On 31 January, Tech Nation announced that it will cease operations on 31 March 2023 after losing its government Digital Growth Grant funding to Barclays. So what does this mean for digital technology Global Talent visa applicants?
After more than a decade serving the UK’s tech scale ups, Tech Nation is closing its doors. Eagle Labs, a tech incubator branch of Barclays Bank, has been awarded the DGG grant for two years. However, Barclays has confirmed that it will not be taking on the administration of Global Talent visa endorsements. Tech Nation has had many success stories since its introduction during the Coalition government, including Revolut, Deliveroo, Ocado and Monzo.
There is at present very little information available about the future of the Global Talent (Digital Technology) visa stream. Tech Nation has confirmed that they will continue to accept endorsement applications, but the end date has not yet been confirmed.
The Home Office says it is looking at options to “ensure the continuity” of the Global Talent digital technology visa but no details have been published at the time of writing. With a tech talent shortage in the UK and the government’s plans to make the UK ‘the world’s next Silicon Valley’, workers and tech firms will no doubt be disappointed that we have reached this point without a continuity plan for the visa programme.
Potential applicants should consider submitting their applications as soon as possible, and keep in mind the eight-week processing time for endorsement decisions. Given the uncertainty around what will replace the current Tech Nation endorsement route, we anticipate there will be sharp increase in the number of endorsement applications before Tech Nation’s closure.
Regarding existing visa holders, the Home Office has confirmed “We will also take every available step to ensure that applicants already part of the Global Talent route are not disadvantaged by the closure, so the UK can continue to benefit from the brightest and best living and working here.”