The UK immigration system: options for overseas companies and entrepreneurs

When free movement within the European Union ended on 31 December 2020, the UK Government introduced a revised points-based immigration system.

The new points-based system in some ways was transformational, as for the first time since the 1970s, EU nationals entering the UK for work and other purposes are now treated in exactly the same way as nationals from the rest of the world from an immigration perspective. Here we provide an overview of the main visa routes to allow individuals to live and work in the UK.

The points-based system includes several immigration routes allowing work in the UK. It caters for the most highly-skilled workers, skilled workers with a job offer, students, graduates, global leaders in their field, and innovators. 

Which visa route?

The table below is designed to help you assess what visa route might be best for you in order to move to the UK to set up or work for a UK company. In all cases, you will still need to carefully assess whether the relevant criteria are met, but this should help you decide which route(s) to focus on.

Sponsor licence

Most of the main work categories operate on the idea of sponsorship – you must be licenced by the Home Office to allow you to recruit from overseas. A sponsor licence enables a UK employer to assign a certificate of sponsorship to non-British /Irish nationals provided the role meets the relevant skills and salary thresholds and domestic labour market testing requirements.