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on May 21, 2022
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At his 2021 Autumn Budget, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak revealed further details about a new Scale-up visa route that would be launched in 2022. It all forms part of a new innovation strategy that has been set into motion to support the UK economy and help make the country a global innovation hub by 2035.
When it finally becomes open to applications from the spring, it is expected that the Scale-up visa category will be a ‘fast-track’ visa route, open to individuals with a high-skilled job offer from a ‘scale-up’ company. It is also anticipated that this visa category will be open to individuals from all sectors, as long as the firm sponsoring the application satisfies the relevant criteria.
Although we do not yet have a full understanding of procedure when it comes to this visa, there is speculation that this plan will help scale up British industries.
This visa route looks set to be a fantastic way to bring in the best of the best when it comes to business. Not only that, but it can help scale up businesses that are both well established and just starting out. The pandemic has had a very negative effect on the economy, and this visa route could play an instrumental role in helping to get it back on its feet.
If you are thinking about applying for the Scale-up visa as a means of moving to the UK, our award-winning immigration solicitors in central London can assist you with every aspect of the application process.
Not only can we help you understand what the application process will be like, but we will handle all of your tricky paperwork. We have a wealth of experience when it comes to helping our clients, and are determined to make sure you get the best results possible when it comes to your application. Just let us know how we can help you, and we will always do our best to help you secure the visa that represents the best match to your requirements.
To find out more about how we can help, please contact Cranbrook Legal today by calling 0208 215 0053. Our immigration specialists are ready to get you started on the visa application process.
Essentially, the Scale-up visa category is a fast-track route to help qualifying, fast-growing businesses to recruit highly skilled workers from abroad.
The hired individual should have transferable skills that can make them useful in any type of business environment.
In order to recruit an overseas individual through this route, the company must have an average annual revenue or employment growth rate of more than 20% over a three-year period. The company must also be able to demonstrate that they had at least 10 employees at the start of this three-year period.
Should the company be able to satisfy these criteria, it will be allowed to hire individual workers from abroad. These highly skilled workers, in theory, would then be able to get started on the visa process that would let them travel over to the UK and settle in the UK.
Staff no longer need to work virtually. Already, around 21% of surveyed scale-ups in the UK have said that a quarter (or even more) of their staff are from abroad. A lot of these companies have even said that this fast-track visa would be extremely important, and in some cases vital, to finding the right talent to fill in certain positions within their businesses.
Yes, the Scale-up visa will fast-track candidates who are interested in moving to and living in the UK. This new visa category’s main aim is to get the right high-skilled workers into the right job. That way, they can help enhance the UK’s economy and get it back on its feet.
Businesses typically take a lot of time and effort to find the right candidates for their jobs. Therefore, they will need the ideal candidate for their vacancy in the UK as fast as possible, to ensure they are able to get started on their work. That means they will need a visa process that is just as quick.
If a candidate is successful in obtaining this visa, they will be able to extend this visa up to a maximum of five years, time that could also be counted towards eventual settlement in the UK.
The Scale-up visa is primarily aimed at highly skilled and talented workers, businesspeople and entrepreneurs that wish to make their mark with their employers and the UK economy.
If you are an individual interested in applying for this visa, you will need to:
The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions on national life have had an extremely damaging effect on the UK’s economy. Not only were businesses forced to close their doors, but the tourism industry was practically forced to grind to a halt. Over the last few years, it has been more difficult to allow people into the country without the virus spreading further. However, there have been some glimpses of hope that the UK is now seeing a sustainable way out of the crisis.
If we look all the way back to July 2021, the UK Innovation Strategy policy paper indicated that the country was seeing a growing number of scale-up businesses across various sectors and markets.Essentially, although a number of businesses did not survive the pandemic, others were able to come back slightly stronger.
The UK Government wants to take advantage of this boom and support it where it can. The Government believes that such scale-up businesses are likelier to produce innovation than more traditional small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), so it has introduced this visa route to help them in delivering it.
This ambition was affirmed at the subsequent autumn Budget, when the Chancellor said that the Government intended to “make it quicker and easier for fast-growing businesses to bring in highly skilled individuals from around the world”; he added that it was “part of the plan to make our visa system for international talent the most competitive in the world”.
In other words, the UK Government wants to aid in the growth of these scale-up businesses by helping them bring in new talent to grow their brand. Intelligent and talented individuals can be found all over the world. They are ready to work in a good company for a high wage. That way, they can leave their mark on their industry. To do this, they need sponsors. The Government is ready to support businesses in bringing over these talented workers as quickly as possible.
As we stated before, there will be some requirements to ensure that the best talent is brought over to work for scale-up companies in the UK.
Candidates for the Scale-up visa are expected to need to fulfil the following requirements:
As for if you are a business and you are wondering whether you will be eligible to sponsor a worker from overseas under the UK Scale-up visa scheme, you can expect to need to meet the below eligibility criteria:
The UK Government may also look into whether scale-ups that can demonstrate an expectation of strong growth over future years may also be able to qualify.
If you are feeling a little confused about the requirements, don’t worry. These may change as the visa is still new and the complete details have not been fully confirmed yet.
Until then, please feel free to speak to an immigration solicitor to find out what the most recent updates about this visa have been. They will be able to keep you informed about what has been happening or suggest a different visa that may suit your circumstances better.
In order to be eligible for the Scale-up visa as a potential worker in the UK, you will have to adhere to a points-based system. This is to ensure that you will be able to support yourself when you start to live in the UK. If you already have a job lined up in the UK, it is very likely that you will be able to have enough money to find accommodation and to support yourself. However, the points system is just to make sure that you are ready to immigrate to a new country.
Essentially, a points-based system for the Scale-up visa may be very similar to the system for the Global Talent visa. Of course, we won’t know this until more details come out about the Scale-up visa, but until then, the points collected will likely be in relation to achievements and endorsements from larger bodies, such as royal societies, academies and councils. The candidate may also be able to collect more points if they have been awarded accolades for their achievements.
With that said, if an immigrant would like to move to the UK, they will have to be able to collect at least 70 points. Your qualifications and employment status will be able to provide you with a number of points; however, there may be other attributes and skills that you have that will get you a higher number. Important skills can include:
Of course, these are only a few examples of how you can gather points to increase the chances of being able to immigrate to the UK.
The best way to find out more about your application is to speak to your solicitor. They will be able to take a look at your personal situation and let you know how many points you could tally. If you require more, they will be able to offer advice on courses that can help you build up your skill set.
Right now, the Scale-up visa has not yet been finalised. This means that you cannot apply for the visa yet. However, in the meantime, you can prepare yourself for its arrival.
Make sure to speak to an immigration specialist to keep updated about when this visa category will appear. Your solicitor can also suggest alternative visa routes to try if they think you would be better suited to another approach. They can also help you organise your evidence and ready your paperwork in preparation for your visa and sponsorship.
For now, you can get started by getting ready for the UK points-based system. Take a look at the visa categories that are already listed on the UK Government website, and make sure you can fulfil them. This includes having a strong grasp of English and your job sorted for when you enter the UK. The more preparation you do for your visa, the easier it will be when you finally start to fill out the application.
If you are ready to get started on your Scale-up visa application, Cranbrook Legal will be here to support you. Our immigration specialists will listen to your requests and provide personalised advice.That way, you can figure out which immigration route you want to take. They can even suggest different visas for you to look at if you become worried that the Scale-up visa doesn’t fully fit your situation. Our lawyers can also handle any difficult paperwork related to your visa application.
Contact Cranbrook Legal today by calling 0208 215 0053, emailing info@cranbrooklegal.com or using our contact form to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
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