Business immigration routes for financial services businesses expanding to the UK

The Global Business Mobility routes support overseas companies transferring staff to the UK. These are often the first step for businesses when entering the UK market.

Ideal for overseas FS businesses without an existing UK trading presence, this route enables senior managers or specialist employees to establish a new UK subsidiary or branch. 

Key features include:

• Sponsor licence required; up to 10 workers can be sponsored
• Minimum salary is £52,500 or the occupation going rate
• No English language requirement
• Temporary route (maximum two years) with no direct path to settlement, although switching to other routes is possible

Pros: Lower upfront costs, no Immigration Skills Charge, making it attractive for early-stage UK entry

Cons: Limited duration, no settlement route and processing frequently takes longer than published timelines.

Designed for established FS groups with a UK presence, this route facilitates temporary intragroup transfers of senior or specialist staff. 

Key features:

• Sponsor licence required
• Processing: 5-10 working days for licence approval; 24-48 hrs to 3 weeks for the visas
• Minimum salary: £52,500 or the going rate

Pros: Straightforward option for FS organisations already operating in the UK; no English language requirement; supports project driven deployments without long-term UK immigration commitments. Allows flexibility for employees who remain employed by the overseas entity, supporting global mobility programmes.

Cons: Cannot be used as part of a long-term UK staffing strategy due to lack of a settlement route. Higher salary thresholds, not suitable for new market entrants or businesses without an existing UK trading presence.

The primary long-term route for building a permanent UK workforce once a UK entity is fully operational. 

Key features:

• Sponsor licence required
• Leads to settlement after five years
• Roles must generally be at degree level (RQF Level 6)
• Minimum salary is £41,700 or the going rate, whichever is higher

Pros: Clear settlement pathway and strong alignment with long-term growth strategies.
Cons: Higher employer costs and ongoing compliance requirements. 

This route is aimed at founders establishing innovative, viable and scalable businesses in the UK, particularly relevant for fintech, regtech and FS focused technology propositions. 

Key features:

• Requires endorsement from an approved endorsing body but does not require a sponsor licence
• No fixed minimum investment
• Fast track to settlement after three years
• Endorsement: typically 1–3 months; visas: 3–8 weeks

Pros: High-growth potential, strong autonomy for founders and accelerated settlement. 
Cons: Difficult to secure endorsement; ongoing monitoring obligations from the endorsing body. 

Best suited to high-growth fintech and FS businesses already established in the UK. 

Key features:

• Eligibility requires demonstrating 20% annual growth for three years and at least 10 employees
• Salary threshold: £39,100
• Sponsorship required only for first six months

Pros: Reduced long-term sponsorship obligations.
Cons: Not available for new entrants; employers have less control after the initial sponsorship period.

Appropriate for short-term, non-productive activities, including regulator meetings (e.g., FCA), market research, negotiations, and attending FinTech Week events.

Not permitted: working, running a UK business or managing staff.