Tech Nation Visa. Officially known as the Global Talent Visa for Tech Nation, the Visa allows the best and brightest tech talent to visit the UK to work in the UK’s technology sector. They will contribute their cutting-edge creativity, innovation, and expertise to keep the UK at the forefront the global digital economy.
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Tech Nation Visa 2022: Get Approved Using This Guide
The Tech Nation Visa is the right visa for you if you’re a promising or talented individual who wants to work in the UK’s digital technology sector.
What is the Application Deadline for Tech Nation Visa?
The Tech Nation Visa Application is on going. No specific deadline date yet. You need to get started as soon as possible.
Tell me a little bit about the Tech Nation Visa:
Officially known as the Global Talent Visa for Tech Nation, the Visa allows the best and brightest tech talent to visit the UK to work in the UK’s technology sector. They will contribute their cutting-edge creativity, innovation, and expertise to keep the UK at the forefront the global digital economy.
Tech Nation is an official Home Office-designated endorsing body that can assess endorsement applications for individuals who are skilled in digital technology and wish to travel to the UK on the Global Talent Visa.
Tech Nation Visa is available to founders and employees who have technical and business backgrounds. This includes all sub-sectors of tech like cyber, fintech, and AI. You can work, change employers or become self-employed for as long as the visa is valid. You can extend the Tech Nation Visa to your immediate family members. After the initial visa period you can apply for an extension and permanent settlement in the UK.
The Tech Nation Visa is for talented and promising individuals who want to work in the UK’s digital technology sector.
Which fields are eligible for participation in Tech Nation Visa?
Here are some examples of technical skills that qualify.
- DevOps / SysOps engineers
- Principal software engineers/developers
- Experienced data scientists/data engineers
- Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language
- Processing and Machine Learning experts (AI, NLP, ML)
- Cybersecurity experts
- Hardware engineers
- Experienced front-end developers
- Operating systems engineers
- Experienced video game developers
- Experienced UX/UI designers
- Experienced Mobile App developers
- Experienced back end developers leading development of, or contributing heavily to major new technologies or open-source projects (e.g. blockchain, Scala, Golang, Elasticsearch etc)
- CTO or VP engineering experience managing teams of in-house employees at a growing digital business
- Virtual and augmented reality developers
Examples of Business Skills
- Experience of leading substantial VC investment over £25m GBP
- Experience as a commercial/business lead (P&L, growth, sales and distribution strategy) in a digital business
- Experience of expanding or growing a significant product-led digital technology business
- Sector-specific experience e.g. payment infrastructure in FinTech / international expansion in EdTech etc.
- Solution sales experts
- Experienced Product Manager
- SaaS or enterprise sales leadership for digital services
- Solution sales skills performed for a growing B2B digital business (i.e. not big-company experience)
- Performance marketing experts, performed in house for digital businesses
- Experienced and senior VC or PE analysts with track records of leading investments in digital businesses
- Experience as C Suite in a SMEs + (CEO, CMO, CIO) or head of operations for a digital business
Who is eligible to apply for a Tech Nation Visa?
- Tech Nation’s criteria were created for applicants who have technical and business skills in digital technology. Below are the listed skills. This is a partial list that Tech Nation has evaluated.
- Technical applicants (i.e. Non-technical applicants (i.e. programmers) are also eligible.
- Non-technical candidates (i.e. Non-technical applicants (i.e.,.
- Non-technical applicants are not generally eligible.
Technical applicants need to demonstrate technical proficiency with the most recent technologies in building, using and deploying a technology stack or building technical infrastructure.
Business applicants need to demonstrate proven investment, product, or commercial expertise in the building of digital products or leading investments into significant digital product businesses.
Criteria for Eligibility for Tech Nation Visa:
Two options are available for applicants who wish to be approved by Tech Nation
Leader (called an ‘exceptional talent.
Emerging leader (called “exceptional promise”).
Candidates with exceptional promise are more likely to get promoted earlier in their careers, often with less than five years experience. Your achievements and skills must demonstrate your ability to lead.
Tech Nation will evaluate your endorsement application determine if your achievements and skills meet the eligibility criteria to approve you for the Global Talent visa. It is important to note thathis decision is not based on the eligibility criteria. Tech Nation’s independent panel will decide whether or not the applicant should be endorsed for the Global Talent visa and which route. Tech Nation reserves the right to evaluate each application individually and make a recommendation about endorsement.
Applicants must choose between the following options:
The table below lists the criteria for “Exceptional Talent”, one mandatory and two optional.
OR
The table below lists the requirements for meeting one or two of the “Exceptional Promises” criteria.
Exceptional Talent (leadership in the relevant field)
An applicant evidencing EXCEPTIONAL TALENT must:
- They have been recognized as a leader in digital technology over the past five years.
Provide evidence for 2 of these:
-
- A proven record of innovation as a founder, senior executive or employee in a digital-led technology company that focuses on products.
- Documentation proving that the work of the applicant is recognized as contributing to the advancement of the field
- They have contributed significant technical, entrepreneurial, or commercial contributions to the field as founders, senior executives, board members, or employees of a product-led, digital technology company.
- They have shown exceptional talent in the field through academic contributions to research published or endorsed and endorsed by experts.
Exceptional Promise (potentially leader in the relevant field)
An applicant evidencing EXCEPTIONAL PROMISE must:
- They have been recognized as a potential leader in digital technology in the past five years.
Provide evidence for 2 of these:
-
- At least one example of innovation, either as founder or employee of a digital technology company that is product-oriented or in a new field or concept.
- At least one example of evidence of recognition for work that is not related to the applicant’s job, which contributes to the advancement in the field
- At least one example of significant commercial, technical or entrepreneurial contributions to this field as a founder/employee of a product-led technology company.
- At least one example of extraordinary ability in the field through academic contributions via research endorsed by expert
- Start your career early
Accelerated:
Tech Nation will expedite your application if you can show proof that you have been accepted into a UK accelerator programme. Fast track endorsement applications are usually approved within three weeks. Alumni of previous accelerator programs are not eligible for the Fast Track. Your endorsement application should contain clear information about your plans for the UK, other than your participation in the accelerator program.
This Fast Track is not related to eligibility. Applying for Fast Track does NOT increase the chances that your application will get endorsed. The Fast Track is only about the speed at which your application can be processed.
These accelerators are eligible for Fast Track. This includes all active programmes that these accelerators run throughout the UK.
- Antler
- Bethnal Green Ventures
- Carbon13
- Collider
- Creative Destruction Lab
- Cylon
- Entrepreneur First
- Founders Academy
- Founders Factory
- Ignite
- SETsquared
- Startupbootcamp
- techstars
- Wayra
What is the procedure for obtaining a Tech Nation Visa?
There are two stages for applicants to Global Talent if you are an initial candidate (someone who hasn’t previously held leave under this category or its predecessor Tier 1 Exceptional Talent).
Stage 1: Application for Endorsement. An endorsing body evaluates your abilities, achievements and informs the Home Office if you are eligible to be endorsed. This stage can take up to 8 weeks for processing. Your endorsement decision may be made in as little as 3 weeks if your application is approved under the Fast Track category. First Apply For Endorsement On the Global Talent visa website, then you will need to complete a Tech Nation Visa Application for assessment.
Your Stage 1 application must be submitted within 15 days of your Home Office application. Your application will be rejected if you fail to submit the Tech Nation application form.
If you are successful in receiving endorsement by Tech Nation, the Home Office will inform. Once you have been approved, you can apply for visa (Stage 2)
Stage 2: Application for Visa. Tech Nation does not participate in Stage 2. You must apply to the Global Talent website within three months of receiving your endorsement. Failure to do so could result in your endorsement being canceled. The Home Office will consider immigration issues, including general grounds for refusal and whether you can switch to Global Talent if you’re already in the UK. If you are not in the UK, this stage can take up to three weeks and up to eight weeks if it is within the UK.
