Scale-up visa — sponsor for 6 months then full mobility

Scale-up visa (Appendix Scale-up) is a 2021-introduced route for skilled migrants joining fast-growing UK companies. Unique feature: sponsor required for first 6 months, then full work mobility (any employer / self-employment) for remainder of visa.

For [CLIENT_NAME] joining [EMPLOYER] in [ROLE_TITLE]:

§1 — APPENDIX SCALE-UP REQUIREMENTS (150-180 words)

Employer requirements:
  ▪ UK company on the "Scale-up Sponsor Register" (separate from standard sponsor licence)
  ▪ Demonstrated growth: 20%+ annualised over 3 years in either:
    - Revenue, OR
    - Headcount
  ▪ Minimum 10 employees at start of 3-year period
  ▪ Genuine vacancy with growth-supporting role

Applicant requirements:
  ▪ Genuine job offer at RQF Level 6+
  ▪ Salary: GBP 36,300+ minimum AND meets going rate for SOC code [VERIFY]
  ▪ English: B1 CEFR (most Indian applicants meet via prior degree)
  ▪ Maintenance: GBP 1,270 × 28 days
  ▪ Tradeable points not available (no PhD discount, no Immigration Salary List discount)

For [CLIENT_NAME] [SALARY_GBP] at [EMPLOYER]:
  ▪ Salary meets / falls short of GBP 36,300
  ▪ [EMPLOYER] on Scale-up register: [verify]
  ▪ Growth evidence: [EMPLOYER_GROWTH]

§2 — THE 6-MONTH SPONSOR REQUIREMENT (120-150 words)

Unique mechanic:
  ▪ Applicant works for sponsor for first 6 months (sponsor maintains usual reporting + compliance duties)
  ▪ At 6 months: applicant gains "Scale-up unsponsored" status
  ▪ Unsponsored status allows: any role, any employer, self-employment, multi-job
  ▪ Salary must remain at or above GBP 36,300 [VERIFY] across the rest of the visa to maintain status
  ▪ Visa duration: 2 years initially; extension to total 5 years possible

If applicant leaves sponsor before 6 months:
  ▪ Visa becomes invalid
  ▪ Must apply for new visa (different sponsor or different route)
  ▪ Cannot use Scale-up route again for same employer

Strategy: clarify with sponsor that 6-month commitment is required; if applicant + sponsor agree, this route offers the best long-term mobility.

§3 — PATH TO ILR (80-100 words)

Scale-up is a settlement route:
  ▪ 5 years continuous residence on Scale-up → ILR
  ▪ Continuous residence per Appendix CR (max 180 days absence per 12-month period)
  ▪ At ILR application: must show continued residence + salary at threshold + KOL (Life in UK test + B1 English)

This makes Scale-up attractive for senior/mid-career talent who:
  ▪ Want to join a Scale-up for 6 months, then move
  ▪ Want eventual ILR (vs GBM which is NOT a settlement route)
  ▪ Want full work freedom after 6 months

§4 — INDIAN APPLICANT FIT (100-120 words)

Scale-up is well-suited to Indian applicants who:
  ▪ Are joining UK fintech / health-tech / AI-tech startups
  ▪ Have specialist skills in demand at scale-up companies
  ▪ Want eventual ILR (vs GBM workers in IT services)
  ▪ Are senior enough to negotiate salary at GBP 36,300+ floor

Common Indian Scale-up applicants:
  ▪ Senior software engineers joining fintech (Monzo, Revolut, Wise, Octopus Energy)
  ▪ Data scientists at AI scale-ups
  ▪ Product managers at growth-stage companies
  ▪ Specialised engineering / scientific roles at climate-tech / biotech

§5 — APPLICATION + FEES (80-100 words)

  ▪ Application fee: GBP 822 outside UK; GBP 822 inside UK [VERIFY]
  ▪ IHS: GBP 1,035/year × duration
  ▪ Standard processing: 3 weeks outside UK; 8 weeks inside UK
  ▪ Priority: 5 working days; Super Priority: next working day

Documents:
  □ CoS from Scale-up sponsor
  □ Passport
  □ TB test (IOM India)
  □ English language evidence (degree-taught-in-English typically; if not, IELTS UKVI Academic 4.0 each skill)
  □ Maintenance (GBP 1,270 × 28 days OR sponsor-certified)
  □ Police certificates from all 12+ month residences

§6 — RISKS + CONSIDERATIONS (80-100 words)

  ▪ Sponsor must remain on Scale-up Register throughout the 6-month sponsored period
  ▪ If sponsor's growth metrics no longer qualify (revenue/headcount drops): can lose Scale-up status
  ▪ Salary monitoring: if applicant's salary drops below threshold post-6-month, may invalidate status
  ▪ Limited route — fewer than 100 sponsors at any time (compared to thousands of Skilled Worker sponsors)
  ▪ Sponsor revocation can affect existing applicants

§7 — RECOMMENDATION (60-80 words)

Recommend Scale-up if:
  ▪ Applicant has firm offer from a Scale-up Register sponsor
  ▪ Plans to commit to sponsor for first 6 months
  ▪ Wants long-term UK career flexibility
  ▪ Salary GBP 36,300+ secured

Recommend Skilled Worker instead if:
  ▪ Sponsor is not on Scale-up Register
  ▪ Salary close to threshold (Skilled Worker has more discount options)
  ▪ Applicant prefers ongoing sponsor relationship

End with: "DRAFT — for OISC/IAA-registered adviser or solicitor review. Verify [EMPLOYER]'s Scale-up Register status BEFORE accepting offer — the register is publicly maintained by Companies House / UKVI. The 6-month sponsor commitment is binding; leaving early invalidates the visa."