The story of Olga Kiba, a former English teacher from the Ural city of Chelyabinsk who received the UK Exceptional Promise visa, is not only fascinating but deeply inspiring. While teaching English in Shanghai, Olga decided to make a bold career change and become a frontend developer. Her journey took her from teaching in China to relocating to Europe, where she learned about the UK's Global Talent program for tech specialists. However, the road to obtaining the Exceptional Promise visa was anything but smooth: it took two years and two rejections before her efforts finally paid off.
In this interview, Olga opens up about her remarkable career transformation, shares how she persevered through challenges, and provides advice for those striving to reach global career heights. Her story is a powerful reminder that you should never give up, even when it feels like luck is no longer on your side!
Your journey to obtaining the Global Talent Visa took several years. How did you feel after completing this process?
To be honest, when I opened my email, I saw two messages: one from the UK Home Office (regarding my visa application) and another from the airline notifying me that check-in for my flight had started. Having little hope that I would get the visa, I decided to calmly check in for my flight first. After that, I opened the Home Office message. Imagine my surprise when I saw the words: “Tech Nation has advised that you meet its criteria for Exceptional Promise.” I reread the email slowly, over and over, to make sure it was real. Afterward, I felt elated for days and experienced a huge wave of joy every time I thought about that email.
Could you tell us about your career and profession? How did you transition into the tech industry?
My initial profession was connected to the Asian region and foreign languages, so after graduating from university, I moved from Chelyabinsk to Shanghai to work as an English teacher. After a year and a half of teaching, I realized I needed to complement my humanities background with a technical skills to advance my career. So I decided to return to Moscow and study to become a frontend developer. My first company was AliExpress, where I was able to combine my old skills with my new ones. Now, I work at the British company Holland & Barrett, where my team and I develop applications for warehouse management.
When did you learn about the UK Global Talent Visa, and why did you choose it for relocation?
When I started working as a developer, I decided to pursue my dream of living in Europe. I initially chose Poland because it had relatively straightforward requirements for obtaining a residence permit. However, after moving there, I faced some bureaucratic challenges with legalizing my stay and realized I needed a “Plan B” in case I couldn’t stay in Poland. Around that time, I learned that my former dorm mate from China had successfully obtained a Global Talent Visa. This inspired me to research the program in detail, including the eligibility criteria and the steps required to secure the visa.
How did you learn about Immigram, and why did you choose to work with them on your visa application?
As I delved deeper into the Global Talent Visa process, I realized that preparing the application on my own would take too much time—something I couldn’t spare due to my workload and the challenges I was already facing with obtaining a residence permit in Poland. That’s when I decided to seek help from companies experienced in the nuances of the application process. Among all the options, Immigram stood out to me as the best choice in terms of both organizational aspects and budget considerations.
You were able to obtain the visa after two unsuccessful attempts. Could you share the challenges you faced and what helped you persevere?
With each unsuccessful attempt, it became harder to stay motivated, and I often felt like giving up. I even considered walking away from the process altogether when I was encouraged to try a third time. But the new strategy proposed by my new case team gave me renewed hope. They took a fresh approach to preparing and submitting my application, and their support made all the difference. We had regular calls, and after each one, I felt more inspired and increasingly confident that success was possible.
How has obtaining the Global Talent Visa impacted your career opportunities and future plans?
I believe the opportunity to work in the UK is too good to miss. It undoubtedly offers far more opportunities for growth and development, so I am fully committed to relocating and exploring new horizons!
Looking back at your journey, what advice would you give to professionals in fields like machine learning who aspire to work in global tech hubs such as London?
Never give up and never lose hope, because you never know when luck might smile on you. Always strive to reach new heights, because it is on this journey that you discover what truly matters and holds value for you.
