This trend is likely to be driven by the country's stricter immigration policies for skilled professionals opting for an employer-sponsored Skilled Worker visa. The following changes took effect on July 22, 2025:

• Higher qualification requirements.
  The role must now meet RQF Level 6 or higher. The only exceptions are for occupations that are included in the Immigration Salary List and the Temporary Shortage List.
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• Restrictions for dependants.
  ‍Employees hired under the Temporary Shortage List can no longer sponsor family members for a visa.
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• Increase in the minimum salary threshold
  from £38,700 to £41,700.

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Creating Favourable Conditions to Hire Foreigners and Conduct Business in the UK

Over the last two years, the UK has often been criticised for making it more difficult to hire foreigners by tightening immigration requirements. The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee even expressed concern that the country might struggle to attract and retain top talent. For example, employers faced high costs, with total visa expenses for a single applicant potentially exceeding £10,000.

The government has introduced a new initiative to partially mitigate the issue. It will reimburse visa fees paid by the so-called ‘scale up’ companies in the digital technology, life sciences, and clean energy sectors when they hire foreign specialists. The visa application costs to be compensated range from £819 ($1,093) to £1,865 per employee. A single company can receive:

• up to £5,000 per employee;
• up to £25,000 in total per year.

Payments will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis until the budget is exhausted.

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Other Measures to Improve Business Conditions in the UK

The government plans to speed up the process of obtaining the UK ‘Expansion Worker’ sponsor license. Companies registered outside the UK applying for this license will submit their applications through the Office for Investment, which can then forward the request to the Home Office. As a result, the license could be issued in about 10 days, whereas the current procedure takes several weeks.

Furthermore, a concierge service will be established within the government for the very top scale-up companies. Its purpose is to ensure access to existing support measures. For example, the government plans to launch a platform that will act as a bridge between scale-up companies and lenders, investors, specialists, as well as other professional contacts necessary for scaling a business.

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Practical Implications for Businesses

Despite the general tightening of immigration rules, the UK maintains more flexible immigration routes. One example is the Global Talent Visa (GTV). Unlike the Skilled Worker visa, the GTV does not require employer sponsorship or have minimum salary requirements. This provides more flexibility for both specialists and companies, especially when there is a limited budget for reimbursing Skilled Worker visa costs.

The UK government is fostering a favourable environment for scale-up companies, making it an increasingly attractive hub for innovative tech projects. Foreign entrepreneurs can launch a startup in the UK by securing either Global Talent Visa (GTV) status or an Innovator Founder visa. Both pathways offer the potential for ILR and, eventually, a British passport, provided the applicants meet the required conditions.