Six years ago, Sergei Galkin made a radical career transition from social media management to developing projects at the intersection of Extended Reality. Exploring new ways to redefine human interaction with technology, he founded TheAR studio, creating immersive experiences for global brands like Adobe, Samsung, Meta, and Xbox.
After joining Flat2VR Studios as a UX/UI designer, he contributed to the adaptation of popular games for VR/MR platforms. His work has been recognized with industry awards, including a Design Excellence Award from Road to VR. His broader career achievements were further recognized with the UK Global Talent Visa.
In the following talk, Sergei shares how he decided to pursue this visa and what surprised him about the preparation process.
Sergei Galkin: My journey in XR began in 2019 when I left SMM and started creating AR effects for social media. I co-founded a studio with my best friend and 3D artist, Kirill, to develop immersive experiences. Since then, I’ve collaborated with top global brands, crafting AR experiences used by millions.
In 2022, I dived deeper into UX and interactive design for AR wearables, as focusing solely on mobile AR development felt limiting. I began publishing my projects on social media, and people loved them!
In 2024, I joined Flat2VR Studios to create engaging user experiences for some of the top games. I’m excited to see what the future holds for me!
Sergei Galkin: I have been living in the UK for the past 2.5 years and absolutely love this country for its incredible nature, golf, and great people. I also appreciate the convenient time zone, which allows me to work seamlessly with the Middle East, Europe, and the US.
This visa seemed like the best fit for my situation since I don’t work for a local company that could sponsor a skilled worker visa. Additionally, I didn’t want my residency to depend on a single company. The global talent visa offered the flexibility and independence I needed.
Sergei Galkin: In 2022, I was traveling a lot and met Alexey Sirin in Kaş, Turkey, a town popular among digital nomads. Later, he started working at Immigram, which was my first reason to reach out to them.
Looking back now, I realize that with enough effort, a person can handle the application process independently—but you have to be prepared to invest a lot of time. For me, the most important thing was to offload the burden of gathering and preparing documents.
I reached out to them, they responded, the terms were good, and I didn’t want to spend time looking for anyone else. Simple as that!
Sergei Galkin: I plan to continue living and working in this amazing country, further developing my skills and expertise in XR design. I want to contribute to the industry by working on innovative projects, collaborating with talented professionals, and sharing my knowledge with the community. Additionally, I aim to support the local economy through my work and professional engagements. On a personal level, I look forward to enjoying the UK's beautiful nature, playing golf, and maybe even getting a dog!
Sergei Galkin: Create unique and outstanding projects. Approach things differently and share your work both online and offline.
Connect with more people in your industry and expand your network, even if it's just through virtual communication. Be ready to reach out to those you've worked with—or even those you haven’t—who can vouch for your expertise. Maintaining good professional relationships is essential, as you may need recommendations or endorsements.
Always seek feedback on your work and collect recommendation letters when collaborating with interesting people or companies, no matter how unusual or unexpected it may seem.
