The Government has announced as part of London Tech Week two new 'concierge service' schemes for visa fee reimbursements for start-ups and fast-tracked sponsor licence applications for Office for Investment-backed overseas businesses.
The visa fee reimbursement scheme for start-ups
The new visa fee reimbursement scheme for start-ups endeavours to help companies operating in the clean energy, life sciences, digital and technology sectors recruit international talent.
Eligible businesses can apply for funding up to £25,000 per year, with a maximum award of £5,000 for each international hire and their dependants for visa fees incurred on or after 9 June 2026.
To be eligible, start-ups must:
- Achieve an average annualised growth rate exceeding 20% in either employment or turnover over a continuous three-year period, starting with at least 10 employees at the beginning of this period
- Operate in the digital and technoloy, life sciences, and clean energy sectors
- Hold a valid UK sponsor licence
- Have an established a presence in the UK, either as an incorporated company in the UK or an overseas company registered with Companies House with a UK establishment
- Recruit under the Skilled Worker, Global Talent or Scale Up visa routes
- Pass the Department for Business and Trade's (DBT) standard due diligence and assurance checks
- Have a valid UK bank account to receive reimbursements
Of note, the scheme operates on a first-come, first-served basis until the total budget is fully allocated.
Fast-track referral for UK expansion worker sponsor licence applications
The Office for Investment (OfI) is offering a fast-track referral for UK expansion worker sponsor licence applications, reducing the processing time from 8 weeks to 10 working days.
To qualify, businesses must:
- Be receiving ongoing support from the OfI
- Operate in one of the fields defined in the Industrial Strategy Sector list
- Meet at least one of the following:
- Have received at least £1 million venture capital or institutional investment
- Have committed at least £2 million capital investment for UK expansion
- Be part of a government-recognised, high-growth programme (for example, the Global Entrepreneur Programme)
Businesses will also need to meet due diligence checks and supply detailed documentation: breakdown of setup costs, monthly breakdown covering the first 12 months of operational costs related to UK expansion, forecast and rationale for future revenue in the UK.
It is worth noting that applications that are identified as complex will not be processed within 10 working days and will be subject to standard timelines.
If you need further assistance, please contact our Business and Skilled Migration team.