Tier 1 Exceptional Talent route is designed for highly skilled individuals in the fields of science, humanities, engineering, the arts and digital technology who wants to contribute towards the enrichment of knowledge economy and cultural life in the UK.
Changes in Tier 1 Exceptional Talent
The Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) category is for talented individuals in the fields of science, humanities, engineering, the arts and digital technology to work in the UK without the need to be sponsored for employment in a specific post. Applicants must be endorsed by a Designated Competent Body. The following changes are being made to this category:
- The endorsement of arts applicants is being widened to include those in the fashion industry who are operating leading designer fashion businesses. These applicants will be assessed by the British Fashion Council operating within the endorsement remit of Arts Council England.
- Other changes are being made to the criteria for endorsement by each Designated Competent Body, at those bodies’ requests. These include changes to the evidential requirements for applicants holding a peer-reviewed research fellowship; changes to the criteria and list of eligible awards for applicants in film and television; and changes for digital technology applicants to reflect the rebranding of “Tech City UK” as “Tech Nation”.
- Amendments are being made so that endorsements for Croatian nationals no longer count against the number of allocated endorsements available to each Designated Competent Body. This is because Croatian nationals will no longer need to apply for work authorisation in this category, owing to the lifting of transitional controls on the work rights of Croatian nationals on the occasion, this July, of the fifth anniversary of Croatia’s accession to the EU in July 2013.
