Has the Global Talent Visa been helping the UK tech skills crisis?
to assess applications and endorse candidates. When it comes to making the Global Talent application, it’s important to evaluate your achievements and make sure that you include each and every proof of your talent. We have compiled a list of document types required in the application process and specific examples you can include.
a mandatory healthcare surcharge payment of about £600 per year for each person applying.
The immigration healthcare surcharge (or IHS) is a sum of money you must pay in order to access the National Health Service.
NHS is the umbrella term for the UK publicly-funded healthcare systems. Paying the surcharge makes it possible to visit doctors
in the UK for free. Without access to the NHS, though, you will not be able to get your visa.
If you are applying for your visa online, you will have to pay
the surcharge as part of your application or when you book
an appointment. You will not be able to submit your application
until full payment is made. If you are applying for a visa by post,
you will have to pay the surcharge online before sending your application and to include the IHS reference number on your application form.
HAS THE GLOBAL TALENT VISA BEEN HELPING THE UK TECH SKILLS CRISIS?
2. Evidence about innovation
3. Amount of supporting documents
4. High level of achievements
5. Letters of recommendation
6. Correlation between ‘Talent’
and ‘Promise’
What is a Global Talent Visa?
The Global Talent Visa replaced the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent visa in February 2020 and opened three distinct immigration pathways – in tech, academia and research, and culture and the arts – for talented and promising individuals wishing to work in the UK.
Candidates for this immigration category must seek endorsement from one of six endorsing bodies engaged by the UK Home Office. If you are applying for endorsement in the field of digital technology, your application will be referred to Tech Nation.
Please note, there are two stages to the application process:
The endorsing body – in our case, Tech Nation, will send its endorsement decision to the Home Office. You will be notified by the Home Office whether you received the endorsement or not.
When endorsement is granted, the final immigration decision rests with the UK Home Office. Tech Nation is not involved in this stage and gaining their endorsement is not a decisive factor in itself as to whether a vise will be issued eventually. The UK Home Office is supposed to consider immigration aspects of your application.
No matter the challenges within the application process, the Global Talent visa has its benefits for the candidates and holders alike. The visa allows you to work in the UK on a flexible basis with fewer restrictions and costs than other immigration categories. Also, the individuals can apply for a permanent residency after staying in the UK for 3 years. Hence, the visa ameliorates the migration process.
With that, since the introduction of the visa, Tech Nation received around 1,500 applications from more than 100 countries in 2021.
So, why is the UK facing tech skills crises?
According to a government report of 2019, more than 80% of all jobs in the UK list digital skills as a requirement. Some of them include the ability to use business software, project management platforms or Microsoft Office programs. Yet too few people possess these skills.
In fact, the Open University found that nine in ten UK organisations admitted to facing a shortage of digital skills. This trend was already having a significant negative impact on productivity, competitiveness and efficiency but the pandemic has even accelerated it.
According to IT PRO (technology news and reviews hub for IT professionals), the UK tech industry, amid a growing tech skills shortage, faces vacancies of up to 100,000 per month. Some started to argue whether the Global Talent Visa’s focus on exceptional digital professionals is too narrow.
The UK digital tech sector is growing exponentially. Especially, amid the pandemic and the development of remote technologies. Access to talented and exceptional people is widely recognised to be a key factor to the further sector development.
To conclude, if you are an innovative leader and can contribute to the UK digital tech sector, the Global Talent Visa route is an excellent way to come to Great Britain.
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