Blog
Kingsley Napley’s Medical Negligence Team ‘walks together’ with the Dame Vera Lynn Children’s Charity
Sharon Burkill
After a tense period of uncertainty over who would assume Tech Nation’s role as the endorsing body administering the tech branch of the UK’s Global Talent Visa, or indeed if the visa route would disappear altogether (either temporarily or permanently), Tech Nation have now confirmed that they will continue to accept applications “until a new endorsing body is in place”.
Founders Forum Group acquires Tech Nation
On 25 April 2023 Tech Nation announced that Founders Forum Group (FF Group) has formally acquired Tech Nation. This is more good news for digital tech Global Talent visa applicants. Tech Nation also confirmed that under the FF Group umbrella it will continue to endorse Global Talent applications as normal until a new endorsing body is found by the Home Office. This means that for anyone with exceptional talent/promise in the digital tech space, they will continue to apply to Tech Nation for endorsement and then separately apply to the Home Office for the visa. This has also been confirmed by the Home Office.
Background
On 31st January 2023, Tech Nation announced that it would cease operations on 31 March 2023 after the government pulled key funding, awarding it instead to Barclays’ tech incubator Eagle Labs. This sparked upset, and no small degree of panic, among those of us who think the Global Talent visa route has been pretty darn great. So, the news that Tech Nation plans to continue to accept applications and bridge the gap between their winding down and the appointment of a new endorsing body is a welcome relief.
Importance of the digital tech endorsement option
This is an extremely promising update for a vital visa route. The Tech Nation visa has been integral in attracting top tech talent to the UK, which experts agree is a crucial factor in the UK retaining its status as a world class centre of tech innovation. The fact that Tech Nation has confirmed that it will continue to accept new Global Talent endorsement applications until a new endorsing body is in place, means that the tech arm of the Global Talent visa can continue to operate without interruption.
Ensuring this is a smooth transition to a new endorsing body will be key in retaining the attention of tech talent, who may have already, in the interim, begun looking elsewhere to locate their start-ups and investments.
Considering the increased competition in foreign visa policies intended to entice top tech talent, this news could not have arrived at a better time for the UK’s tech sector. This is an extremely welcome outcome that reinforces the UK as an attractive, strong and inviting location for tech development.
As soon as we have any further information on a change to a new digital tech endorsing body we will update you. But in the meantime, it is a positive development for visa applicants that Founders Forum Group has officially taken over Tech Nation and that Tech Nation is continuing in its role as endorsing body for the time being.
This blog was updated on 26 April 2023 following Founders Forum Group’s acquisition of Tech Nation.
Further information
If you are interested in applying to Tech Nation for endorsement, our FAQs have more information. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please contact Katie Newbury or Elli Graves in our Immigration team.
About the authors
Katie is a Partner in the immigration team and has over 10 years' experience across a wide spectrum of UK immigration matters, with particular expertise in applications made under Tier 1 of the Points Based System and complex personal immigration matters.
Elli joined Kingsley Napley in August 2018 as a Legal Assistant in the private client immigration team. She is now a Senior Immigration Advisor. She has a wide range of experience in both immigration and nationality matters, including points-based applications, EEA applications and Appendix FM applications. She also has a keen interest in complex immigration matters including Human Rights based applications, cases on appeal and asylum claims.
We welcome views and opinions about the issues raised in this blog. Should you require specific advice in relation to personal circumstances, please use the form on the contact page.
You may also be interested in:
Blog
A New Era of Football Regulation - The Independent Football Regulator
Natalie Cohen
Blog
Court of Appeal clarifies data protection claims for non-material damage: A win for claimants - But what are the implications for controllers and processors?
Caroline Sheldon
Share insightLinkedIn X Facebook Email to a friend Print