A Y & J sees surge in US-based Global Talent Visa enquiries

A London immigration law firm says enquiries for the UK Global Talent Visa have risen since October 2025, driven largely by Indian engineers and technology professionals in the United States. The trend comes as new US H-1B fees, green card backlogs and UK efforts to expand skilled migration reshape options for high-skill workers. Why it matters: - The shift shows how tighter US immigration rules are pushing some skilled workers to consider the UK as a settlement pathway. - The UK Global Talent Visa offers a route that does not require employer sponsorship, a salary threshold or the Immigration Skills Charge. - For Indian nationals on H-1B visas, the visa is gaining attention as an alternative to employer-dependent US pathways. What happened: - A Y & J Solicitors, a London-based UK immigration law firm, said enquiries about the UK Global Talent Visa from people based in the United States have risen steadily since October 2025. - The firm said most enquiries come from Indian nationals on H-1B visas, especially senior engineers, researchers and technology professionals. - The pattern has tracked changes in US H-1B policy and continued UK government support for skilled migration routes. - Yash Dubal, CEO and director of A Y & J Solicitors, said clients in San Francisco and Seattle are weighing whether the UK offers a better long-term option. The details: - The UK Global Talent Visa launched in 2020 for people identified as leaders or potential leaders in their field. - Applicants endorsed under Exceptional Talent can qualify for settlement after three years. - Applicants endorsed under Exceptional Promise can qualify for settlement after five years. - Endorsement is the first and most demanding stage of the process. - Applicants must submit evidence of professional standing to an approved endorsing body. - Recognised endorsing bodies include the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the British Academy, UK Research and Innovation and Arts Council England. - Since August 2025, digital technology applicants have been assessed directly by the Home Office under a dedicated scheme. - Home Office statistics show a 99.2% visa-stage approval rate across 2024 and 2025 for applicants who secured endorsement. - The visa application fee is £766, before the Immigration Health Surcharge. - Indian nationals received 71% of all H-1B visa approvals in fiscal year 2024, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services data. - A US Presidential Proclamation effective Sept. 21, 2025, introduced a $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions filed from outside the United States. - The Department of Homeland Security reported in court filings that new external H-1B applications fell 87% in the five months after the rule. - Per-country green card caps continue to affect Indian-born applicants. - The April 2026 US Visa Bulletin set the Employment-Based Second Preference Final Action Date for Indian-born applicants at July 15, 2014. - In the UK, the government created a Global Talent Taskforce reporting to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and chaired by Lord Patrick Vallance and Varun Chandra. - The UK government has committed £54 million to a Global Talent Fund. - Chancellor Rachel Reeves said in September 2025 that the government would expand the UK’s Global Talent and High Potential Individual visa routes. Between the lines: - The demand suggests some high-skill workers are rethinking whether US sponsorship-based immigration is worth the uncertainty. - Dubal said the strongest applicants often already have the evidence needed for endorsement, including published research, conference presentations, project leadership and product contributions. - The hard part is packaging that evidence in the format the endorsing body expects. - The UK is signaling that it wants to compete more aggressively for globally mobile talent. What’s next: - A Y & J Solicitors expects continued interest from US-based professionals evaluating settlement options outside the H-1B system. - The firm advises individuals and employers on endorsement strategy and visa-stage submissions for the Global Talent route. - The broader UK policy push could keep the visa route attractive for engineers, researchers and technology professionals seeking more predictable immigration options. The bottom line: - Rising US immigration costs and backlogs are making the UK Global Talent Visa a more visible alternative for skilled workers already in the United States.