Scale-up Visa vs Skilled Worker Visa

What are the Differences Between a Scale-up Worker Visa and Skilled Worker Visa?

The Skilled Worker route is the primary route for foreign workers, while the Scale-up visa route is a newer route intended for businesses looking to see rapid growth.

Key differences are that for a Skilled Worker Visa, applicants must be offered a job for a minimum of 12 months from an eligible employer with a valid Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence. 

For a Scale-up Visa, workers must have a job offer from a UK scale-up business, and are allowed to change jobs and/or employers, as well as become self-employed after 6 months, without notifying the Home Office. Foreign nationals on a Skilled Worker Visa must apply to change their visa.

Do Both Skilled Worker and Scale-up Visas Need to be Sponsored?

Both Skilled Worker and Scale-up Visas require sponsorship by an organisation with a valid UK Sponsor Licence authorised by the Home Office. If an employer does not have a valid Sponsor Licence, they can not sponsor or hire foreign nationals 

To sponsor a Scale-up worker, the company must have shown rapid growth within the last 3 years with 20% annual growth in staff employment or turnover. They must have a minimum of 10 members of staff and an approved Sponsorship licence. 

Eligible professions for foreign nationals on a Skilled Worker Visa include:

• Chief executives and senior officials
• Production managers and directors in manufacturing
• Marketing and sales directors
• Senior police officers
• Hotel and accommodation managers and proprietors
• Civil Engineers
• IT business analysts, architects, and systems designers

There is no specific industry that applies to a Scale-up Worker Visa. A Scale-up Visa can be used across industries and professions, as long as the sponsoring company meets the requirements.

Minimum Skill Level For the Skilled Worker Visa and Scale-up Visa Routes

For foreign workers to be eligible for a Skilled Worker Visa, their skill level must be at least at RQF Level 6 or above (equivalent to at least a bachelor’s degree). This requirement was updated on 22nd July 2025. Previously, the minimum level was RQF Level 3.

To qualify for a Scale-up Visa, workers must be skilled to RQF Level 6 or above (equivalent to graduate level). This means that visa applicants must have sponsorship for a job with an occupation code that’s listed as eligible in the Home Office’s  Appendix Skilled Occupations.

What are the Salary Differences Between a Scale-up Visa and a Skilled Worker Visa?

The salary levels differ between a Scale-up Visa worker and a Skilled Worker and are both based on a 37.5-hour working week.

Skilled workers must earn an income that is at least £41,700 or the going rate for their specific job’s occupation code, whichever is higher. The minimum salary was changed in 2025. It was previously £38,700.

Scale-up Workers must receive a minimum salary of £36,300 per year or the ‘going rate’ for the specific job’s occupation code.

Scale-up Visa vs Skilled Worker Visa: Fees Comparison

A Scale-up Visa has a visa application fee of £880, while a Skilled Worker Visa application fee can range from £590 to £1,751, depending on the worker’s specific set of circumstances. 

Applicants of both visas must have available funds of at least £1,270 for financial support upon arrival to the UK. There is also an additional healthcare surcharge of £1035 per year. 

If the skilled worker’s job is listed on the shortage occupation list, they will be charged a lower application fee. 

Do Both Visas Lead to UK ILR?

Foreign workers on a Scale-Up Visa can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after 5 years of continuous lawful residence in the UK on the Scale-up route, as well as in combination with another route.

A Skilled Worker Visa can also lead to settled status after the skilled worker has been residing in the UK for a period of 5 years. In addition to ILR requirements, skilled workers must also meet other eligibility criteria, including sponsorship and salary requirements. A foreign national can begin an application for ILR 28 days before continuously living in the UK for 5 years.

Can You Bring Dependants on Both Visas?

Foreign workers on Skilled Worker and Scale-up Visas can bring dependants, which include a husband, wife or partner, children under 18, and children over the age of 18 (if they currently live in the UK as a dependant). The dependant’s visa will end on the same day as the skilled or scale-up worker’s visa.

Dependants looking to live in the UK permanently must apply for a Dependant Visa before they travel to the UK.

Under the rules brought in on 22nd July 2025, Skilled Worker visa dependents are only allowed for applicants whose job role is not on the Immigration Salary List (ISL) or Temporary Shortage List (TSL). You must also be paid the minimum rate of £41,700 or the ‘going rate’ for the job you do, and be qualified above RQF Level 6.

Scale-up Visa vs Skilled Worker Visa: Which One is Better?

If you’re a UK employer considering hiring workers on a Scale-up Visa or Skilled Worker Visa, then it’s important to understand the advantages and limitations of both. 

Some of the benefits and disadvantages of a Scale-up Visa for a Sponsor Licence holder include:

• Ideal for short-term employment, as the foreign worker is only required to be employed by the sponsor for the first 6 months of their visa, and they can switch roles within the organisation without applying for a new visa
• If you are already a sponsored employer, you only need to add the Scale-up Sponsor Licence to your existing licence
• It has a lower sponsorship fee than the sponsorship cost for a Skilled Worker Visa
• Sponsorship compliance duties are only for the initial 6 months of the visa
• A Scale-up Visa worker can eventually settle permanently in the UK
• The Sponsor Licence holder has no guarantee that the foreign worker will continue employment within their organisation following the 6 month period

Some of the benefits and disadvantages of a Skilled Worker Visa for a Sponsor Licence holder include:

• Access to workers with highly specialised skills across various sectors and industries
• This is the most popular route for overseas nationals coming to the UK
• There is no cap on the number of workers employed by an organisation on the Skilled Worker Visa route
• Long-term employment under sponsorship without the pressure of meeting rapid company growth goals
• A Skilled Worker Visa can lead to gaining permanent residence in the UK and British citizenship
• Sponsorship cost is higher for sponsoring a Skilled Worker 

How Can IAS Help You or Your Business?

At IAS, we offer expert legal advice for Sponsor Licence holders and Sponsor Licence applicants operating in the UK who are looking for guidance on compliance when hiring overseas workers. 

Whether you are looking to gain a better understanding of the different types of worker visas in the UK or would like to find out about the process for employing workers on Skilled Worker and Scale-up Worker visas, our dedicated and expert team is here to help.

Contact us today at Immigration Advice Service on +44 (0)333 305 9375 or reach out to us online for immediate step-by-step legal advice and further information on the Scale-up and Skilled Worker routes.