Visa Fees Reimbursement Scheme for Scale Ups

Visa Fees Reimbursement Scheme for Scale Ups is sponsored by Department for Business and Trade. A targeted grant scheme to help UK scale-ups in Clean Energy, Life Sciences, and Digital and Technologies hire internationally by reimbursing eligible visa application fees for specialist hires and their dependants.

Visa Fees Reimbursement Scheme for Scale Ups - GOV-UK Find a grant Visa Fees Reimbursement Scheme for Scale Ups The UK Government has launched the Visa Fees Reimbursement Scheme for Scale Ups (VFRS4SU), a targeted grant scheme to help UK scale ups in Clean Energy, Life Sciences, and Digital and Technologies hire internationally by reimbursing eligible visa application fees for specialist hires and their dependants.

Opening date : 9 June 2026, 9:00am Closing date : 1 March 2027, 11:59pm (Midnight) Get updates about this grant The visa fees reimbursement scheme for scale ups provides financial support to UK-based scale-ups operating in the Clean Energy, Life Sciences, and Digital and Technologies sectors.

The scheme aims to reduce cost barriers to hire internationally, improving recruitment speed and certainty in sectors central to the UK’s growth and innovation ambitions by reimbursing visa fees for eligible hires and their dependants. Qualifying businesses can apply for funding up to £25,000. 00/year, with a maximum award of £5,000.

00 for each international hire and their dependants. Any costs incurred before the date the application was submitted will not be eligible.

To apply for the visa fees reimbursemnet scheme for scale ups grant, you must register and submit your application through the Grants Hub portal: Available grants - Department for Business and Trade Please note: Individuals cannot apply directly for the Visa Fees Reimbursement Scheme for Scale Ups (VFRS4SU).

The Visa Fees Reimbursement Scheme for Scale Ups is open to UK-based scale ups operating in the Clean Energy, Life Sciences, and Digital and Technologies sectors.

To qualify, a business must meet all the following criteria: Be a UK-based Scale-Up: an enterprise that achieves an average annualised growth rate exceeding 20 per cent in either employment or turnover over a continuous three-year period (the observation period), starting with at least 10 employees at the beginning of this period Operate in at least one of the three priority sectors in the scope, as defined in the Industrial Strategy IS-8 Sectors list definitions below: The Clean Energy Industries are the industries which directly contribute to the clean power transition.

These are the companies that are part of the supply chain, manufacturing and services relating to the deployment, construction, and maintenance of clean energy assets and products Businesses involved in developing and/or producing their own pharmaceutical products and all businesses whose primary business involves developing and producing medical technology products, ranging from single-use consumables to complex hospital equipment, including digital health products The Digital and Technologies sector develops and applies advanced technologies and digital tools to drive transformative changes in our economy and society.

These technologies are foundational, enabling other innovations and transformation across other sectors. Many are emerging, novel, and untested, and will therefore take some time to be fully developed and realise their potential for high economic growth.

Technologies related to Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Defence, and Life Sciences are excluded as they are covered in separate Sector Plans Hold a valid UK visa sponsor licence Have already established a presence in the UK, meaning the applicant either (i) is incorporated in the UK and registered with Companies House; or (ii) is an overseas company registered with Companies House as having a UK establishment (a place of business or branch in the UK).

For the purposes of criterion (d), a UK establishment is a place of business or branch of an overseas company in the UK and requires some degree of physical presence in the UK through which business is carried on.

An independent agent acting for the company, or an occasional location (e.g. a hotel used during periodic visits), does not constitute a UK establishment Recruit eligible hire(s) under an immigration route designated as eligible for the Scheme which are the Skilled Worker, Global Talent, and Scale Up visa routes Pass DBT’s standard due diligence and assurance checks prior to grant award Have a valid UK bank account to receive reimbursements The scheme aims to reduce cost barriers to hire internationally, improving recruitment speed and certainty in sectors central to the UK’s growth and innovation ambitions by reimbursing visa fees for eligible hires and their dependants.

To apply for the grant, you must register on the Grants Hub portal. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application within 30 working days of submission, with payment issued thereafter for successful applications.

Before starting your application, please ensure you have the following information to hand: your organisation’s legal name the breakdown of eligible roles outline of role responsibilities outline of person specification contract type (duration of the contract and terms), and confirmation of the visa (including evidence of payment defrayal).

Application and decision-making process To apply for the VFRS4SU grant, you must register and submit your application through the Grants Hub portal. Successful applicants will be designated as VFRS4SU Grant Partners and will be required to enter into a grant funding agreement (GFA) with DBT. Decisions on eligibility and funding awards are final and are not subject to appeal, unless explicitly stated otherwise in the scheme guidance.

Register on the Grants Hub portal: Available grants - Department for Business and Trade