you arrive in the UK.
You will need to have had the money available for at least 28 consecutive days. The end date of the 28 day period must be within 31 days of your date of application.
You’ll normally need to show proof of this when you apply, unless you’ve already been in the UK with a valid visa for 12 months or more.
Note that your partner and children will also need to prove they can support themselves while they’re in the UK.
If you’re applying for an Expansion Worker visa from outside of the UK, you’ll normally receive a decision within 3 weeks.
If you’re applying from inside the UK, you’ll normally receive a decision within 8 weeks.
Note that you will only be able to apply for this visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. This date will be listed on your certificate of sponsorship.
You should also allow for extra time if you’re required to attend an appointment at a visa application centre.
Your application may also take longer if, for example, your supporting documents need to be reviewed, you’re asked to attend an interview, or because of your personal circumstances.
You may also be able to pay extra for a priority service or super priority service to get your application processed within 5 days or by the next working day, respectively.
Note that this service may not be available in all countries.
You must apply to extend your Expansion Worker visa online through the Gov.uk website.
You will only be able to extend your visa if all of the following apply:
Note that you must be inside the UK to apply to extend your visa. If you travel outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man while your application is being processed, your application will be withdrawn.
Expansion Worker visa extension applications normally take up to 8 weeks to process.
You may be able to switch to an Expansion Worker visa if you’re already in the UK on another type of visa and you meet the eligibility requirements.
Note that you will not be able to switch to this visa if you’re currently in the UK:
If any of the above apply to you, you must first leave the UK and apply for the visa from abroad.
Additionally, if you plan to switch to this visa from a Student visa, one of the following must apply to you:
You should normally receive a decision on your application within 8 weeks.
If your job changes to a different occupation code, you must apply to update your Expansion Worker visa.
You must still be working for the same employer in order to update your visa.
Your new job must still meet the eligibility requirements for the Expansion Worker visa. In addition, you’ll need a new certificate of sponsorship.
You’ll also need to provide additional supplementary documents if you’ve been in the UK for less than one year.
You will be able to apply to update your visa up to 3 months before the start date of your new job.
You may continue working in your current job while your new application is being considered, just as long as you apply before your current visa expires.
You should not start your new job until you’ve got confirmation of your new permission.
You should normally receive a decision on your application within 8 weeks.
You will be able to bring your partner and children with you to the UK as dependents on an Expansion Worker visa. If their application is successful, their visa will end on the same date as yours.
You will be able to bring the following family members with you:
You’ll need to provide evidence of your relationship when you apply.
If bringing your partner to the UK, you must be able to prove that either:
If bringing children who are 16 or over to the UK, they must:
In addition, if your child lives with you, you’ll need to provide evidence of their address using documents such as the following:
Your dependents must also have enough money to support themselves while they’re in the UK with you.
The requirements are as follows:
Your dependents will have had to have the money available for at least 28 consecutive days. The end date of the 28 day period must be within 31 days of your date of application.
You’ll usually need to show proof of this when they apply, unless you have all been in the UK with a valid visa for at least 12 months.
Note that if your partner or child is applying at a different time to you, they’ll only need to prove they have enough money to support themselves if they have been in the UK for less than one year.
Each one of your dependents will have to submit a separate application for a visa online through the Gov.uk website.
They will each also need to pay a separate visa application fee.
When applying online, your dependents will require your application number, which you will receive when you apply. This number is known as a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN).
Your dependents will also have to prove their identity. This will either be done at a visa application centre, where you’ll give your biometrics information, or the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document.
Once your dependents have submitted their application, uploaded their documents and proved their identity, they will also receive a decision on their application within 3 weeks.
It’s essential to ensure that your dependents are able to submit their application in good time to to able to join you in the UK. If you require additional assistance in submitting you or your dependent’s application to come to the UK, reach out to us for one-on-one help. Call us, or contact us online today.
Each one of your dependents must submit a separate application on the Gov.uk website if they wish to extend or switch their visa to yours.
They may do so either:
This includes any children who have turned 18 during your stay.
Note that your partner or children will not be able to switch to your visa as your dependents if they’re currently in the UK:
When applying online, your dependents will require your application number, which you will receive when you apply. This number is known as a Global Web Form (GWF) or a Unique Application Number (UAN).
Your dependents will also have to prove their identity. This will either be done at a visa application centre, where you’ll give your biometrics information, or the ‘UK Immigration: ID Check’ app to scan your identity document.
Once your dependents have submitted their application, uploaded their documents and proved their identity, they will also receive a decision on their application within 8 weeks.
The UK Expansion Worker route is for organizations that are linked to overseas businesses but haven’t started operating in the UK yet. If an overseas employer wants to send a senior or specialist worker to the UK for a temporary job in an already-established UK business, they should apply for a different visa, like the Senior or Specialist Worker visa or Skilled Worker visa. However, the UK employer must be licensed to sponsor workers for these visas.
The UK Expansion Worker route is one of the UK’s Global Business Mobility routes, intending to stoke the UK’s local economy and attract international businesses.
If you’re a business owner, or a senior employee of an established overseas business looking to open up a new branch in the UK, you may wish to seek professional support to help you with the process.
This is where WMYV can help.
We offer complete and comprehensive legal advice for individuals and businesses looking to come to the UK. We can support you in every step of the expansion process, from acquiring approved UK expansion worker sponsor status, helping to acquire UK Expansion Worker visas for your workforce, and advising on all aspects of UK business immigration.
We can also offer help if you’re considering other Global Business Mobility visa routes, or for general immigration needs for your UK company, such as Skilled Worker visa applications or with Companies House registration.
Reach out to us for more information or to see how we can help you?
There are a wide range of eligible jobs for the Expansion Worker visa across a variety of industries.
Many of these jobs are also eligible under other Global Business Mobility visas.
A full list of eligible jobs for Global Mobility visas, including UK expansion workers, can be found on the Gov.uk website.
If you happen to have a child while you’re in the UK with an Expansion Worker visa, they will not automatically become a British citizen.
Instead, you’ll need to submit an application online for them as your dependent. This will be necessary if you wish to travel in and out of the UK with them.
You must apply to add them to your visa before they turn 18 if they want to stay in the UK.
You must provide a full UK birth certificate for each child, showing the names of both parents, when you apply.
The genuine job requirement for the UK Expansion Worker Visa means that the job you are planning to do in the UK must be a real and legitimate position that matches your skill level and qualifications. It should not be a sham or fictitious job created solely for the purpose of obtaining a visa. The UK authorities will assess whether the job offer is genuine and whether it meets the requirements of the visa category.
The “going rate” represents the typical yearly gross income for your specific job position within the United Kingdom. As of 2023, it is £45,800.
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