Layoffs are in season. Hiring freezes and massive job cuts have hit the tech industry yet again. Ongoing inflation, the impending threat of a recession and consumers tightening their belts – all of this has led companies to trim costs wherever they can.
Big corporations are laying off employees by the thousands, with Meta cutting 11,000 workers (13% of the workforce), Twitter and Uber – 3,700 each, Booking.com – 4,375 and so on.
The founders of the companies blame ill-conceived staff expansion. The CEO of Stripe, a financial platform for businesses valued at $74 billion, sent an email to the startup’s employees, stating: “We overhired for the world we’re in <...> We were much too optimistic.” Stripe had to let go of more than a 1,000 staff members.
One of the companies where layoffs have had the most devastating impact is Twitter, with Elon Musk deciding to cut half of the company’s staff. The layoffs have affected many departments – from engineering and machine learning to the sales and content divisions.
According to Layoffs tracker, more than 120,000 tech workers have been laid off this year. While some employees only lose their jobs, immigrant workers are at risk of losing their right to live and work in the country. Immigrants with employer-sponsored visas would be hit hardest.
For instance, holders of the UK Skilled Worker Visa will have to find a new sponsor in 60 days time or leave the country. There is no grace period. If an immigrant stays in the UK after the 60 days are up, they will be considered an illegal overstayer.
It’s not always easy to find a new employer with a sponsor licence on short notice. And now it’s going to be even more challenging, especially considering the widespread tech layoffs happening across the country. However, there is still a legal way to remain in the UK without a sponsor and, in the future, turn your stay into a permanent one – you can apply for the Global Talent Visa.
The Global Talent is an employer-free visa. This means that you won’t have to build your life in the UK around your sponsor and fear expulsion in case you’re laid off. To be eligible for the “Talent” Visa, you WON’T require:
All that matters for the Global Talent Visa is your professional experience. If your work background fits the criteria, you will get the visa that gives talented specialists freedom to:
But one of the major benefits of the Global Talent Visa is that it offers a straightforward path to ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) and British citizenship. You can become a permanent resident after 3 or 5 years on the visa (depending on its subcategory) and apply for citizenship after spending 5 years total in the UK.
💬 Mikhail Sharonov, co-founder and COO of Immigram
“Years spent on the Skilled Worker Visa will be counted towards your ILR. For instance, if you’ve already spent two years on the Skilled Worker Visa, you’ll only have to apply for a one-year Global Talent Visa. And if you’ve spent three years on the Skilled Worker Visa, you may apply for ILR the next day after you receive your Global Talent!”
If you’re in the UK as a Skilled Worker, you might consider applying for a switch to the Global Talent Visa before your current visa expires. Nevertheless, applications can be sent from outside the UK if you’ve already had to leave the country – you’ll be able to return a free soul!
📌 Immigram offers a 10% discount to ex-employees affected by the recent layoffs.
Take our scoring test to calculate your chances of obtaining the Global Talent Visa. Our team will contact you afterwards and offer detailed feedback on your case.
