UK expansion immigration advice
Solicitor-led advice for overseas businesses sending senior or specialist staff to establish a UK presence. We help assess the route, sponsorship position, overseas business evidence and practical next steps.
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UK Expansion Worker may be appropriate for an overseas business sending senior or specialist staff to establish a first UK presence before the UK business starts trading. This route also functions as a genuine self-sponsorship option, since the senior overseas worker can act as their own company’s sponsor licence contact.
NA Law Solicitors can help with: UK expansion evidence, sponsor licence strategy, senior worker applications and compliance planning. Related advice: HNW immigration, Global Talent, Innovator Founder and Global Business Mobility.
The UK Expansion Worker Visa is part of the Global Business Mobility (GBM) scheme, offering overseas companies a structured route to send senior managers or specialist employees to the UK to establish a branch. Ideal for non-UK companies not yet trading in the UK, this visa supports business expansion while complying with immigration requirements.
To qualify, applicants must:
Exemptions apply to Japanese and Australian nationals under respective trade agreements and individuals earning over £73,900.
To sponsor a worker under this visa, an overseas business must:
Sponsors may initially issue up to 5 CoS under a provisional A-rating, subject to review and upgrade after compliance checks.
This is one of the few genuine self-sponsorship routes available. The most senior eligible overseas employee, often the business owner or director, can act as the Authorising Officer, Key Contact and Level 1 User for their own company all at once, and assign the Certificate of Sponsorship to themselves. In practice, this means a business owner can sponsor their own move to the UK through their own expanding company. If your business is brand new to the UK rather than an existing overseas company expanding here, see our page on self-sponsorship via the Skilled Worker route instead.
✅ Experienced with Global Business Mobility immigration categories.
✅ Assistance with sponsor licence applications and compliance planning.
✅ Advice on eligibility, documentation, and strategy.
✅ Fixed-fee legal support for visa preparation and submission.
NA Law Solicitors ensures you meet all legal obligations, reducing the risk of refusal.
Get expert legal advice tailored to your business expansion plans. Whether you need help applying for the UK Expansion Worker Visa, setting up a UK company, or securing a sponsor licence, NA Law Solicitors is here to help.
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The UK Expansion Worker Visa is part of the Global Business Mobility routes and is designed for senior managers or specialists from overseas companies who are sent to the UK to establish a new branch or subsidiary. It allows key staff to set up and operate a business presence in the UK temporarily.
Yes, this is one of the few genuine self-sponsorship routes. The most senior eligible overseas employee, often the business owner or director, can act as the Authorising Officer, Key Contact and Level 1 User for their own company, and assign the Certificate of Sponsorship to themselves, allowing them to sponsor their own move to the UK.
To qualify, applicants must:
You can stay in the UK for up to 12 months initially, with the option to extend by another 12 months. The total time allowed on this visa is 2 years. However, if you’ve held other Global Business Mobility visas, a 5-year cap in any 6-year period applies.
No, the UK Expansion Worker Visa does not directly lead to permanent residency (Indefinite Leave to Remain). However, it can be a stepping stone to other settlement routes such as the Skilled Worker or Innovator Founder visa, once your UK business is established and actively trading.
A CoS is an electronic document issued by your UK sponsor, confirming details of your job and sponsorship. It must be issued within 3 months of your visa application and comes from a business that holds a valid sponsor licence with the Home Office.
Yes. If you are an overseas business looking to expand into the UK, you can apply for a sponsor licence even if you are not yet trading. You must have a UK footprint (such as a registered office) and demonstrate a credible expansion plan.
Standard processing times are:
Before applying, overseas businesses should check the current UK Expansion Worker requirements, including sponsor licence position, certificate of sponsorship, eligible occupation code, salary threshold and evidence of overseas employment. See the current GOV.UK UK Expansion Worker eligibility guidance.
Last reviewed: July 2026. UK Expansion Worker requirements should be checked against current Home Office rules before applying.
