There has never been more competition for the brightest and best global talent, particularly amongst the largest economies in the world. Every country wants the brightest and the best – and the brightest and best often relocate owing to socio-economic circumstances.

It is not unusual for highly experienced and accomplished professionals to choose between countries such as the US, Australia, Canada and the UK. 

One of many elements in the UK’s favour is the accessibility of obtaining an immigration visa.  There are no age restrictions or application quotas and you can apply all year round with decisions received within just a few months, if not weeks.  This is different from the systems in countries such as the US, Canada and Australia which tend to use a competitive lottery system with lengthy lead times.  

Global Talent visa:

The Global Talent visa (formerly the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa) is two-staged: Stage 1 requires professionals in the sciences, digital technology and the arts to apply for endorsement from a designated UK public body. Scientists apply for endorsement from the Royal Society and Royal Society of Engineers, Tech professionals apply to Technation and artists and performers apply to the Arts Council, for example. 

Endorsement:

Applying for endorsement requires payment of a fee and providing evidence to fulfil the particular endorsing body’s criteria. Most endorsement applications are connected by the common requirement to have letters of recommendation from noted professionals in the same field, particularly for Digitech. Academics are measured by publication output and artists by international performances and awards. 

About the visa:

The Global Talent visa is an attractive option for highly skilled individuals – it provides a route to settlement after just three years (five years is the norm for most other visa routes) and there are no restrictions or requirements regarding work - the visa holder can be employed, self-employed or unemployed.

Obtaining an endorsement from an approved body is critical to the success of an application.  However, an applicant is not prejudiced by a refusal to endorse – he/she is still free to re-apply at a later date or pursue other visa routes. 

How can we help?

Our immigration experts have particular expertise in the fields of tech, science and engineering and the arts. We have worked with international tech professionals, esteemed scientists in the fields of Oncology and Neurology, classical composers, R’n’B performers and Academy Award-winning film costume designers to name a few. Our expertise lies in our experience. 

How we work:

We work with our clients to prepare their endorsement applications – providing guidance on supporting documents and reviewing each one to make sure that the endorsement criteria is met. We take clients through the entire process from an initial guidance conversation to having their visas in their hands. 

Learn more about our services

For support on this topic, please contact our expert below or get more information on our dedicated service page.