Recently, I came across the Tech Nation Global Talent Visa Report: 10 Years of Global Talent in UK Tech, which encouraged me to discuss the important patterns I discovered in this document, supplemented by my personal views gained from working with clients for the previous two years.

1) What is the UK Global Talent Visa and why is it unique?

The UK Global Talent Visa has been in place for about a decade. Before Brexit, it was known as the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Visa, and it had an annual cap of 2,000 endorsements. But this cap was lifted in February 2020, and since then the UK Tech Market has observed more and more tech talents from all over the world coming to the UK under this visa. This is a perfect option for the tech sector, and it has no analogues worldwide because of the great flexibility it provides (an endorsed applicant has a right to reside in the UK no matter of being employed or running their own business) and an opportunity to bring dependents.

2) A little bit of statistics

In a statistical context, Tech Nation has endorsed 5,249 skilled global professionals in the past 10 years, and from year to year, this number is growing. According to the official report issued by Tech Nation in February 2024, “Tech Nation Global Talent Visa Report: 10 Years of Global Talent in UK Tech”: “Numbers have boomed from 818 Global Talent Visa endorsements between 2014 and 2018 to 4,431 between 2019 and 2023. In 2023 alone, 1,620 internationals were endorsed for the Global Talent Visa by Tech Nation, a 258% increase compared with 2019.”

When it comes to the professionals that come to the UK on a global talent visa, the field is still dominated by men. According to the Tech Nation Report, gender figures have remained steady over time, with 76% men and 24% women. Unfortunately, I see this among my clients and customers. Less than 10% of my clients are female, and it is difficult to judge if this is due to an industrial trend in which women are still under-represented in technology or a cognitive pattern in which females experience imposter syndrome more often than male. Imposter syndrome is a really big deal for people who apply for this visa, and that I observe in every 2D client – most people do not understand their true value before starting work on the visa, and it often serves as a discouraging factor for them to apply, as many of them think that they are not talented enough.

3) Where does the UK’s global tech talent come from?

Most applicants who apply for the UK Global Talent visa are from Europe. In 2023, 39% of authorised visa applications were from Europe, followed by IT talent from Africa (21%), and India and North America – 9% each. Regions such as Australia and China are under-represented under the UK global talent visa, and it would be interesting to examine the underlying trends that influence these figures. As a consultant, I agree with these numbers because the majority of the clients I've dealt with are from Europe and Africa. To be more specific, Europe is not equal to the European Union, and based on occasional conversations with clients from the European Union, it appears that this visa is not generally recognised in most EU states, as opposed to other areas of Europe such as Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.

4) And what about skills?

The Global Talent Visa for tech professionals is available to a broad range of talented individuals, and there isn't a specific career path that guarantees a successful application. What matters most for applicants is showcasing a unique story and a distinct set of achievements. There's no hidden preference for certain types of talent in Tech Nation's Endorsement  process. However, based on statistics, the most commonly represented skill set under the Global Talent Visa in 2023 was software engineering, accounting for 30% of total applicants.

Another significant group comes from business development roles (including sales, partnerships, growth hacking, etc.), representing about 20% of applicants, followed by product managers, who make up 13-15%. In contrast, a smaller portion of applicants are solution architects (2%), UX designers (3%), researchers (approximately 5%), and marketing professionals (around 5%).

I agree with these trends, particularly with the rising interest among product management professionals. As for those least represented, it's not necessarily due to a lack of professionals in these fields. Instead, it may be a result of misunderstanding what can be submitted for a Global Talent Visa application. Most applicants focus on demonstrating how they developed a tech product, supported by metrics and a story of leadership and contribution. However, professionals like marketing experts or solution architects may feel uncertain about how to frame their contributions in a way that fits the visa's requirements.

5) What do these trends mean?

Given these figures and the ongoing influx of educated individuals to the UK, it appears that London is positioning itself as a formidable challenger to Silicon Valley, which has traditionally been the preferred destination for many tech experts. Of course, market prospects have a huge impact on where technology professionals choose to relocate. However, the UK Global Talent Visa is more than just an immigration route; it is a community that encourages growth among these outstanding individuals. However, the UK Global Talent Visa is more than just an immigration path; it is a community where exceptional talents may thrive. It has a very strong network impact and will serve as fuel for the next generation of innovative projects in the UK.

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