UK Immigration update
Government announces new Scale-up visa as part of its Innovation Strategy, aimed at “opening the UK’s borders to top talent”.
The route will be open to people who have a job offer from a “scale-up” company – that is, a company that has experienced 20%+ annual growth in turnover or employee numbers over the past three years. Companies must’ve employed at least 10 people at the beginning of the three-year period.
The new Scale-up visa is aimed at providing a fast-track visa service to people who have a highly skilled job offer from a “Scale-up” company in the UK.
Both the Scale-up and Skilled Worker visa sit under the UK’s Points-based System for immigration, to qualify UK visa applicants will need to meet the relevant criteria. However, where the Skilled Worker visa prioritises workers with the skills the UK economy needs – in subjects such as healthcare, engineering and computer science – the Scale-up visa is open to all sectors as long as the company sponsoring the application meets the growth criteria.
There is little detail on the eligibility criteria at this time. We do know that the Scale-up visa is a sponsored work visa under the Points-based System, therefore there is likely to be a salary threshold that needs to be met, an English language requirement and a minimum skills requirement.
From the Information provided to date the Scale-up visa is a route to settlement.
Further details regarding the scheme is expected later this year.
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Autumn Budget 2021
With much having been announced or shared in advance of the Chancellor rising to his feet, there were few elements left to surprise in what Rishi Sunak has labelled a Budget delivering a ‘Stronger Economy for the British People’.
New Covid-19 border measures
From Monday 15th February 2021 the following quarantine requirements will apply to all travellers to the UK travelling from a “red list” country.