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The United Kingdom has a booming female workforce and is the second-highest employer of women among the G7 countries. Let’s discuss the benefits of the UK Scale-up Visa for women and delve into the steps involved in applying for one.

If you’re a female professional seeking exciting opportunities to advance your career in the UK, the Scale-up Visa route is a suitable immigration pathway. The visa offers skilled foreign nationals a unique opportunity to build a successful career in a fast-growing British business.

The Office for National Statistics reports that over 38.5% of highly skilled jobs in the last decade have been taken up by women, and over 25% of female professionals have grown to top management roles.

What is the UK Scale-Up Worker Visa?

The Scale-up Worker Visa allows professionals outside the EEA to relocate to the UK and work with fast-growing companies experiencing significant growth, also called scale-up businesses.

A scale-up business is one that has recorded a 20% growth in personnel or turnover each year in the last three years and employed at least 10 staff at the beginning of the three years.

The Scale-up Visa is a points-based visa. If you intend to migrate through this route, you must already have a job offer and be sponsored by a UK employer approved by the Home Office to hire foreign workers.

However, after your first six months working in the UK, you can switch to another job that doesn’t require sponsorship.

As a scale-up worker, your initial visa validity will be two years. When your visa expires, you can apply for an extension of an additional three years. After living in the UK for five years, you can apply for indefinite leave to remain to settle permanently.

Eligibility Criteria for the Scale-up Visa

To apply for the Scale-up Worker Visa, you must:

• Be 18 years and above
• Have a confirmed job offer for a role listed on the eligible list of occupations.
• Have a certificate of sponsorship from an approved scale-up business.
• Have the required skills for the role, which is at an RQF 6 level.
• Earn a salary of at least £36,300 per year or the going rate for the role, whichever is higher.
• Have £1,270 or more in your bank account that will sustain you for your first month in the UK.
• The job you’re applying to meets the Registered Qualifications Framework Standard(RQF), i.e., level 6 or higher.
• Meet the language requirements with a CEFR Level of B1 or higher, corresponding to an IELTS score of at least 4.0.

Documents Required to Apply for a Scale-up Visa

You must provide the following documents when applying for the visa:

• A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) reference number issued by your prospective employer
• A valid passport or travel document
• The occupation code of your job, job title, and expected annual salary
• Your employer’s name and their sponsor license number
• A bank statement that shows you’re financially capable of catering for yourself unless it is stated in the certificate of sponsorship that your employer will take care of that
• English proficiency test result
• Tuberculosis test results (depending on the country)

The Scale-up Visa Application Process

Once you’re sure you meet the Scale-up Visa requirements and have gathered your supporting documents, you can visit the UK government website to begin your application.

You’ll need to create an account and fill out the online application form. Then, upload your supporting documents, pay the visa application fee, and submit your application.

You’ll need to book and attend a biometric appointment at a visa application centre in your home country to submit your biometric information. The immigration authorities will process your application and contact you with a decision in three weeks. 

How Much Does the Visa Cost?

You must make a non-refundable payment of £822 for the visa, a healthcare surcharge of £1,035 annually, and a biometrics fee of £19.20.

Why Women Should Choose the Scale-Up Visa to Work in the UK

Different visa programs can help you relocate to the UK as a female professional, but here are a few reasons why the Scale-Up Visa is ideal for you:

Supports a Career in High-Growth Industries

The visa is designed to attract highly skilled workers to some of the fast-growing industries in the UK, such as technology, financial services, and science, and to help the UK maintain its status as a global business hub.

As a female professional in any of these fields, you can seize the opportunity to join a thriving UK company and contribute to its success while also building your career in a global economy.

Additionally, many high-growth sectors in the UK increasingly recognize the value of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, creating more spaces for women to lead and innovate. As such, you’ll work in an environment where gender equality is progressively prioritized.

Lower Sponsorship Cost

The minimum income requirement for the Scale-up Visa, £36,300 per year, is lower than the threshold for the Skilled Worker Visa, £38,700 per year. This visa also doesn’t attract an Immigration Skills Charge like the skilled worker route.

Due to the lower financial obligations, employers may prefer to sponsor foreign workers on this route. As such, you might have more chances to be sponsored as a scale-up worker.

Flexibility and Independence

Relocating with the Scale-Up Worker Visa offers you more flexibility than other visa routes. After working with your sponsor for the first six months, you can switch jobs, engage in self-employment, or even volunteer without further sponsorship. This flexibility is ideal if you want to explore different career opportunities or start your own business.