How to Apply for a Digital Technology Global Talent Endorsement
In This Article
1. Overview of the Digital Technology Global Talent Visa
2. Personal Statement: Key Questions and Contributions to the UK Tech Sector
3. CV Requirements: Highlighting Your Digital Technology Achievements
4. Letter of Recommendation Requirements for Digital Technology Global Talent Visa
5. Evidence Requirements for the Digital Technology Global Talent Visa
6. Supporting Evidence: Key Requirements for Your Application
7. Contact Our Immigration Barristers
8. Frequently Asked Questions
9. Glossary
10. Additional Resources
1. Overview of the Digital Technology Global Talent Visa
The Digital Technology Global Talent visa is an excellent route for individuals who have the potential to be, or are, leaders in their field and wish to broaden their career opportunities in the UK digital technology sector. It is open to both technical and business applicants within tech sectors and sub-sectors, such as cyber, fintech and AI.
Applying for the visa involves a two stage process: firstly, obtaining endorsement from Tech Nation; and secondly, using this endorsement to apply for the visa. However, the evidential requirements for endorsement are quite complex and the Tech Nation Guidance can be labyrinthine at times. This piece breaks down the different types of evidence Tech Nation wants to see to persuade them that you are a talented or promising individual in the field of digital technology.
For further details on the eligibility requirements for the Global Talent visa in Digital Technology, please refer to our immigration route guide as well as our Top 10 FAQs on Tech Nation Endorsement.
2. Personal Statement: Key Questions and Contributions to the UK Tech Sector
The personal statement is the opportunity for you to truly convey why you want to come to the UK and what contribution you believe you will make to the digital technology sector. The Guidance provides a few specific questions which you must answer, in no more than 1000 words:
- Why do you want to come to the UK?
- What is your planned occupation in the UK?
- Which region or city of the UK are you planning to live in?
- How will the UK digital technology sector benefit from your work? (Examples of this might include the technological advances you will bring, the creation of new markets, the planned growth of a digital technology company, the activities you will take part in outside of your direct occupation)
You should start the personal statement by explaining your background and the specific achievements you have selected to meet the mandatory and optional criteria. For example, you could briefly explain how you have contributed to cutting-edge digital technology journals beyond your occupation, offering your expertise on the latest tech trends. These criteria are elaborated on below.
After this, you should outline what your intentions in the UK are if granted a Global Talent visa. Tech Nation wants to see that you have specific plans to contribute to the UK digital technology sector, such as a start-up idea, academic research, collaborations with digital tech firms, mentoring, etc. As such, starting discussions with individuals in the UK sector before submitting your endorsement application might be wise, as it would allow you to describe more concrete contributions.
3. CV Requirements: Highlighting Your Digital Technology Achievements
You will need to include a CV with your career and publication history. The CV is what you will use to evidence your track record over the last 5 years as a leading talent or potential leading talent in the digital technology sector. It is therefore important to structure your CV clearly, with dates, in such a way that conveys your most impressive achievements over the last 5 years. It must be typed and a maximum of 3 A4 sides of paper.
4. Letter of Recommendation Requirements for Digital Technology Global Talent Visa
You must include letters from three different well-established individuals acknowledged as experts in the technology field from three different organisations . The evidential requirements for the letters are quite strict:
- The author must be a senior member of their organisation – e.g. Vice President of Spotify, Director at Google.
- The individual should have detailed knowledge of your work over a period of 12 months or more. They should be able to explain how they know your work – e.g. you worked in a team at this organisation for 2 years, you collaborated on a major project together for a year.
- The letter must be about your Global Talent application – so you may not use a reference letter for an employer, for example, as it is not written for the purpose of your Tech Nation endorsement.
- Explain how the author knows you – e.g. you know each other through work, academic engagements, you have co-authored papers, etc.
- They must know your achievements in the relevant field – they should include a list of your academic and professional achievements to date;
- How the author considers you show exceptional talent or promise – explaining why all of your achievements make you a leader or potential leader in the digital technology sector.
- The contribution you would make to the UK digital economy.
In addition, the letters should be formatted as follows:
- Be typed and dated (not handwritten);
- Be up to 3 single sides of A4 paper, excluding the author’s credentials and contact details;
- Be signed by the author, or by someone on behalf of the organisation recommending you;
- Include the author’s contact details (telephone number and email address);
- Include the organisation’s logo and registered address, if applicable;
- Come with the author’s CV (or other proof of their credentials that the endorsing body will accept).
Making sure your authors are sufficiently senior people within their organisation and have a detailed enough knowledge of your work over the last year is crucial. Our immigration barristers would be happy to guide you through this process to ensure that your authors meet the strict evidential requirements set by Tech Nation.
5. Evidence Requirements for the Digital Technology Global Talent Visa
You are permitted up to 10 pieces of evidence to show that you meet the relevant eligibility criteria:
- A minimum of 2 pieces of evidence must show that you meet the mandatory criteria;
- A minimum of 4 pieces of evidence must show that you meet the optional criteria.
Note that the evidence showing that you meet each of the respective criteria must be different. As a reminder, the mandatory criteria for business and tech applicants are as follows:
- For ‘Exceptional Talent’ must show that they have been recognised as a leading talent in the digital technology sector in the last 5 years.
- For ‘Exceptional Promise’ must show that they have been recognised as having potential to be a leading talent in the digital technology field in the last 5 years.
The Tech Nation Guidance offers numerous examples of how applicants can demonstrate they meet the mandatory criteria. As an example, a cybersecurity expert could provide evidence showing that:
- They led the growth of a non-profit organisation designed to protect humanitarian organisations from cyber attacks in conflict zones, as evidenced by a reference letter from the Director of the organisation.
- They won a Cybersecurity Breakthrough Award for their work, as evidenced by the award itself and a letter from the awarding body;
- They hold a high salary for their current job as cybersecurity at a major bank, as evidenced by their employment contract with their salary information, including bonuses and equity, and a letter from their employer showing a history of earnings.
The optional criteria require you to show:
For Exceptional Talent:
Two of the following:
- A proven track record for innovation as a founder or senior executive of a product-led digital technology company or as an employee working on a new digital field or concept;
- Proof of recognition for work beyond your occupation that contributes to the advancement of the field;
- That you have made significant technical, commercial or entrepreneurial contributions to the field as a founder, senior executive, board member or employee of a product-led digital technology company; or
- That you have demonstrated exceptional ability in the field by academic contributions through research published or endorsed by an expert.
For Exceptional Promise:
Two of the following:
- Innovation as a founder of a product led digital technology company or as an employee working on a new digital field or concept;
- Proof of recognition for work beyond your occupation that contributes to the advancement of the field;
- That you have made significant technical, commercial or entrepreneurial contributions to the field as a founder or employee of a product-led digital technology company; or
- That you have demonstrated exceptional ability in the field by academic contributions through research endorsed by an expert;
and
- That you are at an early stage of your career.
For example, the cybersecurity expert applying for the ‘Exceptional Talent’ route might choose to provide the following pieces of evidence:
- Evidence that an innovative cybersecurity technology they developed led to substantial revenue, in the form of the business’ audited accounts, financial projections and articles of association.
- Evidence of several talks given on the main stage at important cybersecurity conferences, showing a significant viewership of 100+ attendees, in the form of a link to the video of them speaking and a reference letter from the conference organisers explaining why they were asked to speak.
- Evidence that they led the development of a high impact digital product in the cybersecurity space, in the form of a letter from their employer and product designs clearly showing their personal contribution to the product.
6. Supporting Evidence: Key Requirements for Your Application
- They may be no longer than three A4 sides in length – each document represents a single piece of evidence, so you may not combine several into one. If a document is longer than this, you must extract/summarise it into the most important parts.
- You must include evidence of any active or dissolved product-led digital technology businesses in the last five years or evidence of share ownership through business in a digital technology sector company as one of the 10 pieces of evidence.
- The documents must be uploaded to the Tech Nation platform along with your application (not hard copies). The application form will give you an opportunity to describe the documents uploaded.
To maximise your chances of success in Global Talent Tech Nation, it is essential to properly evidence your talents and accomplishments. Our immigration barristers have a wide range of experience assisting digital technology professionals to pursue their dream careers in the UK, supporting them at every stage. We offer clear advice to help you navigate the complex Tech Nation evidential requirements, and carefully prepare your application to best showcase your achievements.
7. Contact Our Immigration Barristers
For expert advice and assistance regarding an endorsement application for a Global Talent visa, contact our business immigration barristers on 0203 617 9173 or complete our enquiry form below.
