United Kingdom · Business / Startup
United Kingdom UK Expansion Worker visa
Income needed: £53k+ a year ≈ $69k
UK Expansion Worker visa (Global Business Mobility)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
UK Expansion Worker visa is a business / startup route for United Kingdom. Applicants need income of £53k+ a year ≈ $69k. You can stay 1 yr, renewable. You can work locally. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- £53k+ a year ≈ $69k
- Government fees
- £340 ≈ $450
- Processing
- 21–56 days
- First stay
- 1 yr
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee £340 ≈ $450; income to show £53k+/yr ≈ $69k; decision: 21–56 days. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees£340 ≈ $450
- GBP 340 (≈ $450)Application fee. The healthcare surcharge, usually GBP1,035 (≈ $1,370) per year, is extra.
Shown, not spent£53k+/yr ≈ $69k · £1,270+ ≈ $1,680
- GBP 52,500 a year (≈ $69,400)Minimum salary, or the occupation going rate if higher.
- GBP 1,270 (≈ $1,680)Funds held for 28 consecutive days, unless exempt.
RenewalRenewable, 2 years max
You can extend once by 12 months; the maximum on this visa is 2 years in total.
Permanent residenceTime here doesn't count
This visa does not allow you to apply for settlement.
Processing21–56 days
Decisions usually come within 3 weeks from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside the UK.
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
Apply online from outside the UK, or from inside the UK to extend or switch from another visa.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Time on this route is capped at 2 years in total
- Time on this route doesn't count toward permanent residence
- Needs a job offer from an employer in United Kingdom
- Not open to passports from Ireland
What you'll need
Who can apply3
- The applicant is a senior manager or specialist employee of the overseas business.
- At least 12 months with the employer outside the UK, unless paid over GBP73,900 (≈ $97,700) or employed by a Japanese or Australian company expanding to the UK.
- The job is on the list of eligible occupations and the UK branch has not started trading.
What you must show2
- Salary of at least GBP52,500 (≈ $69,400) a year or the occupation going rate, whichever is higher.
- Funds of GBP1,270 (≈ $1,680) unless exempt, application fee of GBP340 (≈ $450) and the healthcare surcharge.
Documents1
- A certificate of sponsorship from the employer, used within 3 months.
Steps1
- Apply online up to 3 months before the start date.
After you arrive1
- The visa lasts 12 months and can be extended once by 12 months; settlement is not available.
When you become tax resident
How United Kingdom decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 2 years in total
- Tax residence
Statutory Residence Test.
- Foreign-source income
New-resident relief (4 years)
Qualifying new UK residents can claim relief on eligible foreign income and gains for their first four tax years of UK residence after at least ten years of non-UK residence; regime replaced the remittance basis on 6 April 2025.
- Special regime
Four-year Foreign Income and Gains regime · Tax relief
All tax rules for United Kingdom Tax records checked
Full official text
Sponsored visa for a senior manager or specialist employee of an overseas business sending them to set up a UK branch that has not yet started trading; maximum total stay is 2 years. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- Income of at least GBP 52,500 a year (≈ $69,400) · Minimum salary, or the occupation going rate if higher. 1
- Savings of at least GBP 1,270 (≈ $1,680) · Funds held for 28 consecutive days, unless exempt. 1
- A fee of GBP 340 (≈ $450) · Application fee. The healthcare surcharge, usually GBP1,035 (≈ $1,370) per year, is extra. 1
Requirements
- The applicant is a senior manager or specialist employee of the overseas business. 1
- At least 12 months with the employer outside the UK, unless paid over GBP73,900 (≈ $97,700) or employed by a Japanese or Australian company expanding to the UK. 1
- The job is on the list of eligible occupations and the UK branch has not started trading. 1
- Salary of at least GBP52,500 (≈ $69,400) a year or the occupation going rate, whichever is higher. 1
- Funds of GBP1,270 (≈ $1,680) unless exempt, application fee of GBP340 (≈ $450) and the healthcare surcharge. 1
- A certificate of sponsorship from the employer, used within 3 months. 1
- Apply online up to 3 months before the start date. 1
- The visa lasts 12 months and can be extended once by 12 months; settlement is not available. 1
Stay
- 12 months after the start date or the certificate period plus 14 days, if shorter; one extension of 12 months, 2 years in total.
- Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Nationality
Non-British, non-Irish nationals needing permission Not open to: United Kingdom, Ireland.
Work
Work for the sponsor in the job on the certificate of sponsorship; study and voluntary work are allowed; no second job.
Family
Partner and children can apply as dependants. Your spouse or partner may work in the United Kingdom without a separate permit.
Official sources
- UK Expansion Worker visa (Global Business Mobility) · GOV.UK (Home Office, UK Visas and Immigration) · checked 2026-10-11
- UK Expansion Worker visa: your partner and children · GOV.UK (Home Office) · checked 2026-10-12
UK Expansion Worker visa and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK Expansion Worker visa | Needs income of £53k+ a year ≈ $69k | 1 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Innovator Founder | – | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| Startup Visa Portugal | Needs savings of €6,446+ ≈ $7,200 | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| Entrepreneur visa Spain | – | 3 yr, renewable | – |
| Startup Visa Italy | Needs savings of €50k+ ≈ $56k | 1 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the UK Expansion Worker visa?
Income of at least GBP 52,500 a year (≈ $69,400). Minimum salary, or the occupation going rate if higher. Savings of at least GBP 1,270 (≈ $1,680). Funds held for 28 consecutive days, unless exempt. A fee of GBP 340 (≈ $450). Application fee.
How long can I stay on the UK Expansion Worker visa?
12 months after the start date or the certificate period plus 14 days, if shorter; one extension of 12 months, 2 years in total.
How long does the UK Expansion Worker visa take to process?
Decisions usually come within 3 weeks from outside the UK and 8 weeks from inside the UK.
Can I work on the UK Expansion Worker visa?
Yes. Work for the sponsor in the job on the certificate of sponsorship; study and voluntary work are allowed; no second job.
Can I bring my family on the UK Expansion Worker visa?
Partner and children can apply as dependants.
Who can apply for the UK Expansion Worker visa?
Non-British, non-Irish nationals needing permission Not open to: United Kingdom, Ireland.
Does the UK Expansion Worker visa lead to permanent residence in United Kingdom?
Time on the UK Expansion Worker visa doesn't count toward permanent residence in United Kingdom.
Is there a tax break for UK Expansion Worker visa holders in United Kingdom?
Four-year Foreign Income and Gains (FIG) regime: Qualifying new UK residents can claim relief on eligible foreign income and gains for their first four tax years of UK residence after at least ten years of non-UK residence; regime replaced the remittance basis on 6 April 2025. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Four-year Foreign Income and Gains (FIG) regime
Tax relief
Details
- Who: UK tax resident under the Statutory Residence Test
Qualifying new UK residents can claim relief on eligible foreign income and gains for their first four tax years of UK residence after at least ten years of non-UK residence; regime replaced the remittance basis on 6 April 2025.
Taxed on
Claimed eligible foreign income and gains arising in the first four UK tax-resident years after at least ten years’ non-UK residence. Examples include foreign trade conducted wholly outside the UK, overseas property-business profits, non-UK dividends and foreign interest. Foreign employment earnings and specified employment income are outside FIG.
Who it applies to
- UK tax resident under the Statutory Residence Test.
- Within the first 4 years of UK tax residence after at least 10 years as non-UK resident.
- Claim made annually; unused years do not roll over; temporary years abroad are skipped.
- If the 4 years began before 6 April 2025, claims are available from 2025 to 2026 to the last year of the period.
Exclusions
- UK-source income stays taxable.
- Foreign earnings and foreign specific employment income are not eligible, though Overseas Workday Relief may apply.
- A claim loses Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax tax-free allowances, Marriage Allowance, Married Couples Allowance and Blind Person's Allowance.
Tax residence
Qualifying resident means UK tax resident under the Statutory Residence Test and within the first four years of UK residence after at least a 10-year period as non-UK tax resident.
Visas
Immigration permission does not qualify anyone; eligibility is tax residence only.
Other taxes
National Insurance, VAT, payroll, UK-source income, treaties and home-country taxes are outside the claim.
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in United Kingdom
Business / startup visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 2 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- UK Expansion Worker visa (Global Business Mobility) · GOV.UK (Home Office, UK Visas and Immigration) · checked 2026-10-11
- UK Expansion Worker visa: your partner and children · GOV.UK (Home Office) · checked 2026-10-12
Tracked since 2026-10-11. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.