My Journey to Global Talent: A Guide to Yours

Discover my remarkable journey from Lagos to the UK as I share my experiences and challenges in obtaining the coveted Global Talent Visa (GTV) for exceptional promise in the digital technology sector.

Good news! I am on my own. Not so good news; I am on my own. I have never been 100% on my own. Why am I saying this? Just one month ago, I embarked on the journey of leaving behind the familiar to embrace a new chapter in the United Kingdom. Thrillingly, I received the Global Talent Visa thanks to the endorsement from Tech Nation.

For this reason, I will be sharing this journey, which has been the most fulfilling reward for the effort put into my career, the fearful bits phase, and a memorable one in a 5-minute+ read 💡

What does the Global Talent Visa (GTV) mean?

The Global Talent Visa is referred to as a Tier 1 UK immigration category for talented and promising individuals termed "exceptional talent and promise” in the following fields: Academia or research, Arts and culture, Digital technology

This pathway allows you to work in the UK without being tied to a specific employer. Through the Global Talent Visa route, I got endorsed under the digital technology sector reviewed by TechNation to work in the UK's digital technology sector, contributing my cutting-edge expertise, creativity, and innovation to maintain their position at the forefront of the global digital economy.

Additionally, the Global Talent Visa route provides you the flexibility to travel in and out of the UK, bring your family (partner and children) with you as dependents, be an employee, be self-employed, and be a director of a company, e.t.c

My Career and Application Journey 🚀

If you are more than acquainted with me, you might know my career trajectory, but I am sharing nonetheless.

I majored in accounting at the University of Lagos, and over my 4-year career journey, I gained hands-on experience with a FinTech company's growth marketing team. I started as a social media manager, evolved into a growth associate, and eventually became the growth lead. My path then led me from growth to product management. To this day, I collaborate closely with engineers on Web, iOS, and Android projects, overseeing a multifaceted team of over 20 members across various startup domains, including digital banks, Web3, SaaS, and product agencies. Our collaborative efforts have translated into transactions worth over $3 million, addressing local needs in the Middle East and Africa.

When I stumbled upon the GTV—Tech Nation pathway, I came to the realization that my experience in the technology sector aligned with the "Exceptional Promise Category" (explained later). So, I boldly submitted my initial endorsement application in October 2022, emphasizing my expertise in both growth and product development. Unfortunately, it was a double setback as my application was rejected, and my appeal was turned down for the following reasons:

1. I provided little evidence regarding Growteq (an NGO), which I am co-founding. In their words, “No doubt Growteq has potential, but there is not enough hard evidence at this stage to show that there has been significant growth in the platform”.

2. The public speaking engagement snapshots couldn’t be considered significant events in the sector. The impact wasn’t clear, and there’s no sufficient evidence of having achieved significant recognition.

3. Performing and stating core tasks in my discipline doesn’t necessarily mean innovation.

4. One of the speaking engagements was termed “product advocacy” for a past employer.

5. I think my choice to use "innovation" as the guiding criteria for my evidence might not have been thoroughly considered.

Though daunting, I could pinpoint the shortcomings in my previous application, stemming from inadequate research and a lack of expert review. Consequently, after the initial rejection, I hesitated to reapply due to the perceived costliness, especially since endorsement application fees are non-refundable.

However, in 2023, my motivation surged when a close peer, who had previously faced rejection, successfully obtained the endorsement. This encouraged me to reapply. This time, I meticulously reviewed my past application, gathered my evidence in just nine days, and submitted my application on April 14, 2023, despite the considerable physical and mental strain.

I firmly believe that the following actions were pivotal to my successful application this year:

1. I showed my contributions to a product-led digital technology company as an employee.

2. Underwent multiple reviews from peers, founders, and experts

3. Highlighted metrics, values, and numbers to efforts

4. Backed each mandatory and optional piece of evidence with sufficient reference letters

5. I drafted a planner to keep my evidence-gathering organized.

Endorsement Application Steps

As a prospective applicant (technical or business), there are two options for endorsement, which are:

Exceptional Promise

Applicants who apply under this category will likely be early in their career, typically with 5 years or less of commercial experience, and have yet to establish a track record in innovation or product-led technology. Critically, they will need to be able to demonstrate the potential to be a leader in digital technology through their skills and achievements thus far.

Exceptional Talent

Applicants in this category are well established in their careers with 5+ years of experience and have a strong track record in a particular field.

Regardless of whichever category is chosen, these are the steps to be followed to make an application:

1. Make your Global Talent Endorsement deposit here

2. Submit your relevant pieces of evidence here

Then the below should be ready to input to the evidence in number 2 stated above:

1. A personal statement stating your purpose for coming to the UK, your current occupation, the prospective region you would like to live in, and how the UK sector would benefit from your work

2. Three compulsory reference letters from leaders within the industry You can decide to have more letters at your discretion. These letters should be dated, have an email address or contact address, be letter-headed if possible, and carry the signature of the author, who must be an authorized member of the organization, such as the Chief Executive, Chief Operating Officer, Head of Product, e.t.c

3. Attach relevant screenshots ranging from snippets of documentation, contribution graphs on GitHub, workshop or speaking engagement talks, offer letter(s) stating your earning power, snippets of conversations showing leadership or being active in a project, e.t.c., to the evidence for your Mandatory and Optional criteria

4. Your resume or CV

The waiting season

They say good things come to those who wait. I do not know how factual this is, but the waiting season had me up to the act of “faith” and “believing”.

In order to clarify my waiting situation, it's worth noting that TechNation suggests an optimal response time of 8 weeks after you've submitted your evidence. This isn't definitive, as a couple of my peers got their feedback (positive or negative) in 3 days, 10 days, and 2 to 3 weeks. On the other hand, I waited till anxiety crept in and I could barely eat properly.

The time of waiting rekindled my spirit of thanksgiving and appreciation. I was grateful for the opportunity that has presented itself and the provision of resources for the application and future outcome.

As the feedback time was entering the 11th week, at the same time I sent an email to the Home Office in regards to my application, and I got my feedback from them. It was a “jinx” moment, and I screamed my lungs out.

The Immigration process and expenses 💸

Although the image below shows a cost breakdown of the entire process, it’s important to note that the budget for the itemized expenses has increased. For example, if you’re applying based on an endorsement, you will be paying £716 in two parts:

• £524 when you apply for the endorsement

• £192 when you apply for the visa itself

If you’re applying based on an eligible award, you’ll pay the full £716 when you apply for the visa. As well, if you’re including your partner or children in your application, they’ll each need to pay £716.

And a side note: for your health surcharge, you do not need to pay for all the years at once; this perspective is an individual pocket-based opinion.

Now, let's dive into the immigration process. Surprisingly, it wasn't as daunting as I had imagined. The application flowed seamlessly when I visited the TLS office, and by opting for the assisted service, the helpful staff there took care of everything, from collecting my international passport to uploading the essential documents on my behalf, including:

1. IHS receipt

2. Tuberculosis results

3. Endorsement letter

4. Supporting checklist

The Countdown and Crippling Fears

Each day, my inner circle inquired, "How are you feeling? Are you brimming with excitement?" My answer remained quite consistent: "I'm experiencing a sense of dullness." However, as my departure date drew nearer, my emotional state deteriorated. Restless nights and frequent mood swings became my companions two weeks before my journey. The countdown period felt like an eternity spent with my family, bringing joy but leaving me yearning for more quality time with my friends.

I attempted to maintain a facade of toughness, but my throat ached with concealed emotions, and the dread of the unfamiliar infiltrated my dreams. The prospect of job hunting was riddled with countless "what ifs." Unlike my past experiences in Nigeria, where jobs came through referrals or my skills spoke for themselves, I now faced a different reality.

In the blink of an eye, both day and night seemed to grow shorter, and a weight settled in my heart, even after I had arrived in England.

Settling in 🏡

When asked about my greatest fear upon relocating, I responded, "loneliness." It's not a feeling I'm accustomed to, but thankfully, Tech Nation brings a sense of community, and we're fortunate to live in the digital age, just a phone call away from our loved ones.

It's been a full month, yet every day feels like day one for me. I'm giving myself the grace whilst job hunting in this new landscape.

This is my journey—the start of it. I am open to work in Product Management roles within the FinTech, SaaS, Web3 and EdTech industry. Also, feel free to reach out on LinkedIn if you have any specific questions; I am more than happy to help.