Have you ever dreamed of establishing your own business in the United Kingdom? Your company may already be running well in your home country, but you want to expand and explore opportunities in the global market. This can be achieved through a unique route created by the UK government, known as the Self Sponsorship visa UK, specifically designed for non-UK entrepreneurs looking to enter the UK market. Through this route, you can establish your business in the UK and sponsor yourself as an employee. This article explains the Self Sponsorship route, its eligibility criteria, application process, and other relevant details.
What Is a Self Sponsorship Visa?
The UK Self Sponsorship visa is not literally a type of visa through which foreign nationals can enter the United Kingdom. Instead, it is a unique strategy that allows non-UK citizens, such as entrepreneurs or investors, to relocate to the UK. This strategy allows you to establish a company in the UK and, through the same company, sponsor yourself to work for your own company on a Skilled Worker visa.
Rather than relying on UK employers for employment and undergoing rigorous processes of securing a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS), the Self Sponsorship route gives you an easier and more reliable pathway to enter the UK. This means that the business you set up in the UK would become your sponsor, and you, the owner, would become an employee of your own business.
Eligibility Criteria for a Self Sponsorship Visa
As a foreign national seeking to enter the UK via the Self Sponsorship route, you must fulfill various eligibility requirements that fall under the following:
Business and Sponsorship Requirements
You must first establish a genuine and active company in the United Kingdom. You need to obtain a Skilled Worker sponsor license from the Home Office. This authorizes you to recruit yourself or any other foreign national as an employee of your company.
Job and Financial Criteria
The job you sponsor yourself through your company must be real. It has to be a real role that your company genuinely needs to fill. The role could be Managing Director, IT Manager, Financial Consultant, Operations Lead, or any other qualifying role in your business. Your job must be listed as an eligible role on the UK’s Appendix Skilled Occupations. The skill level is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree, which is rated at the Regulatory Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 6.
As an employee of your company, you must be able to earn up to £41,700 per year, or your job’s going rate, whichever is higher. Additionally, you must demonstrate that you have £1,270 in your savings for an uninterrupted 28 days within 31 days of applying for your Skilled Worker visa. If you are applying with your dependents, you are required to meet higher financial requirements. As such, you must add £285 for your dependent partner, another £315 for your first dependent child, and £200 for every other child.
Personal Requirements
The personal eligibility criteria you must meet are straightforward. You must be at least 18 years old when you submit the Skilled Worker visa application to enter the UK via the Self Sponsorship route. You must also demonstrate that you can speak and understand English at an intermediate level.
This requires you to be able to hold a basic conversation, such as introducing yourself, talking about yourself, or asking for directions. To show that you meet this requirement, you must pass a Secure English Language Test (SELT), such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) for UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
You must score at least band 4.0 overall. Alternatively, you can use your university degree, which was taught entirely in English, to demonstrate that you meet the requirement. You may also be exempt from meeting the English requirement if you are a citizen of an English-speaking country.
Application Process for a Self Sponsorship Visa
If you wish to enter the United Kingdom through the Self Sponsorship route, you must take crucial steps in accordance with the UK immigration rules. First, establish a company in the United Kingdom. Your business must be genuine, comply with the rules, and be properly registered with Companies House.
Create a comprehensive business plan to demonstrate your intention to make a profit and grow your business in the UK. Create a business bank account. Find a place to work from, such as a small office or even a virtual address. Ensure you comply with all UK business laws, such as keeping records and paying your taxes.
Secondly, you need to apply for a Skilled Worker sponsor license from the Home Office to sponsor workers through your company. Visit their website and complete the online form. To complete the process, you must gather and submit documents. They include your bank statements, company registration documents, and evidence of compliance with employment rules. Thereafter, pay the required sponsor license fee and submit your application.
Following that, a Home Office official might visit your office to check whether you have all systems in place and can genuinely function adequately as an employer in the United Kingdom. If they are satisfied with the inspection, they will grant your company a sponsor license.
You must then obtain a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from your company. The CoS indicates your unique reference number, your job title, salary, job location, and your details. With the unique reference number in your CoS, you can now apply for a UK Skilled Worker visa. Pay the required fees, submit your application and expect a decision. Upon a successful decision, collect your visa and start making plans to enter the UK to work for your company.
Conclusion
As an entrepreneur or investor, the Self Sponsorship route offers you a real path to expand your business in the UK. To explore this route, you must understand the eligibility criteria and the application process. At each stage, ensure you adhere to current UK immigration rules to avoid delays or refusal of your application.
