Tech Nation's closure and the future of Global Talent visas for digitech applicants

Those familiar with the Global Talent visa will know that Tech Nation is a UK Government backed, non-profit organisation, which was created to serve the UK scale up digitech ecosystem. Tech Nation acts as an endorsing body for talented digital technology sector applicants seeking immigration permission under the Global Talent route.

On 31 January 2023, Tech Nation issued a statement announcing it will cease operations at the end of March 2023, as a result of withdrawing key Government funding. 

The news that Tech Nation is to close has come as a shock to the UK digital sector, having supported the ascent from infancy of many businesses which are now household names including Deliveroo, Depop, Just Eat, Ocado and Monzo. The funding that Tech Nation relied on originated from the UK Government's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to operate have this year been awarded to Barclay's Bank (Eagle Labs), which intends to use the funding to help launch its own programmes to support UK tech business. Eagle Labs has announced that it will not be taking over Tech Nation's role as the endorsing body in the tech category of the UK's Global Talent visa.

On 31 March 2023 the Home Office further announced that Tech Nation will continue providing endorsements for the Global Talent visa scheme until a replacement endorsing body is appointed. This means that individuals can still apply for endorsement under the digital technology criteria after 31 March, and their endorsement application will be reviewed by Tech Nation until further notice. 

Our expert Withers Tech and UK Immigration teams have extensive experience in advising co-founders and digitech experts.

For further information please contact our UK Immigration team, or your usual Withers contact, call +44 20 7597 6364 or email enquiries.uk@withersworldwide.com.