Guidance

Sponsor a Scale-up Worker

Guidance for employers on how to sponsor a worker on the Scale-up immigration route.

Documents

Guidance for sponsors: Sponsor a Scale-up Worker (workers and temporary workers)

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Details

This document provides guidance for employers on how to sponsor a worker on the Scale-up immigration route.

The Scale-up route allows employers who are in a sustained period of high growth to recruit people to work in the UK in highly skilled roles.

The worker must have a high-skilled job offer from a qualifying Scale-up sponsor at the required salary level for a minimum period of 6 months.

Updates to this page

Published 22 August 2022
Last updated 22 July 2025 show all updates
  1. Guidance updated to reflect changes to the Scale-up salary thresholds from 22 July 2025, as set out in Statement of Changes HC 997 (published on 1 July 2025).

  2. This guidance has been updated to reflect changes to the Immigration Rules coming into effect on 9 April 2025.

  3. Updated to reflect changes to the Immigration Rules. A full list of updates is in the 'Changes to this guidance' section.

  4. Updated Annex SC1 of the guidance.

  5. Guidance updated. Changes are detailed on page 6.

  6. Guidance updated as detailed on page 6.

  7. Added accessible version of the guidance.

  8. Updated to reflect changes to the Immigration Rules which came into effect on 12 April 2023 and to provide more information about the 'endorsing body pathway'.

  9. Added accessible version of the guidance.

  10. Updated the guidance to introduce the new ‘endorsing body pathway’ for organisations to become licensed as sponsors on this route. It also now reflects changes to the Immigration Rules coming into force on 12 April 2023, as set out in Statement of Changes HC 1160 (published on 9 March 2023).

  11. Updated guidance.

  12. First published.

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