Reasons For Endorsement Rejection

IT professionals submit their applications for the Global Talent Visa endorsement to Tech Nation. Caseworkers assess each candidate following the official guide and decide whether to endorse or reject a candidate. Tech Nation has turned down more than 50% of all applications since 2020.

During our work, the Immigram Team has formed a strategy of interpreting criteria in clients’ favour. This allows us to keep our success rate at 96% — even considering first application rejections (about 20%).

But why does Tech Nation turn down so many applications? What are the common reasons for endorsement rejection? Can they be avoided? We answer these questions in our guide.

TOP REASONS FOR TECH NATION’S REJECTION

Tech Nation’s rejections can be divided into two categories — technical and conceptual.

Technical rejections are more common. If an applicant compiled all the documents for the Global Talent Visa on their own and were rejected — most likely, they got confused in the wording of the Tech Nation’s guidelines or filled out the application incorrectly. Because of these formalities, many talented specialists receive rejection letters.

Examples of technical rejections:

1) The applicant did not mention the criteria referring to the supporting documents. Without the reference information, the attached documents will not be assessed in the context of the specific criteria. This applies to any document: letters of recommendation, CVs, salary certificates or diplomas for participation in the conference.

2) Templating in reference letters. Templating in reference letters. Tech Nation often uses this wording so that the rejection may seem more "reasonable". But the fact is, the only way for Tech Nation to prove that the reference letters were templated, is to contact the referees directly and get them to confirm that they haven't signed those letters. Only in that case would the "templating in reference letters" work as a valid reason for rejection.

Tech Nation rarely goes through the described process. So, if you haven't used templates for the letters, the rejections based on this reason are fully appealable.

3) Wrong formatting of reference letters. They must include the date, the author's signature and contact information. The absence of letterheads in the case can reduce the chance of endorsement by 7-8%.

4) Exceeded volume of the case bundle. The entire bundle should consist of less than 100 pages*, and each supporting document should not exceed 3 pages. Even though the 3-page limit is often omitted by caseworkers, it is still a good idea to include all the important information on the first 3 pages of each document –– in case Tech Nation decides to follow the rule, they will only take into account those pages. But, still, Tech Nation will not appreciate a complete 30-page employment contract –– it is better to attach only the relevant pages.

*Some of our clients were rejected because their cases exceeded the page limit, even though this requirement did not exist before. After a series of successful appeals, Tech Nation modified the guide. The limit is now clearly spelt out and is 100 pages per document package.

Examples of conceptual rejections:

1) CV is not selling. Tech Nation’s caseworkers go over lots of bland, templated CVs every day. That’s why the worst thing you can do is rely solely on listing your career’s high points and facts about you.

Immigram advises writing a catchy resume with photos from conferences and speeches, screenshots, and links.

2) Uninformative Personal Statement

The Personal Statement should be about:

• The candidate's accomplishments –– showcase specific examples and evidence why you possess the characteristics of an Exceptional Talent or an Exceptional Promise.
• Why they chose the country from a professional point of view
• Specific plans for the British IT sector –– don’t use vague wording like “I want to advance in the UK tech industry.” Spell out your plans: e.g. “I want to relocate my business to the UK” or “I’m going to work on an “X” product in a “Y” sector.”

3) Wrong choice of a referee. Tech Nation often dismisses referees, stating:

• “The applicant has not been endorsed by individuals who themselves would be considered as an Exceptional Talent.”
• “The applicant has provided letters of recommendation from individuals with whom they have never worked and who have simply followed his career. These letters simply summarise the applicant’s work history.”
• “The applicant has provided the required letters of recommendation from managers and work colleagues/friends, which alone are not sufficient to demonstrate leading talent.”

The person who signs the letter should be a senior member at the company and know your work. The official Tech Nation guide states that they should ideally be a Chief Executive, Chief Operating Officer, Finance Director, or Head of Course.

The letters should also clearly indicate referees’ work experience, achievements and why they themselves can be considered Exceptional Talents.

4) Insufficient proof of Public/External Profile. Caseworkers also pay attention to the applicant’s social activities. Prove that you are a versatile person: attach evidence of participation and speaking at IT conferences, teaching or mentoring experience, interviews, publications or open source contributions.

The Public Profile should also be reflected in recommendation letters (e.g. from a conference organiser) and in supporting documents (e.g. credentials, conference programmes, and certificates).

Tech Nation updates reasons for rejection every 3 months, which is tough to keep track of on your own. We record them and quickly develop new appeal strategies. This lets us stay ahead of the curve with new clients and consider all possible rejection reasons when compiling a case.

Thinking of applying for the Global Talent Visa? Calculate your chances with our scoring test and get detailed feedback on your case from our team.