Bade Adesemowo, tech entrepreneur and co-founder at Social Lender has enlightened Nigerian tech talents on transformative tech visa options for those considered ‘globally attractive’ in the thriving global tech ecosystem.
Speaking during a recent eMigr8 tech visa webinar, Adesemowo broke down the available tech visa options in various European and American countries into five different categories: Startup, Talent, Work/Employment, Temporary Work/Digital Nomad, and Others.
The webinar has sparked immense interest among the nation’s brightest minds in tech, who now see vast opportunities to explore and contribute their skills on the international stage.
Adesemowo’s inspiring session emphasised the global demand for tech experts, with countries and companies vying to attract top talents to enhance their tech sectors and drive innovation.
During the webinar, Adesemowo revealed the key criteria that make tech talents ‘globally attractive’, including exceptional skills, a strong track record of successful projects, and innovative contributions within the tech ecosystem. He also stressed the importance of tech talents staying updated with the latest global emigration trends.
The eMigr8 coach expounded on the currently available tech visa opportunities for beginners, intermediates, and tech experts alike. He provided valuable insights to guide potential visa applicants in pursuing their relocation dreams through tech.
Adesemowo explained, “For instance, the UK has the Innovator Founder Visa, which provides a pathway to settlement for potential startup founders, even if the startup is yet to commence. Applicants will not qualify for this visa if they already have a registered startup in the UK.”
Elaborating on the requirements for the application, he added, “The key criteria for this visa are that applicants must have an idea that will be evaluated and endorsed by endorsement bodies in the UK as innovative, viable, and scalable. Additionally, applicants will have to prove that they are genuine founders and present a business plan.”
Adesemowo further highlighted similar visa opportunities for tech startup founders in Canada, though with different application requirements. “There is also the Canada Startup Visa that offers a direct pathway to settlement. While applicants are in the process of obtaining their permanent residency, they will be granted a temporary visa. However, applicants need to present a startup that has effectively commenced and obtain an endorsement from Canadian endorsing bodies,” he said.
The tech innovator continued to shed light on the available tech visa options for tech talents and work applicants. “With the global talent visa, such as the Tech Nation visa in the UK, applicants need to demonstrate they are leading talents in the field of technology. They must also show any two of the following criteria: innovation, recognition, significant contribution or impact, or academic excellence. For those with less than five years of experience, they may qualify under the ‘exceptional promise category,’ where they demonstrate the same criteria as an ‘emerging’ talent in their field,” he explained.
Adesemowo added, “The US O1 Visa is slightly more challenging for applicants to secure due to its requirements and may require the services of a lawyer. eMigr8 is in partnership with some US lawyers to file petitions on behalf of applicants. This visa type is mainly available to talented applicants, not necessarily those seeking job employment.”
“For work or employment-based visas, applicants applying for the UK Skilled Worker Visa or USA H1 Visas must demonstrate expertise in their field and secure a job in specific jurisdictions with recognised employers who can sponsor their visa,” he said.
Adesemowo entertained questions from participants during the session, assuring them that eMigr8 was available to guide emigration hopefuls on necessary steps and decisions.
One participant, a software architect and facility manager, asked Adesemowo if the UK Innovator Visa required specific capital for potential investors in the country’s tech ecosystem. He sought clarification on the necessary capital for angel investors or venture capital investors seeking emigration through this option.
In response, Adesemowo explained that the newly launched Innovator Founder Visa route, which combines the Startup Visa and the now-obsolete Innovator Visa, was a better option for such applicants.
“This route offers a pathway to settlement. Applicants are allowed to work for other companies while building their startups. There is no longer a £50,000 investment requirement. However, applicants must show they are genuine founders and demonstrate how they will secure funds to run their startup,” he said.
Another participant asked about eMigr8’s assistance for applicants to qualify for different tech-enabled visa types and how applicants could determine their eligibility.
Adesemowo explained, “We have a talent development platform called Bincom Dev Center. It offers various services, including the Global Tech programme and the eMigr8 programme, which focuses on tech visa opportunities, mentoring platform, tech career coaching, and the Bincom academy to help applicants learn necessary skills.”
He further elaborated, “The Global Tech programme is a well-packaged initiative through which we help potential applicants learn new skills, gain experience, and exposure in the field of technology.”
“In the eMigr8 platform, there is a premium package that allows us to help applicants build their profiles over time to qualify for various tech visa opportunities. It is a 1 to 2 years programme for talents starting from the beginner’s stage, but it requires less time for those with fair experience, as low as 3 months” Adesemowo added.
While encouraging emigration hopefuls to join available eMigr8 communities for free access to information and advice on tech visa programmes, the tech entrepreneur noted that certain premium eMigr8 services, including time-sensitive coaching, would require subscriptions. He encouraged potential applicants to seek further information, such as work opportunities and associated costs for applying for specific visa types, on authorised online platforms.
