UK Global Talent Visa Alumni Celebration Party

26 October 2024 marked a night of celebrations for my UK Global Talent Visa Alumni community.

The UK Global Talent Visa is a special visa that allows highly skilled tech entrepreneurs and employees working in tech companies not only the opportunity to live and work in the UK but also a route to settlement in the UK.

After launching in 2014, I received my own UK Global Talent Visa in 2016 and was endorsed as an exceptionally talented leader in tech when I was the Founder of my tech startup in the UK.

3 years later, I received my Indefinite Leave to Remain Visa and became a British Citizen.

For me, the process of preparing and applying for the UK Global Talent Visa was an extremely stressful one. It requires one to prove that they are an exceptional leader in tech, produce reference letters from numerous notable experts in the tech industry, a proven track record of innovation, significant technical, commercial or entrepreneurial contributions to the field, volunteer work that advances the tech sector or made significant academic contributions. There are strict criteria which one must meet and be endorsed by Tech Nation, (now acquired by Founders Forum) before one can successfully apply for this golden Visa.

Having done it myself, and being an Australian solicitor in my past life, I have coached numerous other applicants with their endorsements.

It has been a tremendous journey, helping so many applicants in various ways with their applications who went on to successfully secure their UK Global Talent Visa. Slowly, I had built a community of exceptionally talented, diverse leaders in tech from different countries. I coached them on a one to one basis over zoom particularly during the pandemic and post the pandemic. I was invited remotely into their homes, their kitchens, home offices, dining rooms, office spaces, coffee shops from all over the world – in the UK, Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, US, Ukraine, Canada and Mexico to name a few. I met their children, their partners and families. And I heard their personal stories of why they wanted this golden ticket to the UK.

They became more than my clients, they became my inspiration too.

When one receives the email from the Home Office, it is a very formal email stating, amongst other things, “You have been endorsed”. There are no congratulations or emojis or exclamation marks celebrating the successful applicant’s achievements of being endorsed as an exceptionally talented leader in tech. It feels flat, clinical and robotic.

It is because of this that I decided to, after many years, host a Celebration Party in London for my community of successful UK Global Talent Visa recipients. My main reasons were:

I selfishly wanted to meet my special clients in real life who I had successfully coached to secure their endorsements, give them a real hug and celebrate their incredible milestone with them; and
I have always been a big believer in communities, networks and networking. I had built a strong community of diverse and talented leaders working in the tech sector. I knew all of them individually, however, they did not know each other.

The journey of applying for the UK Global Talent Visa is a very lonely one because the stakes are very high. I wanted to connect them to allow them to celebrate their incredible milestones with each other.

This is because there is something really powerful about groups and shared experiences. There is a deeper connection when people have shared experiences and shared pain. While in this case, they experienced them individually (with my support) and after being successful and coming out of it, meeting and talking to others who had gone through similar experiences creates an immediate bond, understanding, empathy and deep connections.

I am so grateful to witness and experience an evening of wonderful conversations flowing, laughter, hugs and some (happy) tears. I am incredibly proud of each and every one of my clients, now my fellow UK Global Talent Visa recipients who together make up an inspiring global community of leaders in tech in the UK. The courage they all have, to go through this stressful process, leave their home countries to seek better opportunities for themselves and their families, some leaving their families and friends behind to embark on their professional tech career in the UK to make the UK a more competitive economy is highly admirable and they should be celebrated. The sacrifices they have made, the money and time they have invested and the numerous opportunities now presented to them is worth all the pain. The UK Global Talent Visa Alumni are a highly talented group of diverse individuals who are the next generation of leaders in tech in the UK! I am looking forward to seeing how they all progress and hear more about all their achievements in the UK!

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Feedback from the UK Global Talent Visa Alumni Community

Thank you for all your support in helping us get here – it really wouldn’t have been possible without you. You have built such a strong community of high-achieving immigrants, and I am sure it will only grow. We’d love to meet more such people, and thank you for being a super connector!

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I was thinking a lot about what you said when you gathered us for a toast. That experience applying is something few people really understand. There’s a lot of emotion and stress involved on top of the deadlines. So reflecting on last week, I realise that I didn’t really celebrate that achievement properly until that moment in the pub with you and all the other amazing people due to the pandemic. Thank you for bringing everyone together.

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Was really lovely seeing you last week, thank you so much for arranging and getting us all together. Was also wonderful to meet your beautiful, sweet dog. She was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen! I can see why you love her.

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Great to see you LIVE yesterday!!!

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It really was lovely to get to see you and your amazing clients.

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Thanks for hosting, it was great to meet you!

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The evening was wonderful, and I met such interesting people! We had so much to talk about and so little time. One of them joked that we’re all “trauma bonded,” which I found very accurate! Thanks again for the invite, it was a lovely evening!

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It’s strange to remember how stressed and confused I felt a year ago. I know I’m not the only one to feel this way, so thank you for all you do for immigrant founders.