The government of the United Kingdom announced that it will launch an new High Potential Individual UK visa in the spring of 2022 aimed at attracting top international talent to the UK.
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What is the new High Potential Individual UK visa?
This visa will priorities applicants with the skills the UK needs to meet its ‘levelling up’ agenda.
The High Potential Individual UK visa is therefore aimed at the highly skilled and academically elite who can work and live in the UK and make a positive contribution to the country’s economy by sharing their talents.
What is the purpose of the new High Potential Individual UK visa?
The main reason why the British government introduced the High Potential Individual UK visa is so as to make the UK the “easiest country in the world for top Innovative Talent to enter”.
The main difference between the High Potential Individual UK visa and other existing UK skilled visa routes – e.g. the UK Skilled Work visa and the UK Global Talent visa is that the High Potential Individual UK visa will enable ‘top internationally mobile talent from across the world who demonstrate high potential to come to the UK and realize their aspirations.
According to this Dec 1 2021 UK government press release, the High Potential Individual UK, the High Potential Individual and the Global Business Mobility visa as meant to “provide more opportunities for businesses to recruit leading people in their fields and encourage brilliant innovators and entrepreneurs to open enterprises in the UK – supporting British jobs, contributing to the economy and improving the UK’s standing on the world stage”.
What are the eligibility requirements for the High Potential Individual UK visa?
Very details currently available on the eligibility requirements for the High Potential Individual UK visa other than the fact that applicants will need to have graduated from a “top global university”.
In fact we are yet to settle on the definition of a “top global university”, but universities likely to qualify are those that feature in any one of the following list:
Times Higher Education World University Rankings
I checked the ROR rankings and in Africa, all 18 universities that made it to the list are either from South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia or Uganda.
So if you’ve graduated from University of Cape Town, University of Witwatersrand, or Stellenbosch University you’re on pretty safe ground to meet the High Potential Individual UK visa eligibility criteria as these all have a score of above 60.
Asia has 300+ universities listed, with majority of those in China and the Republic of Korea.
So if you graduated from Peking University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), or University of Tokyo etc. you’re probably in luck.
How far down such lists the British Government will consider an institution to still be top globally remains a mystery.
How long with the High Potential Individual UK visa be valid for?
Word has it that since the typically issues immigration-style visas for 30-36 months at a time, it’s likely you’ll need to initially apply for the High Potential Individual UK visa for 30-36 months and then extend it for a maximum duration of 5 years.
Does the High Potential Individual UK visa lead to direct settlement in the UK?
Yes it does, after 5 years you’ll be eligible to apply for permanent residence in the UK and also potentially British citizenship.
Can I move with my dependents on a High Potential Individual UK visa?
No information is currently available on whether or not you can bring your dependents with you to the UK on a High Potential Individual UK visa.
Similar visas, e.g. the Global Talent visa, doesn’t allow you to bring dependents, however the new Skilled Worker visa does allow you. We’ll have to wait and hear more on this.
When will the UK government launch the High Potential Individual visa?
The UK government in a Dec 1 2021 press release mentioned that it will launch the High Potential Individual UK visa, the Scale-Up, and Global Business Mobility visa in the spring of 2022.
How much will the High Potential Individual UK visa cost?
So far, no information is available about the cost of the High Potential Individual visa.
