The Self-Sponsorship Route for Doing Business in the UK - A Guide for Advisers

Introduction

With the closure of the Tier 1 Entrepreneur route in 2019, and the Tier 1 Investor route in 2022, international business owners found themselves largely excluded from the UK Immigration Rules. This posed a challenge for those seeking to relocate to the UK to establish or expand their businesses, leaving them without a suitable route to settle in the UK while actively managing their company.

However, in April 2021, the Home Office quietly introduced a significant change, allowing business owners to use their companies to sponsor their own Skilled Worker visa applications. This was made possible by the removal of the longstanding 10% ownership restriction, opening a new route for entrepreneurs and business owners to secure visas and establish a presence in the UK.

Despite its potential, this route remains largely overlooked, not only due to its technical complexity and additional challenges but also because many practitioners are unaware of its existence. However, when managed effectively, it offers an excellent opportunity for business owners or aspiring entrepreneurs to enter the UK market, establish their businesses, and settle in the UK with their families.

What You Will Learn

This live and interactive course will cover the following:

• Legal sources of the self-sponsorship route
• How to navigate the complexities of the self-sponsorship route
• What are the main issues and risks related to self-sponsorship?
• Key strategies for anticipating and overcoming common challenges
• Practical tips for ensuring compliance with Home Office guidelines and avoiding common mistakes
• How to assess the suitability of this route for different types of businesses and business owners
• Business-related requirements for self-sponsorship
• Immigration-related requirements for self-sponsorship
• The Home Office and the ‘genuineness’ requirement
• Key personnel requirements and comparison with the UK Expansion Worker option
• Case studies of successful self-sponsorship applications and lessons learnt

Recording of live sessions: Soon after the Learn Live session has taken place you will be able to go back and access the recording - should you wish to revisit the material discussed.