Immigration News: Tech Nation to Cease its Operations. How Will This Impact UK Global Talent Visa Endorsements?
In a week where the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, spoke of his ambition to transform the UK into the next Silicon Valley, Tech nation announced it is ceasing operations on 31 March 2023. In this blog, our immigration solicitors look at how the Tech Nation announcement may affect you if you are a global talent visa holder or if you are planning on applying to Tech Nation for endorsement.
UK Online and London-Based Immigration Solicitors
For advice on UK immigration law call the expert London immigration lawyers at OTS Solicitors on 0203 959 9123 or contact us online.
Tech Nation withdrawal
Tech Nation has announced it is ceasing operations with its end date stated to be 31 March 2023. The news has surprised global talent visa holders as well as those planning on submitting a global talent visa application and their business immigration lawyers.
Having been around for about a decade, Tech Nation was viewed as something of an institution for tech entrepreneurs looking to base their digital business in the UK or to scale up. As a non-profit organisation that supported start-ups and scale-ups as well as offering global talent visa endorsement, Tech Nation’s closure has come as a surprise to many especially as it was set up in 2010 to promote the tech sector in the UK. Given the government’s pledge to attract the brightest and best to the UK, the timing seems off but it is down to the withdrawal of government funding.
Where is the funding being diverted to? The Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) has said that it is awarding 12 million in grant funds to Barclays bank to be used by their incubator, Eagle Labs. They have a 2-year contract to support tech businesses.
Will Barclays endorse digital tech global talent visa applications?
The prime concern of global talent visa holders and applicants is whether Barclays will take over when Tech Nation ceases operations, namely visa endorsement, and endorsement monitoring. Barclays has said it will not be taking over the visa endorsement process from Tech Nation.
Where does that leave global talent visa holders and those intending to make a digital tech-based endorsement application? Business immigration lawyers say it is a good question as Tech Nation is the only authorised endorsing body responsible for endorsing applications in the digital tech sector for global talent visas.
It is said that the global talent visa endorsement process for digital tech endorsement for global talent visas will continue as normal until 31 March 2023. So far, the government has not announced what will happen after that date. This may seem odd to digital and tech entrepreneurs because of the government’s emphasis on the importance of growing the UK tech sector by encouraging the global best to come to the UK to help kick-start the economy.
Business immigration solicitors say it is a case of watching this space for more announcements on the visa endorsement process for digital and tech global talent visa applications.
How can the business immigration lawyers at OTS Solicitors help?
If you are contemplating a digital tech endorsement application as the first step in applying for a global talent visa then business immigration solicitors recommend that you get expert immigration advice as quickly as possible on submitting your application before 31 March and your alternate visa options.
Remember that Tech Nation only endorses global talent visa applications in the field of digital technology so all other global talent visa applications are not under such time pressures.
If you hold a global talent visa and you are concerned about the future of your visa and how the Tech Nation withdrawal may affect your plans to apply for indefinite leave to remain then contact our specialist lawyers and we will give you the most up-to-date advice on how the Tech Nation decision may affect you.
To offer some reassurance, Tech Nation says they will continue to endorse visa applications and that endorsements will remain valid even after 31 March whilst it works with the Home Office on the long-term plans for endorsement in the global talent visa digital tech sector.
Business immigration solicitors recognise it is a worrying time for digital tech entrepreneurs as the UK immigration rules state that if an endorsing body is no longer approved by the Home Office this can lead to visa cancellation. However, the Home Office has announced that it will ensure that global talent visa holders are not disadvantaged by the Tech Nation decision. That is perhaps small comfort to tech entrepreneurs in a week when the International Monetary Fund forecast that the UK is the only country amongst all advanced economies that are on track to go into recession in 2023.
UK Online and London-Based Immigration Solicitors
For advice on global talent visa applications or UK immigration law call the expert London immigration lawyers at OTS Solicitors on 0203 959 9123 or contact us online.