UK Scale-up Visa: Apply from Canada

To be eligible for the scale-up visa, you must be able to convince the UK Visas and Immigration that you meet the following requirements through a Sponsored Application:

• You are 18 years and above.
• You have a valid Certificate of Sponsorship issued by your UK sponsor or employer for the job you intend to do.
• The job you are planning to do is genuine.
• The job you intend to do is at an appropriate skill level.
• Your salary will be equal to or exceed both £33,000 per year, £10.58 per hour, and the going rate for the position.
• You are proficient in the English language to at least CEFR Level B1, or IELTS 4.0.
• You have enough money to cover your living expenses in the UK without relying on public funds.
• You have provided a valid TB certificate if required.

To qualify for a Scale-up Visa through an Unsponsored Application, existing scale-up workers must meet certain eligibility requirements and must be able to satisfy UK Visas and Immigration that:

• You are 18 and above.
• You have previously been granted permission as a Scale-up Worker.
• You had monthly PAYE earnings in the UK equivalent to at least £33,000 per year during at least 50% of your most recent grant of permission as a Scale-up Worker.
• You are proficient in the English language test to at least CEFR Level B1 or ELTS 4.0.
• You have enough money to cover your living expenses in the UK without relying on public funds.
• You have provided a valid TB certificate if required.
• You must have medical and travel insurance.

It is important to note that there may be changes in the requirements to meet based on individual circumstances. Whatever the case, you must be able to meet the requirement for your condition to qualify for the visa.

If you are applying for a Scale-up Visa through a Sponsored Application, your income for the position you are being sponsored for must meet or exceed both £33,000 per year, £10.58 per hour, and the “going rate” for the position as specified in the applicable occupation code.

Salary evaluations are based on guaranteed basic gross pay for work up to 48 hours per week; additional compensation or benefits are not included.

The Home Office will release a list of going rates for suitable Scale-up Visa occupation codes once the Scale-up Visa route is open. The indicated going rates will be based on a 37.5-hour work week and must be modified for various working schedules. However, the £10.58 per hour salary requirement must be calculated for your working pattern.

You must have earned at least £33,000 per year in monthly PAYE income in the UK during at least half of the period you were on leave as a Scale-up Worker to be eligible for a Scale-up Visa through an Unsponsored Application. Your guaranteed minimum gross salary as reported by UK-based PAYE will be taken into account by the Home Office. Other sources of income, such as self-employment and earnings from outside the UK, will not be considered.

When you take statutory maternity, paternity, parental, shared parental, adoption, or sick leave from a job where your PAYE wages are at least £33,000 per year, those absences are counted as time spent working during which you were compensated at least £33,000 per year.

You must have sufficient cash funds totalling at least £1,270 to be eligible for a Scale-up Visa (via either a Sponsored or Unsponsored Application). Before submitting your Scale-up Visa application, you must have kept the funds for at least 28 days in a row, ending no more than 31 days earlier.

You will be excluded from the financial criterion if your sponsor agrees to cover your maintenance expenses until the end of the first month of your job of at least £1,270. This must be verified by your sponsor on your Certificate of Sponsorship. You won’t need to provide proof of money if you are seeking permission to stay in the UK and have had permission to be there for at least a year at the time of application.

Before travelling to the UK, the applicant must apply for and receive entry clearance and have received 70points as stated by the UK visa and immigration. There are application processes and steps you need to follow when applying for a scale-up visa. However, you need to read the Home Office’s application guidelines before starting your application process to avoid mistakes that can lead to visa refusal. To apply for this visa, you need to follow these steps.

Step 1: Apply online through the Gov.uk website under the “Settle in the UK in various immigration categories: form SET(O)”.

Step 2: Submit all your supporting documents

Step 3: Fill in all the requested information, provide answers as instructed, and submit your application.

If you apply for a scale-up visa through a sponsored application, you must work at the position for the first six months of the visa. Your immigration status will no longer be associated with the company that first sponsored you after the first six months. As a result, you’ll be allowed to pursue additional or alternative jobs without sponsorship, including jobs, side jobs, and volunteer work. Additionally, studying will be permitted, but you will not have access to public funds.

You won’t be dependent on a sponsoring employer if you are granted leave as a Scale-up Worker through the Unsponsored Application route because you will have a complete right to work from the beginning (including employment, self-employment, and volunteer work). You will be able to study, but you won’t be allowed to use public funds.

Total Law’s excellent immigration lawyers are vastly experienced in dealing with the UK scale-up visa application and provide advice and support to make your application process smooth.

Our professional immigration lawyers will help you determine that you meet the eligibility criteria for a UK scale-up visa. They will advise you detailedly on which supporting documentation you should have. In addition, years of experience with this process have made us aware of the common mistakes that applicant make that causes application refusal.

Therefore, we will help you avoid these errors to ensure that your application is consistent and readily accepted. If you’ve had a previous refusal, Total Law can help you file an appeal or walk you through the re-application process to ensure you get accepted. So contact us today at +1 844 290 6312 to start your journey toward a successful UK visa application.