The Tier 1 Exceptional Talent route is designed for ‘exceptionally talented’ individuals in the many disparate fields of science, humanities, engineering, the performing arts and digital technology. Those using this route must be internationally recognised at the highest level as world leaders in their discipline or recognised as having already demonstrated exceptional promise and are likely to become world leaders in their discipline.
Applications must be made by migrants themselves, although the Work Permits Desk can provide guidance where necessary. Applicants under this route will not need to be sponsored by an employer (commonly called a Tier 2 application), but their application must be endorsed by a ‘Competent Body’ which is an expert in the relevant field. The Arts Council and Tech City UK, for example, was recently appointed as a ‘Competent Body’ and can therefore assess applications for Tier 1 and recommend whether a person is eligible for the visa. There are limited places available under this visa category, with 500 places released on both 6 April and 1 October each year.
The UK’s Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that a new ‘tech visa’ will be introduced in April 2014. There will, in fact, be no new visa stream but the rules of the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa stream will be changed to allow exceptionally talented programmers and IT professionals to apply. This was undertaken by expanding the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) category to include leading talent in the digital technology sector, whom are endorsed by Tech City UK, as well as making it easier for applicants in this category to apply from overseas, and to count time spent in other immigration categories towards qualifying for settlement. This is not an overhaul of the system, but a modernisation of it. Companies such as Facebook, Google and McKinsey are welcoming the changes and are calling for more. But what does this mean for the individual?
How long can you stay?
- 3 years and 4 months if you apply outside the UK
- 3 years if you switch to this visa inside the UK
- 2 more years if you extend this visa
What you can and can’t do:
You can:
- do voluntary work
- travel abroad and return to the UK
- bring family members with you
You can’t:
- get public funds
- work as a doctor or dentist in training
- work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach
