Applying For A Sponsor Licence Under The UK Expansion Worker Route

The sponsor licence requirements for businesses seeking to set up in the UK under this route differ in some significant respects from those applicable to other sponsor licence applicants. In this article we highlight these and provide an overview of how the process works.

The UK Expansion Worker route enables up to five (at any one time) senior managers or specialist employees of an established overseas business to set up a UK branch or wholly-owned UK subsidiary. Unlike the predecessor Representative of an Overseas Business route for sole representatives, a sponsor licence is required. Since the UK business acts as the sponsor under this route and will not already be active and trading at the time of application, there is a modified sponsor licence process to follow.