The UK Expansion Worker visa is part of the Global Business Mobility (GBM) visa routes, designed to help overseas companies expand into the UK market. It allows senior employees or specialist staff to relocate temporarily in order to establish a branch, subsidiary, or presence for their employer. Unlike the Skilled Worker visa, which is aimed at long-term roles within UK-based businesses, the Expansion Worker route is specifically tailored to new market entry, making it central to the UK’s strategy for attracting foreign investment.
For employers, the visa route brings both opportunity and responsibility. It enables overseas businesses to deploy experienced staff to launch operations in the UK, but it also requires compliance with strict sponsorship and immigration requirements. Getting this balance right is crucial for HR directors and senior management teams tasked with overseeing recruitment, mobility, and compliance.
What this article is about: This guide provides employers with a comprehensive overview of the UK Expansion Worker visa. It explains the purpose and function of the route, the eligibility requirements for both employers and employees, the sponsorship duties, and the application process. It also explores practical considerations for HR compliance, including costs, timelines, risks of non-compliance, and long-term immigration planning.
Section A: Understanding the UK Expansion Worker Visa
The UK Expansion Worker visa is a temporary Global Business Mobility (GBM) route for overseas businesses that are not yet trading in the UK. It enables a senior manager or specialist employee to come to the UK to establish a new branch or subsidiary, subject to strict sponsorship, role and salary rules.
1. Purpose of the visa
The route is designed to facilitate genuine market entry by allowing an overseas employer to send appropriately skilled personnel to launch UK operations. It is distinct from Skilled Worker (for permanent roles in established UK entities) and from Senior or Specialist Worker (for assignments to UK entities that are already trading).
2. Key eligibility requirements
Both the sponsor and the assignee must meet specific criteria:
- Sponsorship: The UK entity must hold an Expansion Worker sponsor licence. Sponsors are generally required to be A-rated; limited provisional arrangements can apply during the initial expansion phase (for example where the Authorising Officer holds the role while the licence has a provisional rating).
- Job/skill level: The role must be in an eligible SOC 2020 occupation code and genuinely required for UK expansion.
- Salary: The salary must meet both (i) the GBM general threshold of £52,500 per year and (ii) 100% of the occupation’s going rate (pro-rated). Only the first 48 hours per week count towards the general threshold; certain guaranteed allowances (e.g., mobility premiums) can be counted, while bonuses and most benefits cannot.
- Overseas employment: The assignee must have worked for the sponsor group outside the UK for at least 12 months unless an exemption applies, such as applying as a high earner (currently £73,900) or under specified trade agreements (e.g., eligible Japanese nationals and certain Australian nationals/permanent residents).
3. Duration and conditions
- Grant/maximum stay: Initial permission is typically up to 12 months, extendable to a maximum of 2 years on this route. Time counts towards the 5 years in any 6-year GBM cap.
- Settlement: No direct path to ILR. Switching to other routes (e.g., Skilled Worker) may provide a settlement pathway once the UK entity is trading and eligibility is met.
- Conditions: No access to public funds. Work is limited to the sponsored job (plus voluntary work and serving contractual notice where applicable). Study is permitted subject to ATAS where relevant.
- Dependants: Partners and children can accompany the main applicant, subject to eligibility; dependants can work, except as professional sportspersons.
Section A Summary: This route enables genuine UK market entry by transferring a senior or specialist employee to set up the UK presence. Compliance hinges on an eligible role, correct sponsorship, meeting the £52,500 general salary and going-rate tests, and satisfying the 12-month overseas employment rule unless a specific exemption applies.
Section B: Sponsorship and Employer Duties
To use the UK Expansion Worker route, an overseas employer must first obtain approval as a licensed sponsor under the Global Business Mobility (GBM) – UK Expansion Worker category. Sponsorship controls who may assign Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) and allows the Home Office to monitor compliance. Robust internal governance is critical to protect the licence and the UK expansion plan.
1. Sponsor licence requirement
Overseas businesses not yet trading in the UK may apply for an Expansion Worker sponsor licence to deploy a senior manager or specialist to set up the UK operation. The Home Office will assess whether the expansion is genuine and viable, and whether the sponsor can manage compliance.
- Eligibility and evidence: Provide proof the business is established and trading overseas (e.g., registration, accounts, contracts), and show credible UK plans (e.g., business plan, UK footprint such as Companies House registration or premises arrangements).
- Provisional licence status: Expansion Worker licences may be granted with a provisional rating during start-up. Sponsors must evidence that the UK entity has become established and trading to be upgraded to a full A-rating.
- Key personnel (SMS roles): Appoint an Authorising Officer (overall responsibility), Key Contact (Home Office liaison), and at least one Level 1 User (day-to-day licence management). Once the UK entity is operational, ensure appropriate UK-based oversight.
- Right to work systems: Have compliant right to work checks and HR processes capable of meeting sponsor duties before assigning any CoS.
2. Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS)
A CoS is an electronic record confirming the role and sponsorship details. For GBM routes, sponsors assign undefined CoS (even for applicants outside the UK). The worker must apply for the visa within the CoS validity window.
- Accuracy: Job title, SOC 2020 code, salary and work locations must match the actual role and meet GBM requirements (including the £52,500 general threshold and the occupation’s going rate).
- Validity and timing: A CoS is typically valid for 3 months; the visa application must be submitted within this period.
- Work locations: List all regular work sites, including hybrid/remote patterns tied to a contractual base; update the SMS if locations change.
- Genuineness: Assign CoS only for genuine expansion roles. Misuse (e.g., backfilling routine UK roles) risks enforcement action.
3. Ongoing sponsor compliance
Holding a sponsor licence brings continuing legal duties. Failure can lead to suspension, downgrade, or revocation, directly jeopardising the expansion.
- Record-keeping: Maintain compliant files (passport/BRP or eVisa details, right to work evidence, contract, salary/PAYE records, contact details, work locations, evidence of overseas employment where relevant).
- Reporting via SMS: Report within statutory timescales, including: worker does not start; changes to job title, duties, salary, hours, or work location; unauthorised absences; termination. Report key organisational changes (e.g., address, ownership, restructuring) within required deadlines.
- Right to work checks: Conduct correct checks before employment starts and on repeat where necessary (e.g., visa expiry). Keep copies in prescribed format.
- Pay and role compliance: Ensure ongoing pay meets the GBM general threshold and the role’s going rate (pro-rated to contracted hours). Monitor changes to hours or allowances that could affect compliance.
- Audit readiness: Be prepared for announced or unannounced compliance visits. Keep policies, attendance and payroll records, and expansion evidence readily accessible.
Section B Summary: Expansion Worker sponsorship requires a credible UK expansion plan, the right SMS structure and personnel, accurate CoS assignment (with GBM salary/skill compliance), and disciplined reporting and record-keeping. Strong HR controls protect the licence and underpin a smooth UK market entry.
Section C: Application Process and Costs
The UK Expansion Worker process runs in two stages: (1) the overseas employer secures an appropriate sponsor licence and assigns a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), then (2) the assignee applies for their visa. Timing, fees, and correct sequencing are critical to avoid refusals or delays.
1. Application steps
- Sponsor licence application (employer): Apply online for a Worker sponsor licence covering the Global Business Mobility – UK Expansion Worker route, submit the submission sheet and supporting documents. Expect UKVI scrutiny of overseas trading and the credibility of the UK expansion plan.
- Provisional rating & first CoS: When first granted for expansion, the licence may have a provisional rating. You can usually assign one CoS and it must be assigned to the Authorising Officer to enter the UK and establish operations. After upgrade to an A-rating, you can request up to four additional CoS for further assignees.
- CoS assignment (employer): Assign an undefined CoS for GBM routes. Ensure the SOC 2020 code, job title, salary and work locations are accurate and meet GBM rules. The assignee must apply within the CoS validity window.
- Visa application (assignee): Apply online using the CoS number, upload documents, and enrol biometrics (via UK Immigration: ID Check app where eligible, or at a visa application centre). Dependants apply in parallel.
2. Fees and financial requirements
- Sponsor licence fee (Worker): £574 (small/charitable) or £1,579 (medium/large).
- Certificate of Sponsorship fee: £525 per CoS for Worker routes (including UK Expansion Worker).
- Visa fee (UK Expansion Worker): £319 per applicant (main and each dependant) for applications made outside the UK.
- Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS): £1,035 per year, charged in whole or half-year blocks based on the length of permission requested.
- Immigration Skills Charge (ISC): Not payable for UK Expansion Worker (it applies to Skilled Worker and Senior or Specialist Worker only).
- Cost recovery prohibition: Sponsors must not recoup licence, CoS or related admin costs from sponsored workers for CoS assigned on or after 9 April 2025; breaching this risks licence revocation.
Budgeting tip: Factor in legal/professional fees (if used), internal HR time, and potential priority fees for faster sponsor-licence decisions.
3. Processing times and decision outcomes
- Sponsor licence: Most decisions are within 8 weeks. A pre-licence priority service (limited daily capacity) can provide a 10 working day consideration period for an additional fee.
- Visa applications: Standard out-of-country decisions are typically around 3 weeks. Priority and super-priority services may be available depending on location.
- Common refusal drivers: Inadequate evidence of overseas trading or genuine UK expansion, incorrect SOC code/salary, errors or omissions in documents, or inconsistencies between CoS and contract/job description.
Section C Summary: Sequence the work: secure the sponsor licence, assign the correct CoS (noting provisional licence limits), then submit well-evidenced visa applications. Build costs around the updated licence, CoS and visa fees plus IHS, and remember ISC does not apply to Expansion Worker. Consider priority services to compress timelines where needed.
Section D: Practical Considerations for Employers
The UK Expansion Worker route should be embedded within your wider UK market entry plan. HR, legal and finance teams need aligned timelines for licensing, first assignment, premises, payroll and proof of “trading” so the sponsor licence can be upgraded from provisional to full A-rating and additional assignees can follow without delay.
1. Business planning and strategy
Map immigration tasks to commercial milestones to demonstrate a genuine and viable UK expansion.
- Evidence of trading: Prepare objective proof such as UK bank account activation, PAYE registration, signed premises arrangements, supplier/customer contracts, and initial invoicing once operations begin.
- Licence upgrade path: Plan for the first assignee (often the Authorising Officer) to establish operations swiftly so you can request upgrade to A-rating and, where needed, request additional CoS allocations.
- Corporate housekeeping: Keep Companies House filings, insurance, and tax registrations aligned with what is stated on your sponsor licence and CoS.
- Role scoping: Draft job descriptions against eligible SOC 2020 codes and going rates before budgeting compensation.
2. Compliance risk management
Build sponsor compliance into BAU processes from day one to mitigate audit risk and protect the licence.
- Right to work controls: Implement compliant checks (including eVisa online status) before start and on repeat where required. Retain records in the prescribed format.
- Salary and hours monitoring: Ensure pay consistently meets the GBM general threshold of £52,500 (counting only the first 48 hours per week) and the role’s going rate; monitor changes to hours and any allowances that may or may not be countable.
- Work location governance: Record contractual base and hybrid patterns; update the SMS promptly if locations change.
- Reporting and record-keeping: Report worker and organisational changes within required timescales; maintain complete files (passport/eVisa details, contracts, payroll, contact details, overseas-employment evidence where applicable).
- Audit readiness: Keep an audit pack (policies, attendance, payroll, expansion evidence) accessible for announced or unannounced Home Office visits.
- Public funds and conditions: Brief assignees on visa conditions (no public funds; limits on supplementary work; study subject to ATAS where relevant).
3. Switching and long-term immigration planning
The Expansion Worker route is temporary and does not lead directly to settlement, so plan the end-state early.
- Switching to Skilled Worker: Once the UK entity is trading and has the right licence coverage, eligible employees can switch to Skilled Worker to open a settlement pathway.
- Budget impacts: Factor in Skilled Worker-specific costs (including the Immigration Skills Charge) and any pay adjustments needed to meet Skilled Worker thresholds and going rates at the time of switch.
- Dependants and mobility: Align school admissions, housing and partner employment plans with visa timings; dependants may work in most roles but not as professional sportspersons.
- Five-year GBM cap: Track time spent across GBM routes (maximum 5 years in any 6-year period) to avoid future mobility constraints.
Section D Summary: Treat immigration as a core workstream of UK market entry. Evidence genuine trading for timely licence upgrade, embed right to work and SMS reporting into HR processes, monitor salary/going-rate compliance, and map a clear path to Skilled Worker for long-term retention and settlement planning.
FAQs
What is the UK Expansion Worker visa?
The UK Expansion Worker visa is a Global Business Mobility route for senior managers or specialist employees of an overseas business that is not yet trading in the UK, allowing them to come to establish a branch or subsidiary on a temporary basis under sponsorship.
How long does the UK Expansion Worker visa last?
Permission is typically granted for up to 12 months initially and can be extended, up to a maximum of 2 years on this route. Time spent on this route counts toward the overall GBM cap of 5 years in any 6-year period.
Can dependants join Expansion Workers in the UK?
Yes. Eligible partners and children can apply as dependants. Dependants can work in the UK, except as professional sportspersons, and they must each pay the relevant visa and Immigration Health Surcharge fees.
Does the visa lead to settlement?
No, there is no direct route to Indefinite Leave to Remain from the Expansion Worker visa. Once the UK entity is trading and the role qualifies, many employers switch staff to Skilled Worker, which can lead to settlement after five years if eligibility is met.
What are the employer’s responsibilities under this route?
Employers must secure and maintain an appropriate sponsor licence, assign accurate Certificates of Sponsorship, keep compliant HR records, conduct right to work checks, report changes via the Sponsorship Management System within required timescales, and cooperate with Home Office audits.
Conclusion
The UK Expansion Worker visa provides a structured mechanism for overseas companies to enter the UK market by deploying a senior or specialist employee to establish operations. Success depends on rigorous sponsorship compliance, accurate role and salary scoping, and timely evidence of genuine trading so the licence can be upgraded and the UK team scaled as needed.
HR leaders should integrate immigration into the wider market-entry plan, with clear governance for right to work checks, salary and going-rate monitoring, and SMS reporting. Planning early for switching eligible staff to Skilled Worker helps retain key talent and secures a long-term pathway to settlement where appropriate.
Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) | Electronic record assigned by a licensed sponsor confirming role details and authorising a visa application. |
| Global Business Mobility (GBM) | Framework of work routes for overseas businesses sending workers to the UK, including the Expansion Worker route. |
| Sponsorship Management System (SMS) | Online system used by sponsors to manage the licence, assign CoS, and report worker/organisation changes. |
| Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) | Permanently settled status in the UK, available under routes that provide a pathway to settlement. |
| Right to work check | Statutory check to confirm an individual’s permission to work; must be conducted in a compliant format before employment starts. |
Useful Links
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| GOV.UK: UK Expansion Worker visa guidance | https://www.gov.uk/global-business-mobility-visa-uk-expansion-worker |
| GOV.UK: Sponsor licence guidance | https://www.gov.uk/uk-visa-sponsor-licence |
| GOV.UK: Immigration Rules – Appendix Global Business Mobility | https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-global-business-mobility |
| DavidsonMorris: UK Expansion Worker visa guide | https://www.davidsonmorris.com/uk-expansion-worker-visa/ |
| Xpats.io: UK Expansion Worker visa guide | https://www.xpats.io/uk-expansion-worker-visa-guide/ |
Author
Gill Laing is a qualified Legal Researcher & Analyst with niche specialisms in Law, Tax, Human Resources, Immigration & Employment Law.
Gill is a Multiple Business Owner and the Managing Director of Prof Services - a Marketing & Content Agency for the Professional Services Sector.
