What to do if you’re not talented enough for the UK Global Talent Visa

You are talented enough! For tech, science, creative or academia, the UK Global Talent Visa isn’t just for top-tier leaders. It’s also for those who show exceptional promise. You don’t have to be at the very top of your field. Your contributions, potential, and leadership qualities are just as important.

What the visa is not about:

• You don’t need to be a household name.
• You don’t need extensive media coverage.
• You don’t need decades of experience.

What the visa does focus on:

• Demonstrable impact in your field.
• Evidence of innovation, leadership, or influence.
• Clear plans for how you’ll contribute to the UK.

The first thing we do with clients is assess whether their profile matches the criteria for the UK Global Talent visa (you can use our free eligibility assessment tool to know if you are eligible in a couple of minutes).

Here’s what we look at:

1. Projects

One of the biggest misconceptions is that team projects don’t count because they’re collaborative. While this is true, what really matters is your unique contribution. You need to prove what you specifically brought to the table.

What counts as proof?

• GitHub repositories: If your name is listed as a main contributor, that’s strong evidence.
• JIRA tickets: If a project or feature is assigned to you, this shows ownership.
• Presentations to leadership: If you presented the project to C-level executives, include agendas, slides, or follow-up emails.
• Awards or recognition: If your team won an award for the project, gather internal announcements or certificates that link you to the work.

What if your work is internal?

If your projects are internal and there’s no external proof, don’t write them off. Sometimes, with a bit of research, you can find external references.

2. Achievements

What impact have you had in your field? Have you received any awards or recognition? Even small achievements, when positioned correctly, can help build your case.

3. Publications or public speaking

Have you presented at conferences or written papers? This demonstrates your thought leadership and influence in your industry.

4. Collaborations

Have you worked with high-profile organisations, teams, or clients? Collaborations can add credibility to your profile.

If you’re not eligible right now, that’s okay—it’s all about building your profile. Here’s how you can start preparing:

1. Choose impactful or innovative projects

For Tech Nation, you need to work on projects that are either impactful or innovative. It doesn’t matter if you’re in marketing, product management, or software engineering—what matters is the result. So when choosing which projects to engage in, keep those criteria in mind.

Examples:

• Leading a project that introduced new technology or improved processes.
• Launching a product that drove measurable results, like user growth or revenue increases.
• Developing a tool that’s widely used within your company or industry.

2. Document everything

It’s not enough to just say you did something—you need proof.

• Screenshots: GitHub repositories, JIRA tickets, or analytics dashboards with your name on them.
• Emails or presentations: Include slides or follow-up notes from meetings where you presented your work.
• Media mentions: Articles or client testimonials that recognise your contributions.

3. Build UK-based connections 

If you’re in academia, one requirement is a UK-based reference (one UK-based letter for promise and two letters for talent). If you are in arts, you would also be required to provide letters from UK-based organisations. Start networking now to find potential referees. Tech professionals do not need UK-based referees to successfully obtain the UK Global Talent visa.

What you can do:

• Reach out to collaborators from past projects to see if they can connect you with UK-based contacts.
• Look at your existing network to see who might have ties to the UK communities.

4. Strengthen your media profile

Participating in conferences and writing article is a great start, but not all media counts for endorsement.

What works:

• Articles about you in established publications (e.g., TechCrunch covering a product you launched).
• Articles you’ve written for moderated platforms (e.g., Forbes, where submissions are reviewed by an editor).
• Conferences (online and offline) with talk about your field of expertise.

What doesn’t work:

• Blog posts on personal websites or platforms like Medium without moderation.
  
• Talks about career development in your field (e.g. how to become a product manager).

5. Scientific articles in any language

For scientists, peer-reviewed articles don’t need to be in English to qualify. Citations on platforms like Google Scholar or ResearchGate are more important than the language itself.