The Home Office has today announced changes to the Global Talent route for individuals who have already been awarded prestigious international prizes, to allow them to apply for a visa on the basis of that award/prize.
From even a cursory read of the list, the government has set its sights high, the list includes:
- Those with a Nobel prize in Chemistry, Physics or Literature;
- recipients of an Oscar, a Bafta or Golden Globe award;
- recipients of an award in the field of computing, for example the recipient of the Turing prize.
The Global Talent Route is designed to attract people of talent or exceptional promise from across the fields of academia, research, the arts and culture and digital technology to come to the UK. It is part of the government’s post-Brexit Immigration Plan: to attract highly skilled people from across the world to the UK.
The present system is a two stage process for all applicants. They are required to apply for an endorsement from an appointed endorsing body first. If they are granted the endorsement, they can then apply for a visa. Today the Home Office has announced that those with certain internationally recognised awards can bypass the endorsement process, allowing them to apply immediately for a visa.
Liz Barratt, joint Head of our Immigration, Asylum and Nationality team, comments:
It is our view that this visa route is attractive to those who qualify, as it can lead to settlement in the UK and in our experience even the two stage process works relatively quickly. The new changes, streamlining the process for those who qualify will be welcome news for those who have been recognised as leaders in their field and who wish to relocate to the UK.
Bindmans LLP’s Immigration team is seeing an increasing interest in the Global Talent visa and our solicitors have extensive experience in advising applicants on this route, and other work related UK visas. For more information, please visit our webpage here.