The UK Government has announced a new package of measures designed to support high-growth businesses in establishing, expanding, and retaining operations in the UK. The initiative includes a visa fee reimbursement scheme for qualifying scale-up businesses and a fast-track sponsor licence referral process for certain overseas companies seeking to expand into the UK.
Written by Angel Wan, Solicitor
Visa Fees Reimbursement Scheme for Scale Ups (VFRS4SU)
The new scheme is intended to help businesses in the Clean Energy, Life Sciences, and Digital and Technology sectors attract international talent. Under the scheme, eligible employers can claim reimbursement of visa application fees incurred by workers and their dependants under the Skilled Worker, Scale-up, and Global Talent routes. Businesses may recover up to £25,000 per year, subject to a cap of £5,000 per individual hire. The scheme is available from 9 June 2026 until 1 March 2027, with funding allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
To qualify, businesses must satisfy the Government’s definition of a scale-up, operate within one of the designated priority sectors, hold a valid sponsor licence, and have an established presence in the UK. Applicants will also be required to pass due diligence checks and maintain a UK bank account for reimbursement purposes.
Fast-track Expansion Worker sponsor licence applications
Alongside the reimbursement scheme, the Office for Investment (OfI) has introduced a fast-track referral process for UK Expansion Worker sponsor licence applications. The scheme is aimed at overseas businesses receiving ongoing OfI support and is expected to reduce processing times from up to eight weeks to approximately ten working days. Eligible businesses must operate within one of the Government’s priority sectors and demonstrate significant growth potential or investment commitments, such as securing substantial venture capital funding, committing significant capital investment to UK expansion, or participating in a government-recognised high-growth programme. Applicants must also provide detailed expansion plans and satisfy due diligence requirements.
What this means for businesses
These measures demonstrate the Government’s continued focus on attracting investment, innovation, and highly skilled workers to the UK. For eligible businesses, the schemes offer both financial incentives and a more streamlined route to establishing a sponsored workforce. Given the eligibility criteria, compliance requirements, and limited availability of funding, businesses considering recruitment or expansion plans should seek specialist immigration advice at an early stage to ensure they can take full advantage of these new opportunities.
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