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A UK Expansion Worker visa allows you to come to the UK to set up a branch of an overseas business that has not started trading in the UK yet.
You must already work for the overseas business as either a senior manager or specialist employee.
If you or your family are from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
If you or your family member started living in the UK by 31 December 2020, you may be able to apply to the free EU Settlement Scheme.
The deadline to apply was 30 June 2021 for most people. You can still apply if either:
- you have a later deadline – for example, you’re joining a family member in the UK who was living in the UK by 31 December 2020
- you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for being unable to apply by 30 June 2021 – for example, you had an illness or were the victim of domestic abuse
Check if you can still apply to the EU Settlement Scheme.
Otherwise you need a visa to work in the UK.
Irish citizens do not need to apply for a visa or to the EU Settlement Scheme.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a UK Expansion Worker visa you need to:
- have a valid certificate of sponsorship from your employer
- have worked for your employer outside the UK
- do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations
- be paid the minimum eligible salary required for your job
The specific eligibility depends on your job.
How long you can stay in the UK
You can stay in the UK with a UK Expansion Worker visa for whichever is shorter of:
- 12 months after the start date of the job on your certificate of sponsorship
- the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 14 days
If you want to stay longer in the UK, you can extend your visa by 12 months. The maximum time you can stay in the UK on a UK Expansion Worker visa is 2 years.
If you’ve spent time in the UK on this or another visa, you might not be able to stay on a UK Expansion Worker visa for as long. 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:
- Intra-company Graduate Trainee visa
- Intra-company Transfer visa
- Graduate Trainee visa (Global Business Mobility)
- Secondment Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
- Senior or Specialist Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
- Service Supplier visa (Global Business Mobility)
- UK Expansion Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
How to apply
You must apply online.
How you apply depends on whether you’re:
Your partner and children can apply to join you or stay in the UK as your ‘dependants’ if they’re eligible.
How much it costs
You, your partner or children will each need to:
- pay the application fee
- pay the healthcare surcharge for each year of your stay
- prove you have enough personal savings
Check how much it costs.
How long it takes
You can apply for a visa up to 3 months before the day you are due to start work in the UK. This date is listed on your certificate of sponsorship.
As part of your application, you’ll need to prove your identity and provide your documents.
You may need to allow extra time if you need an appointment to do this. You’ll find out if you need one when you start your application.
Getting a decision
Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within:
- 3 weeks, if you’re outside the UK
- 8 weeks, if you’re inside the UK
If you need to go to an appointment, you may be able to pay for a faster decision. How you do this depends on whether you’re outside the UK or inside the UK.
What you can and cannot do
With a UK Expansion Worker visa you can:
- work for your sponsor in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship
- study
- bring your partner and children with you as your ‘dependants’, if they’re eligible
- do voluntary work
- travel abroad and return to the UK
You cannot:
- apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension
- change jobs unless you are eligible and you update your visa
- have a second job
- apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’)
If your application is successful, you’ll get a full list of what you can and cannot do with this visa.
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