About the visa
The UK Expansion Worker visa is part of the Global Business Mobility routes. It allows senior managers or specialist employees of overseas businesses to come to the UK to set up a branch or subsidiary that has not yet started trading in the UK. If the UK entity is already trading, applicants should use the Senior or Specialist Worker visa instead.
This route is not a route to settlement — time spent on this visa does not count towards indefinite leave to remain.
Eligibility & key rules
Applicants must score 60 points across three requirements:
- Sponsorship (20 points): You must have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from an A-rated sponsor. You must currently work for the sponsor group and have worked outside the UK for at least 12 months, unless you are a high earner above £73,900 or qualify under a UK-Japan or UK-Australia trade agreement exemption.
- Job at appropriate skill level (20 points): Your job must be in a SOC 2020 occupation code listed in Table 2 or Table 3 of Appendix Skilled Occupations.
- Salary at required level (20 points): You must earn at least £52,500 per year or 100% of the going rate for your occupation code — whichever is higher. Only the first 48 hours per week count toward the general salary threshold, but all hours count for the going rate check.
Additional requirements:
- Genuineness test: You must genuinely intend to undertake the sponsored role.
- Financial requirement: At least £1,270 held for 28 consecutive days, unless you have been in the UK with valid permission for 12+ months.
- Age: You must be aged 18 or over.
- TB test: Required if Appendix Tuberculosis applies.
Maximum stay
You can stay for up to 1 year per grant, with a maximum of 2 years total on this route. The broader GBM cumulative limit of 5 years in any 6-year period also applies. You can extend your visa by 12 months within these caps.
What you can and cannot do
Permitted
- Work for your sponsor in the job on your certificate of sponsorship
- Voluntary work (unpaid, for registered charities or voluntary organisations)
- Study (subject to ATAS condition)
- Bring your partner and children as dependants
- Travel abroad and return to the UK
Not permitted
- Access to public funds or State Pension
- Change jobs without updating your visa
- Have a second job
- Apply for settlement (indefinite leave to remain)
Fees, documents & process
Costs
- Application fee: £319
- Healthcare surcharge (IHS): £1,035 per year
- Maintenance funds: at least £1,270 held for 28 days (unless exempt)
- Dependant funds: £285 (partner) + £315 (first child) + £200 (each additional child)
Required documents
- Certificate of Sponsorship reference number
- Valid passport or travel document
- Job title, annual salary, and occupation code
- Employer name and sponsor licence number
- Bank statements showing £1,270 held for 28 days (unless exempt)
- Evidence of 12 months’ overseas employment (may be requested post-application)
- Relationship documents for dependants (if applicable)
- TB test results (if applicable)
- Valid ATAS certificate (if your job involves sensitive research)
Processing times
- From outside the UK: approximately 3 weeks
- From inside the UK (extension or switch): approximately 8 weeks
- Priority (£500, 5 working days) and super-priority (£1,000, next working day) services may be available
