Global work is no longer defined by fixed offices, long-term employers, or single-country careers. Founders and independent professionals are building companies that operate across borders from day one. This continually reshapes how talent moves within the international economy. Today, you can take control of your own global move by building your dream in a new country. While many foreign nationals rely on traditional employers to sponsor them to work in the UK, you can establish your own company and sponsor yourself independently. As a business owner or independent professional seeking flexibility and autonomy, you can sponsor yourself through the Self Sponsorship visa UK, provided you meet all the requirements. This article explains the Self-Sponsorship visa, including its eligibility criteria, benefits, and the founder-led global workforce.
Understanding Self-sponsorship Visa
A Self-sponsorship visa is not a specific immigration category. Instead, it is a lawful immigration strategy that allows non-UK nationals to establish or acquire a business and then sponsor themselves for a work visa through that business. This is a viable option for you if you’re a business owner or entrepreneur who doesn’t want to rely on a UK employer for sponsorship to enter the UK. It is also suitable for professionals who wish to take charge of their business, achieve a better work-life balance, and remain compliant with UK immigration rules.
The Self-sponsorship visa is an organised method that utilises existing UK immigration rules, especially under the Skilled Worker visa. You must meet various requirements to qualify for this pathway. Your business must obtain a sponsor licence from the Home Office to issue you a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to sponsor you. Thereafter, you must apply for a Skilled Worker visa to enter the UK as your company’s employee after receiving a CoS from your UK-based business.
The Growing Founder-led Global Workforce
The broader economic and technological changes in recent years in startup sectors have resulted in the rise of the founder-led global workforce. While the digital infrastructure enables businesses to operate across borders with ease, professional services, tech, and consulting roles increasingly value flexibility over fixed employment arrangements.
In all these, as a founder, you no longer need to wait for multinational job offers to relocate to the United Kingdom. Instead, you can move with your ideas, capital, and expertise. Besides the self-sponsorship route using the Skilled Worker visa, you can utilise another relevant legal pathway, such as the Innovator Founder visa, to enter the UK for business or job creation purposes.
The Innovator Founder Visa: An Alternative Immigration Pathway that Supports Businesses
The Innovator Founder visa is an immigration pathway that supports business ownership, innovation, and job creation in the UK. It is designed for entrepreneurs with genuinely innovative, viable, and scalable business ideas. To establish this business in the UK, you do not need to meet a minimum financial requirement.
An endorsing body with the Home Office license must endorse your business. Unlike many other UK visas, this visa can allow you to remain in the UK for a long period of time, as you can renew it countless times. This visa has a validity period of up to 3 years, after which you can qualify for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) in the UK, and subsequently, British citizenship.
As a founder or skilled professional, the Innovator Founder visa can help you build your own venture rather than tying your immigration status to a single employer. Additionally, it offers you flexibility to explore the UK’s global market while contributing meaningfully to the UK’s economy.
Eligibility Criteria for Self-sponsorship Visa
To qualify for a Self-sponsorship visa in the UK, the eligibility requirements you must meet include:
- Have a genuine job offer.
- Be 18 years or older.
- Have a job that is at an eligible skill level.
- Set up a genuine business in the UK.
- Apply for your company’s sponsor licence to the Home Office.
- Receive a valid Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from your company, with which you must apply for a Skilled Worker visa.
- Be set to receive a slash that would meet or be above the “going rate” for the general salary threshold, as well as the relevant SOC 2020 occupation code. Therefore, as a worker, if you score alternative tradable points, you must earn £30,960 or £34,830. Alternatively, you must earn at least £41,700 per year.
- Have sufficient funds to live in the UK without relying on public funds.
- Have a clean criminal history.
- Provide a Tuberculosis (TB) test certificate, if applicable.
- Prove that you meet the English proficiency requirement at the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Level B1 (intermediate).
Benefits of Self-sponsorship for Founders and Entrepreneurs
The Self-sponsorship visa offers various benefits to founders and entrepreneurs seeking to enter the UK. These benefits include:
- Your dependents can join you to enter the UK.
- You take charge of your immigration situation without relying on traditional UK employers for sponsorship.
- It supports different services and sectors.
- You can sponsor other skilled workers through the same route.
- You can obtain permanent residency in the UK after staying on a Skilled Worker visa for a period of up to 5 years.
Conclusion
The Self-sponsorship visa provides non-UK founders and professionals with the flexibility that other UK visas often lack. As a founder, this visa transforms you from a visa applicant into a direct economic contributor. It achieves this by enabling you to establish a business in the UK that sponsors your Skilled Worker visa. The Self-sponsorship visa also offers a clear pathway to permanent residency in the United Kingdom. Ultimately, this visa benefits you and the UK economy. It aligns your personal ambition of having a thriving business with the national innovation and growth goals of the UK. Obtaining this visa usually involves a rigorous and overwhelming process. To avoid oversights and errors in immigration applications, it is advisable to consult with an experienced immigration lawyer. A professional immigration lawyer can assist you in preparing and submitting a comprehensive application, increasing your chances of success.
