Post-Brexit Britain needs you. Now that the UK has officially left the EU and entered a mere 11 month transition period, the race to reconfigure the immigration system to ensure, as a country, we attract the talent employers desperately require has begun. On 30 January 2020, the Government introduced a Statement of Change to the Immigration Rules. Its purpose is to introduce a new Global Talent category under the Innovator Visa and Startup Visa for talented and promising individuals in specific sectors wishing to work in the UK, replacing the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visa.
“These reforms follow an announcement by the Prime Minister on 8 August 2019, setting out the Government’s intention to develop a new fast-track immigration offer for the brightest and best within the science and research sector, to ensure the UK is the most attractive country to live in and develop new ideas – which also recognises the importance of science and research to the modern industrial strategy and the Government’s stated objectives to increase GDP to 2.4% by 2027. These changes represent the first phase of reforms to achieve these objectives.”
The changes will take place on 20 February 2020. If you have applied for endorsement, entry clearance, leave to enter, or leave to remain under the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visa before this date, your application will be decided per the Immigration Rules in force on 19 February 2020.
How is ‘global talent’ defined?
Global talent is defined in the Statement of Change as:
“talented and promising individuals in the fields of science, engineering, medicine, humanities, digital technology and arts and culture (including film and television, fashion design and architecture) wishing to work in the UK. Applicants will be leaders in their field or have the potential to be leaders, as determined by an endorsing body. This category may lead to settlement in the UK.”
Eligibility criteria for the Global Talent/promise route
Global Talent applicants Guidance must gain written endorsement from government-approved endorsing bodies. The existing Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) endorsing bodies (the Royal Society, the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering, Tech Nation and Arts Council England) will be joined by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the new Global Talent category.
In addition, the applicant must meet the following criteria:
- the application for entry clearance or leave to remain must be made no later than three months after endorsement is granted
- where an applicant is required to provide a curriculum vitae, the curriculum vitae must be a maximum length of 3 single sides of A4 paper, as opposed to 2 pages
Unlike those applying for an Innovator Visa or Startup Visa, applicants do not have to meet an English language requirement.
Those applying for endorsement through Tech Nation must provide:
- a completed Tech Nation Global Talent application form
- a CV outlining their career and publication history, up to 3 pages
- three dated letters of recommendation signed by three different senior members of different established organisations in the digital technology sector. The signatories must be familiar with the applicant’s work and their contribution to the digital technology sector and be qualified to assess the applicant’s claim to be a leader or potential leader in this field. Each letter must:
- be written and signed by an authorised member of the organisation they represent, such as the Chief Executive, Chief Operating Officer, Finance Director or Head of Course
- include details of the author’s credentials (for example, a curriculum vitae)
- include details of how the recognised expert knows the applicant
- include the applicant’s achievements in the specialist field, and how, in the opinion of the recognised expert, the applicant exhibits exceptional talent or exceptional promise
- include how the applicant would benefit from living in the UK and the contribution they would make to the UK digital technology sector
- include details of any future professional engagements the applicant has in the UK, where applicable
- Evidence of any active businesses established or businesses that have been dissolved in the last five years in which the applicant has been a director, founder or entrepreneur, or evidence of share ownership through business in a digital technology sector company
- Evidence in relation to the relevant key and qualifying criteria listed above. This evidence must consist of no more than ten documents in total and must be submitted via the Tech Nation (Global Talent) online form. Each document must be no more than two A4 sides in length. The evidence in (iv) above is included in the maximum of ten documents.
Furthermore, the Global Talent visa route does not form part of the points-based-system, so applicants will not be required to meet a certain number of points to qualify.
The entry route is also made more attractive in that the simplification of the route (as compared to the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visa) means that applicants will not have to pay an additional six months healthcare surcharge.
The Home Office guidance has not been published yet, and we hope to see these soon. Stay connected for more changes or information.
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To find out more about the Global Talent visa route or extending your existing Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visa, please call our office on +44 20 7404 7933 or email [email protected].
Disclaimer: No material/information provided on this website should be construed as legal advice. Readers should seek an appropriate professional advice for their immigration matters.
