ResidencyUnited Kingdom
Build your own company and sponsor your move to the United Kingdom
The UK self-sponsorship route is a structured approach for entrepreneurs who want to live and work in the United Kingdom through a business they own and control. Rather than relying on an employer or a fixed capital threshold, you establish a genuine UK company, secure a sponsor licence for it, and then have that company sponsor you into a real skilled role under the Skilled Worker framework.
Because the UK retired its dedicated investor visa, this route has become one of the most practical ways for self-directed founders to gain long-term UK status. There is no set Home Office minimum investment; instead, your funding simply has to be credible for the company you are building, its operations and the salary of the role you will fill.
CBIProgram brings together the company formation, licence application, role design and visa filing into one coordinated plan. We help ensure the business is substantive, the sponsorship is compliant, and the application stands on firm ground, with a clear line of sight toward settlement after five years.
- Residence requirement: Varies by route
Program law
This route operates under the UK Skilled Worker immigration rules administered by UK Visas and Immigration and the Home Office, with sponsorship managed through the Sponsor Management System and settlement available via indefinite leave to remain after five years.
Key benefits
Work through your own business
Once your UK company holds a sponsor licence, it can sponsor you into a qualifying skilled role, letting you build and run your own enterprise on UK soil.
No fixed investment floor
There is no prescribed Home Office minimum; your capital only needs to be realistic for the business model, its operations and the role's salary.
Family can join
A partner and eligible children may apply as dependants and, once approved, can generally live, study and work in the UK.
Route to settlement
A Skilled Worker visa can be held for up to five years, opening a potential pathway to indefinite leave to remain and, later, British citizenship.
Fees & costs
Investment options
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Business funding — Capital must be credible for the company model, its operations, the sponsored role and salary | No fixed minimum |
| Worker sponsor licence — Small or charitable sponsor | GBP 611 |
| Worker sponsor licence — Medium or large sponsor | GBP 1,682 |
| Certificate of Sponsorship — Per Worker certificate assigned to the applicant | GBP 525 |
Government fees
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Immigration Skills Charge (small/charitable) — First 12 months, then GBP 240 per additional 6 months | GBP 480 |
| Immigration Skills Charge (medium/large) — First 12 months, then GBP 660 per additional 6 months | GBP 1,320 |
| Skilled Worker visa fees and Immigration Health Surcharge — Budgeted separately alongside setup, legal and translation costs | Varies |
Process & timeline
We design a substantive business and incorporate the UK company that will act as sponsor.
The licence application is prepared and filed; the Home Office usually decides these in under eight weeks.
The eligible skilled role is created and a Certificate of Sponsorship is assigned to you.
The Skilled Worker visa is filed, with decisions from outside the UK usually issued within about three weeks of submission and biometrics.
Where the business and documents are not already in place, realistic planning is often four to six months in total.
Eligibility
- Applicant must be at least 18 years old on the date of application
- The applicant and company structure must meet suitability and compliance requirements
- A genuine UK business capable of obtaining a sponsor licence and sponsoring a real skilled role
- The sponsored role must be paid at the required salary level for the occupation
- English-language ability demonstrated or a valid exemption
- A TB test certificate where required by UK testing rules for the applicant's country
Required documents
All applicants
- Valid passport
- English-language proof or evidence of exemption
- TB test certificate where required by UK rules
- Certified translations for any document not in English or Welsh
- Criminal record certificate or ATAS certificate where the occupation requires it
Main applicant
- Company documents, bank statements and trading or premises evidence for the sponsor licence
- Sponsored role details including job title, occupation code, duties, salary, hours and employment contract
- Certificate of Sponsorship reference number and sponsor licence number
- Financial evidence where required
Married couples
- Marriage certificate, civil partnership evidence or proof of a qualifying relationship for a partner
- Birth certificates and proof of address for dependent children
- Financial maintenance evidence for dependants where required
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum amount I must invest?
There is no fixed Home Office minimum. The funding behind your company simply needs to be credible for the business model, its operations and the role and salary you intend to sponsor.
Is this an official named visa?
No. Self-sponsorship is a way of using the standard Skilled Worker route through a company you own; it is not a separate investor or standalone visa.
How long does the whole process take?
Licence decisions are usually under eight weeks and out-of-country visa decisions around three weeks, but allowing four to six months is realistic once business setup and documentation are factored in.
Can my family come with me?
Yes. A partner and eligible children can apply as dependants and, once approved, may generally live, study and work in the UK, with limited exceptions.
Will this lead to permanent status?
The Skilled Worker visa can be held for up to five years and may lead to indefinite leave to remain, subject to meeting the settlement requirements, followed by a later route to citizenship.
What makes the business credible to the Home Office?
A genuine trading company with real operations, a real eligible role paid at the required salary, proper premises or trading evidence, and compliant HR systems all support a credible sponsor licence.
Information last verified: 2026-10-29 · Official programme data
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