The UK Global Talent visa is the immigration route that doesn't require an employer sponsor — which makes it structurally different from every other work visa in the UK system. For engineering leaders, tech founders, researchers, and senior individual contributors, it's the route most worth understanding. This post covers the criteria, the endorsement bodies, evidence requirements, and what the process looks like from both the applicant and the HR perspective. Architecture of the Route Unlike the Skilled Worker visa (which requires a licensed sponsor employer, a CoS, and a salary above threshold), Global Talent puts the gatekeeping decision in the hands of independent expert bodies, not the Home Office directly.…