Obtaining UK Global Talent Visa for IT Specialist

I have always been happy with my job, and the idea of relocating abroad has never crossed my mind. As a famous saying goes, it is never late to change your life. I have been to London several times on business and fell madly in love with the city. I knew I wanted to live here. But I had no clue how to relocate. I had no connections in the UK, and my skills did not seem very special. I am so happy I came across very positive reviews about Imperial & Legal and asked them for advice.

Bussaba, a 37-year-old

Leading IT specialist from Thailand

Clients’ names and photos have been changed

Like any other country, the UK welcomes educated, highly qualified and skilled specialists. It does its best to attract talents who could contribute to British cultural and scientific scenes. 

Anyone can get a UK Global Talent visa if they love their job and do not count hours till the end of a working day; if they are passionate about what they do and about creating new projects. However, there are a lot of people who are not sure whether they meet the eligibility criteria. Therefore they never consider this immigration route a road to settlement in the UK. That was what happened to our client.

A young woman contacted Imperial & Legal to find out more about a UK Global Talent visa. She was not entirely sure if she was eligible, but after she talked to our immigration advisors, it became clear that we would be able to help her.

Our Client

Bussaba is from Thailand. She is a leading IT specialist with more than 15 years of experience. Lately, she has been a project manager in charge of several large international projects. 

During her numerous business trips to Europe, she began to think about relocating here. She chose the UK. Bussaba had little knowledge about British immigration rules, so she got in touch with Imperial & Legal to get help choosing and applying for a UK visa.

The Challenge 

To obtain a subcategory of a UK Global Talent visa designed for leaders in digital technology. To collect evidence confirming the client’s knowledge and skills to apply to Tech Nation for endorsement and then apply for a UK Global Talent visa.

The Solution 

A UK Global Talent visa gives the same level of freedom as a UK Investor visa gives to foreign investors who have invested at least two million pounds into the British economy. Now let’s compare it to other UK visas: a UK Skilled Worker visa ties you to the sponsor, and you can only change the employer by applying to the Home Office again. With a UK Student visa, all you can do is study; if you get a UK business visa, you will only be able to develop your business. Unlike these visas, you can do whatever you want on a UK Global Talent visa: study or work wherever you like, run a business, or be self-employed. It offers almost the same freedom as the settled status (UK ILR). 

The main requirement for getting an endorsement letter, which is necessary to apply for a UK Global Talent visa, is confirmation of an applicant’s skills and achievements. The whole process can be split into three steps:

1. Writing a personal statement – to explain in your own words why you have chosen the UK for relocation and how you can contribute to the country’s economy if you get a UK Global Talent visa.
2. Preparing letters of recommendation – an applicant must provide letters of recommendation from renowned experts confirming that the former has outstanding skills in the field and has shown it in specific projects that are valued by the professional community.
3. Collecting evidence of the talent – the applicant must provide evidence of their main achievements in the field: awards, proof of their participation in relevant projects, a patent, etc.

Our immigration advisors helped Bussaba draft a personal statement about herself and her work that talked about how her international projects were assessed highly by IT experts in the UK. Some of her peers were kind enough to send letters of recommendation, and a week later, she received five letters (albeit only three were enough for an endorsement).

In addition, Imperial & Legal’s immigration advisors showcased Bussaba’s business skills. We attached to the application reviews of her business projects, extracts from her speeches at conferences, and her awards. Once the evidence was collected, we applied, and the application was quickly approved.

It took Bussaba four months to obtain a UK Global Talent visa

The Conclusion

Bussaba had no problem getting an endorsement letter from Tech Nation, an endorsing body specialising in assessing IT specialists’ applications. Then our experts started the next stage of obtaining a UK Global Talent visa; we completed a visa application and applied for a UK Global Talent visa.

Imperial & Legal would recommend a UK Global Talent visa as a great way to start a new life in the UK. If you are skilled or highly qualified in your field and are looking for a change, give it a go.