The UK Government has announced a package of new measures for fast-growing businesses, including a visa fee reimbursement scheme of up to £5,000 per international hire, a new concierge service for scale-ups, and a fast-track route for overseas businesses applying for a UK Expansion Worker sponsor licence.

To obtain a UK sponsor licence, a business must demonstrate genuine operating or trading activity — not just an incorporation certificate. Updated Home Office guidance clarifies what counts, what doesn't, and introduces a significant new warning for anyone thinking of setting up a business mainly to sponsor themselves or a connected person.

The Home Office expanded the right to work check obligation in March 2026 — and then reversed the change just two months later. Here is what happened, what the current position requires, and what employers need to prepare for ahead of a potential further expansion in October 2026.