The Global Talent Visa in Digital Technology #TechNationVisa (formerly Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visa) is a special visa introduced by the UK Government to allow highly skilled entrepreneurs and talent in the digital technology sector the right to live and work in the UK for up to five years.
It is a two stage process where the applicant must first be endorsed by Tech Nation with exceptional talent or exceptional promise before they can apply for the visa. Tech Nation is a UK Government organisation set up to empower ambitious tech entrepreneurs to grow faster through growth programmes, digital entrepreneurship skills, a Global Talent visa scheme for exceptional talent, and by championing the UK’s digital sector through data, stories and media campaigns.
The benefits of the Global Talent Visa in Digital Technology is that it will provide you with:
- Freedom and flexibility
- the ability to live and work in the UK for up to five years
- the ability to apply for indefinite leave to remain and British Citizenship
- ability to bring your dependants with you
- register a UK Ltd company
- work for a tech company without the need for company sponsorship
You must meet the strict criteria set by Tech Nation for endorsement. Here is some information if you wish to apply for the Stage 1 endorsement.
TECHNICAL SKILLS AND BUSINESS SKILLS
The Stage 1 Global Talent Visa endorsement allows applicants with technical or business skills to apply for the endorsement.
Technical applicants must show they have proven technical expertise with the latest digital technologies in building, using, deploying or exploiting a technology stack and building technical infrastructure.
Business applicants are those with commercial, investment, or product expertise in building digital products or leading investments in significant digital product businesses.
Technical skills include but are not limited to engineering, developers, cybersecurity, machine learning, AI, coding, architects and devops.
Business skills include but are not limited to product managers, investors, digital marketing, sales, business development and operations. If you do not fall within these skills, it’s not to say you aren’t eligible because the tech industry moves so quickly that new jobs and new skills are constantly being created.
REQUIREMENTS
- Exceptional Talent or the Exceptional Promise categories are available for those who have either more than 5 years experience or less than five years experience working in tech.
- The criteria is separated into Key/Mandatory Criteria and Qualifying criteria. You need to select 3 and gather the relevant documentation to fulfil the criteria.
- The criteria includes showing innovation, evidence that you advanced the digital tech sector, leadership in your field, impact to the digital tech sector, continuous learning in the form of certifications or academic contributions in your field.
- You need to provide 3 letters from experts in your field to write your letters of recommendation
- You need to review your CV and edit to show exceptional talent, leadership, achievements, outcomes/impact from projects
- You need to submit your personal or rather, professional statement which will include your future plans in the UK if you receive the visa.
New changes take effect from 1 December 2020. Read my blog here!
The Global Talent Visa in Digital Technologies #TechNationVisa is more than a job application so it would be useful for you to consider and reflect on your career achievements in the digital technology sector and what you plan to do in the UK.
Having been endorsed with exceptional talent by Tech Nation (formerly Tech City UK) in 2016 and received the Global Talent Visa myself, I was able to take advantage of all the benefits of the Global Talent Visa. I am now a British citizen and have the true freedom and flexibility to live and work in the UK and travel the world as I please.
