In the spring of 2022, the UK Government will launch the Scale-up, High Potential Individual, and Global Business Mobility visas to attract highly skilled people and support economic investment. These new visas were announced in the UK Innovation Strategy in July 2021 and further outlined in the Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 presented to the House of Commons on October 27, 2021.
Global Business Mobility Route | This visa will accommodate international companies, without a UK presence, to send workers to the UK; assignment of workers abroad to a UK business with whom they have a high-value contract or investment; and sending employees to the UK entity of an overseas company.
The Scale-Up Route | To be eligible, companies must demonstrate an annual average revenue or employment growth rate over a three-year period greater than 20%, and a minimum of 10 employees at the start of the three-year period.
- Available to applicants who pass the language proficiency requirement and have a high-skilled job offer from an eligible business
- Minimum salary requirement of at least £33,000
Scale-up visa holders will be able to work, switch jobs, switch employers, extend, and settle in the UK if they meet the relevant requirements.
High Potential Individual Route | This new visa is for graduates from a ‘top global university.’
- There will be no job offer requirement, giving individuals the flexibility to work, switch jobs or employers and make contributions to the UK economy.
- The route will also allow eligible individuals to extend their visa and settle in the UK, subject to meeting specific requirements.
The government is also creating a Global Talent Network, launching in the Bay Area and Boston in the US, and Bengaluru in India – to find and bring talented people to the UK to work in key science and technology sectors.
Erickson Insights
More details about the new visas will be forthcoming with a UK Home Office release of the Statement of Changes. Erickson Immigration Group will continue to share updates as more news is available. If you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or case-specific questions, please contact your employer or EIG attorney.