Rule changes
Innovator Founder visa changes: what's current and what shifted
This page exists because half the advice online still describes rules that no longer apply. I keep it dated so you can see how current it is — and you should still confirm anything decision-critical against the official guidance.
Updated · 3 min read
The big change: no minimum investment
The Innovator route's £50,000 investment requirement went when the Innovator Founder route replaced it. There is no set investment figure now. What replaced it is judgement: the endorsing body decides whether your business is viable, which in practice means whether you can fund and deliver the plan you submitted.
This made the route more open to founders without capital and, at the same time, harder to game. There is no box to tick.
Secondary employment is allowed
You can take employment alongside running your business, subject to the rules in force. The important caveat is that the business must remain your primary focus, and the endorsing body will look at whether it genuinely is when it reviews you at contact points.
Endorsement moved to a smaller set of bodies
The endorsing body landscape was reshaped, and the approved list continues to change. Always start from the official publication rather than a list you found in an article, because a body that endorsed applicants last year may not be on it today.
What has not changed
- Innovative, viable and scalable are still the three tests
- You still need a genuine, active and ongoing role in the business
- Endorsement is still reviewed after you arrive at contact points
- English language and maintenance requirements still apply
How to check what's current
Fees, thresholds and the endorsing body list are the three things most likely to be out of date in anything you read, including this. Check them on the official pages on the day you plan, and treat blog posts — mine included — as orientation rather than authority.