The UK government has introduced a “scale-up” visa for professionals “with a high skilled job offer from a qualifying scale-up at the required salary level”.
Scale-up is: a business whose annual average revenue or employment growth rate over a three-year period is more than 20%, with a minimum of 10 employees at the start of the three-year period.
The visa is for highly skilled people who have a job offer from an eligible UK company paying at least a £33,000 annual salary.
Overview
A Scale-up Worker visa allows you to come to the UK to do an eligible job for a fast-growing UK business (aka ‘scale-up business’).
Your UK employer must meet specific eligibility criteria to sponsor scale-up workers.
Eligibility
To qualify for a Scale-up Worker visa, you must:
- have a confirmed job offer to work for an approved scale-up business for at least 6 months
- have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your employer with information about the role you’ve been offered in the UK
- have a job offer to do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations
- be paid a minimum salary in your new job
Review the table at the bottom of the page to see if your job and salary make you eligible for the Scale Up visa.
Proficiency in English
You must be able to speak, read, write and understand English. You’ll usually need to prove your knowledge of English when you apply.
How long you can stay
You can stay in the UK with a Scale-up Worker visa for 2 years. You’ll need to apply to extend your visa when it expires.
If you want to stay longer in the UK
You can extend your visa as many times as you like by 3 years, as long as you still meet the eligibility requirements.
After 5 years, you may be able to apply to settle permanently in the UK (also known as ‘indefinite leave to remain’). This gives you the right to live, work and study here for as long as you like, and apply for benefits if you’re eligible.
Looking for advice on a UK visa, immigration or citizenship application? Click the button below to book an online, email or telephone consultation with specialist UK immigration and citizenship lawyers.
Scale-up Visa Eligible Jobs and Salaries
The table is sorted in order of occupation code, with the smallest numbers at the top. You may be able to use your web browser to search for it on the page.
The annual salaries for these jobs are based on a 39-hour working week. They must be pro-rated for other working patterns, based on the weekly working hours stated by your employer.
If you work in healthcare or education
There are different salary rules if you work in some healthcare or education jobs. The ‘going rates’ for these jobs are based on the national pay scales set by the relevant independent body, for example the NHS.
View the the national pay scales for healthcare jobs and eligible teaching and education leadership jobs by area of the UK.
If you do not know your job’s occupation code, you can search for your job in the ONS occupation coding tool.
| Occupation code | Job type | Related job titles | Annual going rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1115 | Chief executives and senior officials | Chief executive Chief medical officer Civil servant (grade 5 and above) Vice president | £67,300(£33.19 per hour) | |
| 1121 | Production managers and directors in manufacturing | Engineering manager Managing director (engineering) Operations manager (manufacturing) Production manager | £33,000(£16.27 per hour) | |
| 1122 | Production managers and directors in construction | Building Services manager Construction manager Director (building construction) Owner (electrical contracting) | £34,900(£17.21 per hour) | |
| 1123 | Production managers and directors in mining and energy | Operations manager (mining, water & energy) Quarry manager | £37,500(£18.49 per hour) | |
| 1131 | Financial managers and directors | Investment banker Treasury manager | £43,600(£21.50 per hour) | |
| 1132 | Marketing and sales directors | Marketing director Sales director | £54,900(£27.07 per hour) | |
| 1133 | Purchasing managers and directors | Bid manager Purchasing manager | £39,300(£19.38 per hour) | |
| 1134 | Advertising and public relations directors | Account director (advertising) Head of public relations | £45,400(£22.39 per hour) | |
| 1135 | Human resource managers and directors | Human resources manager Personnel manager Recruitment manager | £36,400(£17.95 per hour) | |
| 1136 | Information technology and telecommunications directors | IT Director Technical director (computer services) Telecommunications director | £56,100(£27.66 per hour) | |
| 1139 | Functional managers and directors not elsewhere classified | Manager (charitable organisation) Research director | £40,600(£20.02 per hour) | |
| 1150 | Financial institution managers and directors | Bank manager Insurance manager | £36,600(£18.05 per hour) | |
| 1161 | Managers and directors in transport and distribution | Fleet manager Transport manager | £30,900(£15.24 per hour) | |
| 1172 | Senior police officers | Chief superintendent (police service) Detective inspector Police inspector | £52,000(£25.64 per hour) | |
| 1173 | Senior officers in fire, ambulance, prison and related services | Fire service officer (government) Prison governor Station officer (ambulance service) | £36,300(£17.90 per hour) | |
| 1181 | Health services and public health managers and directors | Director of nursing Health Service manager Information manager (health authority: hospital service) | £38,400(£18.93 per hour) | |
| 1184 | Social services managers and directors | Care manager (local government: social services) Service manager (welfare services) | £29,400(£14.50 per hour) | |
| 2111 | Chemical Scientists | Analytical chemist Chemist Development chemist Industrial chemist Research chemist | £26,700(£13.17 per hour) | |
| 2112 | Biological scientists and biochemists | Biomedical scientist Forensic scientist Horticulturist Microbiologist Pathologist | £29,700(£14.64 per hour) | |
| 2113 | Physical scientists | Geologist Geophysicist Medical physicist Meteorologist Oceanographer Physicist Seismologist | £36,500(£18.00 per hour) | |
| 2114 | Social and humanities scientists | Anthropologist Archaeologist Criminologist Epidemiologist Geographer Historian Political scientist Social scientist | £25,900(£12.77 per hour) | |
| 2119 | Natural and social science professionals not elsewhere classified For Scale-up purposes, occupation code 2119 includes researchers in research organisations other than universities. | Operational research scientist Research associate (medical) Research fellow Researcher Scientific officer Scientist Sports scientist University researcher | £33,000(£16.27 per hour) | |
| 2121 | Civil engineers | Building engineer Civil engineer (professional) Highways engineer Petroleum engineer Public health engineer Site engineer Structural engineer | £35,000(£17.26 per hour) | |
| 2122 | Mechanical engineers | Aeronautical engineer (professional) Aerospace engineer Automotive engineer (professional) Marine engineer (professional) Mechanical engineer (professional) | £33,400(£16.47 per hour) | |
| 2123 | Electrical engineers | Electrical engineer (professional) Electrical surveyor Equipment engineer Power engineer Signal engineer (railways) | £37,000(£18.24 per hour) | |
| 2124 | Electronics engineers | Avionics engineer Broadcasting engineer (professional) Electronics engineer (professional) Microwave engineer Telecommunications engineer (professional) | £34,700(£17.11 per hour) | |
| 2126 | Design and development engineers | Clinical engineer Design engineer Development engineer Ergonomist Research and development engineer | £34,100(£16.81 per hour) | |
| 2127 | Production and process engineers | Chemical engineer Industrial engineer Process engineer Production consultant Production engineer | £33,100(£16.32 per hour) | |
| 2129 | Engineering professionals not elsewhere classified | Acoustician (professional) Ceramicist Food technologist Metallurgist Patent agent Project engineer Scientific consultant Technical engineer Technologist Traffic engineer | £32,700(£16.12 per hour) | |
| 2133 | IT specialist managers | Data centre manager IT manager IT support manager Network operations manager (computer services) Service delivery manager | £38,000(£18.74 per hour) | |
| 2134 | IT project and programme managers | Implementation manager (computing) IT project manager Programme manager (computing) Project leader (software design) | £40,000(£19.72 per hour) | |
| 2135 | IT business analysts, architects and systems designers | Business analyst (computing) Data communications analyst Systems analyst Systems consultant Technical analyst (computing) Technical architect | £36,600(£18.05 per hour) | |
| 2136 | Programmers and software development professionals | Analyst-programmer Database developer Games programmer Programmer Software engineer | £33,300(£16.42 per hour) | |
| 2137 | Web design and development professionals | Internet developer Multimedia developer Web design consultant Web designer | £26,000(£12.82 per hour) | |
| 2139 | Information technology and telecommunications professionals not elsewhere classified | IT consultant Quality analyst (computing) Software tester Systems tester (computing) Telecommunications planner | £31,800(£15.68 per hour) | |
| 2141 | Conservation professionals | Conservation officer Ecologist Energy conservation officer Heritage manager Marine conservationist | £23,600(£11.64 per hour) | |
| 2142 | Environment professionals | Energy manager Environmental consultant Environmental engineer Environmental protection officer Environmental scientist Landfill engineer | £27,900(£13.76 per hour) | |
| 2150 | Research and development managers | Creative manager (research and development) Design manager Market research manager Research manager (broadcasting) | £38,200(£18.84 per hour) | |
| 2211 | Medical practitioners (National pay scales apply) | Anaesthetist Consultant (Hospital Service) Doctor General practitioner Medical practitioner Paediatrician Psychiatrist Radiologist Surgeon | ||
| 2212 | Psychologists (National pay scales apply) | Clinical psychologist Educational psychologist Forensic psychologist Occupational psychologist Psychologist Psychometrist | ||
| 2213 | Pharmacists (National pay scales apply) | Chemist (pharmaceutical) Dispensary manager Pharmaceutical chemist Pharmacist Pharmacy manager | ||
| 2214 | Ophthalmic opticians (National pay scales apply) | Ophthalmic optician Optician Optologist Optometrist | ||
| 2215 | Dental practitioners (National pay scales apply) | Dental surgeon Dentist Orthodontist Periodontist | ||
| 2216 | Veterinarians | Veterinarian Veterinary practitioner Veterinary surgeon | £32,500(£16.03 per hour) | |
| 2217 | Medical radiographers (National pay scales apply) | Medical radiographer Radiographer Sonographer Therapeutic radiographer Vascular technologist | ||
| 2218 | Podiatrists (National pay scales apply) | Chiropodist Chiropodist-podiatrist Podiatrist | ||
| 2219 | Health professionals not elsewhere classified (National pay scales apply) | Audiologist Dental hygiene therapist Dietician-nutritionist Family planner Occupational health adviser Paramedical practitioner | ||
| 2221 | Physiotherapists (National pay scales apply) | Electro-therapist Physiotherapist Physiotherapy practitioner | ||
| 2222 | Occupational therapists (National pay scales apply) | Occupational therapist | ||
| 2223 | Speech and language therapists (National pay scales apply) | Language therapist Speech and language therapist Speech therapist | ||
| 2229 | Therapy professionals not elsewhere classified (National pay scales apply) | Art therapist Chiropractor Cognitive behavioural therapist Dance movement therapist Family therapist Nutritionist Osteopath Psychotherapist | ||
| 2231 | Nurses (National pay scales apply) | District nurse Health visitor Mental health practitioner Nurse Practice nurse Psychiatric nurse Staff nurse Student nurse | ||
| 2232 | Midwives (National pay scales apply) | Midwife Midwifery sister | ||
| 2311 | Higher education teaching professionals | Fellow (university) Lecturer (higher education, university) Professor (higher education, university) Tutor (higher education, university) University lecturer | £40,700(£20.07 per hour) | |
| 2312 | Further education teaching professionals (National pay scales apply) | FE College lecturer Lecturer (further education) Teacher (further education) Tutor (further education) | ||
| 2314 | Secondary education teaching professionals (National pay scales apply) | Deputy head teacher (secondary school) Secondary school teacher Sixth form teacher Teacher (secondary school) | ||
| 2315 | Primary and nursery education teaching professionals (National pay scales apply) | Deputy head teacher (primary school) Infant teacher Nursery school teacher Primary school teacher | ||
| 2316 | Special needs education teaching professionals (National pay scales apply) | Deputy head teacher (special school) Learning support teacher Special needs coordinator Special needs teacher | ||
| 2317 | Senior professionals of educational establishments | Administrator (higher education, university) Bursar Head teacher (primary school) Principal (further education) Registrar (educational establishments) | £39,000(£19.23 per hour) | |
| 2318 | Education advisers and school inspectors | Curriculum adviser Education adviser Education officer School inspector | £25,500(£12.57 per hour) | |
| 2319 | Teaching and other educational professionals not elsewhere classified | Adult education tutor Education consultant Music teacher Nursery manager (day nursery) Owner (nursery: children’s) Private tutor TEFL | £21,300(£10.50 per hour) | |
| 2412 | Barristers and judges | Advocate Barrister Chairman (appeals tribunal, inquiry) Coroner Crown prosecutor District judge | £29,600(£14.60 per hour) | |
| 2413 | Solicitors | Managing clerk (qualified solicitor) Solicitor Solicitor-partner Solicitor to the council | £34,300(£16.91 per hour) | |
| 2419 | Legal professionals not elsewhere classified | Attorney Justice’s clerk Lawyer Legal adviser Legal consultant Legal counsel Solicitor’s clerk (articled) | £49,700(£24.51 per hour) | |
| 2421 | Chartered and certified accountants | Accountant (qualified) Auditor (qualified) Chartered accountant Company accountant Cost accountant (qualified) Financial controller (qualified) Management accountant (qualified) | £30,000(£14.79 per hour) | |
| 2423 | Management consultants and business analysts | Business adviser Business consultant Business continuity manager Financial risk analyst Management consultant | £30,900(£15.24 per hour) | |
| 2424 | Business and financial project management professionals | Chief knowledge officer Contracts manager (security services) Project manager Research support officer | £37,300(£18.39 per hour) | |
| 2425 | Actuaries, economists and statisticians | Actuarial consultant Actuary Economist Statistician Statistical analyst | £32,800(£16.17 per hour) | |
| 2426 | Business and related research professionals | Crime analyst (police force) Fellow (research) Games researcher (broadcasting) Inventor | £29,700(£14.64 | per hour) |
| 2429 | Business, research and administrative professionals not elsewhere classified | Civil servant (grade 6, 7) Company secretary (qualified) Policy adviser (government) Registrar (government) | £33,700(£16.62 per hour) | |
| 2431 | Architects | Architect Architectural consultant Chartered architect Landscape architect | £35,000(£17.26 per hour) | |
| 2432 | Town planning officers | Planning officer (local government: building and contracting) Town planner Town planning consultant | £28,500(£14.05 per hour) | |
| 2433 | Quantity surveyors | Quantity surveyor Surveyor (quantity surveying) | £30,600(£15.09 per hour) | |
| 2434 | Chartered surveyors | Building surveyor Chartered surveyor Hydrographic surveyor Land surveyor | £30,200(£14.89 per hour) | |
| 2435 | Chartered architectural technologists | Architectural technologist | £27,900(£13.76 per hour) | |
| 2436 | Construction project managers and related professionals | Contract manager (building construction) Project manager (building construction) Transport planner | £28,700(£14.15 per hour) | |
| 2442 | Social workers (National pay scales apply) | Psychiatric social worker Senior practitioner (local government: social services) Social worker | ||
| 2443 | Probation officers | Inspector (National Probation Service) Probation officer Youth justice officer | £28,700(£14.15 per hour) | |
| 2449 | Welfare professionals not elsewhere classified | Children’s guardian Rehabilitation officer Social services officer Youth worker (professional) | £24,000(£11.83 per hour) | |
| 2451 | Librarians | Chartered librarian Librarian Technical librarian University librarian | £21,800(£10.75 per hour) | |
| 2452 | Archivists and curators | Archivist Conservator Curator Keeper (art gallery) Museum officer | £23,600(£11.64 per hour) | |
| 2461 | Quality control and planning engineers | Planning engineer Quality assurance engineer Quality control officer (professional) Quality engineer | £30,500(£15.04 per hour) | |
| 2462 | Quality assurance and regulatory professionals | Compliance manager Financial regulator Patent attorney Quality assurance manager Quality manager | £33,200(£16.37 per hour) | |
| 2463 | Environmental health professionals | Air pollution inspector Environmental health officer Food inspector Public health inspector Technical officer (environmental health) | £29,600(£14.60 per hour) | |
| 2471 | Journalists, newspaper and periodical editors | Broadcast journalist Editor Journalist Radio journalist Reporter | £26,500(£13.07 per hour) | |
| 2472 | Public relations professionals | Account manager (public relations) Information officer (public relations) PR consultant Press officer Public relations officer | £25,700(£12.67 per hour) | |
| 2473 | Advertising accounts managers and creative directors | Account manager (advertising) Advertising Manager Campaign Manager Creative Director Projects Manager (advertising) | £31,900(£15.73 per hour) | |
| 3213 | Paramedics (National pay scales apply) | Ambulance paramedic Emergency care practitioner Paramedic Paramedic-ECP | ||
| 3415 | Musicians | Composer Musician Organist Pianist Song writer Violinist | £27,500(£13.56 per hour) | |
| 3416 | Arts officers, producers and directors | Film editor Production assistant (broadcasting) Studio manager Television producer Theatrical agent | £30,000(£14.79 per hour) | |
| 3512 | Aircraft pilots and flight engineers | Airline pilot First officer (airlines) Flight engineer Flying instructor Helicopter pilot | £60,800(£29.98 per hour) | |
| 3532 | Brokers | Foreign exchange dealer Insurance broker Investment administrator Stockbroker Trader (stock exchange) | £46,900(£23.13 per hour) | |
| 3534 | Finance and investment analysts and advisers | Financial adviser Financial analyst Financial consultant Mortgage adviser Pensions consultant | £29,400(£14.50 per hour) | |
| 3535 | Taxation experts | Tax adviser Tax consultant Tax inspector Taxation specialist | £38,000(£18.74 per hour) | |
| 3538 | Financial accounts managers | Accounts manager Audit manager Credit manager Fund manager Relationship manager (bank) | £29,100(£14.35 per hour) | |
| 3545 | Sales accounts and business development managers | Account manager (sales) Area sales manager Business development manager Product development manager Sales manager | £35,400(£17.46 per hour) |