Sponsors of Scale-up Workers have a new version of Home Office guidance, valid from 8 April 2026, which clarifies English language requirements following Immigration Rules changes of 8 January 2026.
Replaces version 03/26, published on 6 March 2026.
Key facts
- Who: Employers sponsoring, or intending to sponsor, workers on the Scale-up route
- From: 8 April 2026 (the date this version of the guidance is valid from)
- Source: Sponsor a Scale-up Worker
The Home Office has published version 04/26 of Guidance for sponsors: Sponsor a Scale-up Worker (workers and temporary workers). It is valid from 8 April 2026 and replaces version 03/26, published on 6 March 2026.
The guidance lists these changes, all of them in section SC3, "Immigration requirements for Scale-up Workers", apart from the last item, whose location it does not give:
- Genuine intention: The "genuineness" requirement is relabelled as the "genuine intention" requirement. This affects SC3.1, the sub-heading above SC3.23 and SC3.23 (formerly SC3.24).
- English language: SC3.17 (formerly SC3.18) is amended and a new SC3.18 is added. The guidance says this clarifies the English language requirements following changes to the Immigration Rules that came into effect on 8 January 2026.
- Paragraph housekeeping: An empty paragraph (former SC3.12) is deleted and reassigned to former SC3.13.
- Other changes: The guidance also lists "other minor housekeeping changes" without saying where they are.
Under SC3.17, unless SC3.18 applies, an applicant must show English language ability to at least level B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR) in all four components: speaking, listening, reading and writing.
Under SC3.18, the minimum is B1 on the CEFR in all four components where two conditions are both met. The applicant must previously have been granted as a Scale-up Worker under the Rules in force before 8 January 2026, and their most recent grant of permission must have been as a Scale-up Worker.
The guidance sets the salary requirement at £39,100 a year or the going rate for the occupation code, whichever is higher. It also states that sponsored workers are granted permission for 2 years and are sponsored for the first 6 months.
What this means for applicants
Sponsors assigning a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) to a Scale-up Worker should check which English language level applies to that worker under SC3.17 and SC3.18. B1 applies only where both SC3.18 conditions are met; otherwise B2 applies.
An applicant who does not score the 70 points required, which include 10 points for English language, will be refused, and the sponsor will not be able to employ or sponsor them (SC3.7 and SC3.8).
Anyone using a printed or downloaded copy should check its version number and date against GOV.UK. The Home Office says the guidance is subject to change.
Related guide: Scale-up visa UK
Sources
- Sponsor a Scale-up Worker, Home Office, GOV.UK (version 04/26, valid from 8 April 2026)