UK Scale-Up Visa statistics: How to apply and How many have been issued?
What is the Scale-Up Visa?
The UK Scale-Up Worker visa is a sponsored work visa for people recruited by a fast-growing UK business. It is designed for skilled workers who have a qualifying job offer from an approved Scale-up sponsor. Unlike most sponsored work routes, the Scale-Up visa only requires sponsorship for the first six months, after which the worker has more flexibility to change jobs or continue working without a new sponsor.
What companies can get the Scale-Up Visa Licence?
A company must hold a valid Scale-up sponsor licence before it can sponsor a Scale-Up Worker. The route is aimed at businesses in a sustained period of high growth that need to recruit people into skilled roles. Sponsors must offer genuine employment that meets the required skill and salary thresholds and assign a valid Certificate of Sponsorship.
Companies need to show annualised growth of 20% for the last 3 consecutive years in either revenue or number of employees. They must also have had a minimum of 10 employees at the beginning of the 3 year reference period.
In short, the very minimum you need to show as a company is that:
- In 2023 you had at least 10 employees, AND
- Either:
- The sponsoring company's monthly revenue this month is at least 72.8% higher than 37 months ago. No rounding applies (i.e. if the company is a single pound below, then it is ineligible), OR
- The head count is at least 72.% higher than 37 months ago.
Here is a quick reference table for both headcount and revenue.
Scale-Up Visa Sponsor License Eligibility by Employee Numbers
| Month 0 | Month 37 (= Month 0 * 1.728) | Minimum employees required |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 17.28 | 18 |
| 11 | 19.01 | 20 |
| 12 | 20.74 | 21 |
| 13 | 22.46 | 23 |
| 14 | 24.19 | 25 |
| 15 | 25.92 | 26 |
| 20 | 34.56 | 35 |
| 25 | 43.20 | 44 |
| 30 | 51.84 | 52 |
Note the rather strict threshold if you started with 11 employees. 19.01 rounds up to 20 employees which makes a huge difference at that phase of a company's life cycle.
Scale-Up Visa Sponsor License Eligibility by Revenue
| Month 0 | Minimum Revenue at
Month 37 (= Month 0 * 1.728) |
|---|---|
| £500,000 | £864,000 |
| £750,000 | £1,296,000 |
| £1,000,000 | £1,728,000 |
| £2,000,000 | £3,456,000 |
| £5,000,000 | £8,6400,000 |
How many companies can sponsor the Scale-Up Visa?
As of 29th May 2026, there are 92 companies in the UK (including ourselves!) who can sponsor for a Scale-Up Visa. The sponsor list is updated daily by the Home Office and can be accessed here.
Who can apply for the Scale-Up Visa?
Applicants usually need a skilled job offer from an approved Scale-up sponsor, a valid Certificate of Sponsorship, English language ability, and enough personal savings unless exempt. Partners and children may also apply as dependants if they meet the eligibility requirements. Applicants should refer to the Scale- Up Visa Going Rates for eligible occupations.
Scale-Up Visa application statistics
The latest Home Office entry-clearance data (published quarterly, accurate up to March 2026) shows that 347 Scale-Up Worker visas were issued between 2023 Q1 and 2026 Q1. This includes 188 main applicants and 159 dependants.
The route started slowly, with only 5 issued visas in 2023 Q1 and 8 in 2023 Q2. It then reached 26 issued visas in both 2023 Q3 and Q4. Usage remained uneven during 2024, before rising through 2025: 33 in Q1, 38 in Q2, 47 in Q3 and 51 in Q4. The latest quarter, 2026 Q1, recorded 26 issued visas.
| Quarter | Main applicants | Dependants | Total issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Q1 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 2023 Q2 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| 2023 Q3 | 12 | 14 | 26 |
| 2023 Q4 | 13 | 13 | 26 |
| 2024 Q1 | 9 | 5 | 14 |
| 2024 Q2 | 11 | 17 | 28 |
| 2024 Q3 | 7 | 10 | 17 |
| 2024 Q4 | 14 | 14 | 28 |
| 2025 Q1 | 17 | 16 | 33 |
| 2025 Q2 | 23 | 15 | 38 |
| 2025 Q3 | 24 | 23 | 47 |
| 2025 Q4 | 33 | 18 | 51 |
| 2026 Q1 | 17 | 9 | 26 |
| Total | 188 | 159 | 347 |
Reference: Issued Scale-Up Worker entry-clearance decisions, Home Office Vis_D02 dataset,
Overall, the Scale-Up visa remains a niche UK work visa route. However, the statistics show gradual growth from a very low base, with dependants making up around 46% of all issued decisions.