UK Scale-up Route: Employer Sponsor Licence Guide
What Is the UK Scale-up Route?
The Scale-up Worker Visa is a UK work visa designed for skilled professionals who wish to work in fast-growing UK businesses.
The visa allows workers to work for scale-up businesses but with more freedom than other types of work visas.
Launched to support the UK’s fastest-growing companies, the Scale-up visa route allows eligible businesses to sponsor highly skilled workers for an initial 6-month period—with the option for the employee to switch to an unsponsored route thereafter.
Unlike other visa categories, the Scale-up route offers:
- Faster processing
- Reduced sponsorship duties
- A pathway to unsponsored work and settlement
Why Employers Need a Scale-up Sponsor Licence
Although the Scale-up route becomes unsponsored after 6 months, employers must sponsor the initial application.
To do this, your business must:
- Hold a valid Scale-up Sponsor Licence
- Issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to eligible candidates
- Offer a qualifying job that meets salary and skill thresholds
- This visa route is ideal for companies in tech, fintech, life sciences, digital media, or other high-growth sectors.
Scale-up Sponsor Licence Eligibility
To qualify for a Scale-up Sponsor Licence, your business must be classified as a high-growth company.
This means:
- Annual growth of 20% or more in either turnover or employment over a 3-year period
- A minimum of 10 full-time employees at the beginning of the 3-year period
Your business must also be:
- Registered and operating in the UK
- Free from serious compliance breaches or unspent convictions
- Capable of managing the reduced but still significant sponsor duties
Applying for a Scale-up Sponsor Licence
The sponsor licence process includes:
Submit Online Application – Apply via the UKVI sponsor portal.
Provide Evidence of Scale – Submit supporting documents proving your growth history, employee numbers, and business activity.
Pay the Licence Fee – A single-tier fee of £536 applies.
Prepare for Compliance Checks – While the compliance burden is lower, UKVI may still conduct checks.
Processing Time – Standard processing takes around 8 weeks. Priority services may be available.
Assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)
Once licensed, you can issue a CoS to eligible overseas workers.
The CoS should include:
- Job title and occupation code (must be eligible
under the Scale-up route) - Minimum salary of at least £36,300 or
£10.10/hour—whichever is higher - Employment terms for at least 6 months
The CoS must be used within 3 months of being issued.
Ongoing Sponsor Duties
Although reduced compared to the Skilled Worker route, Scale-up sponsors must still:
- Verify the candidate’s employment
- Maintain accurate contact and job records
- Report if the employee doesn’t start work or leaves early
After 6 months, the worker can remain in the UK without continued sponsorship, but initial sponsor duties are still mandatory.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
Scale-up sponsor licence applications are often delayed or rejected due to:
- Incomplete financial records or unclear growth data
- Incorrect CoS allocations
- Inadequate HR systems, even with reduced compliance duties
Ensure you meet all eligibility criteria before applying. Professional guidance can streamline the process.
Supporting Scale-up Visa Applications
Once the CoS is assigned, the candidate can:
- Apply for a Scale-up visa from outside or within the UK
- Work for the sponsoring employer during the initial 6-month sponsored phase
- Bring eligible dependants
After 6 months, they may change employers or roles without requiring a new CoS.
Latest Sponsor Licence News
Contact Us
Meridien House
42 Upper Berkeley Street
W1H 5PW
London, England
+44 7739 699 968
+44 20 3988 0575
contact@lexlegal.com
