Many wonder whether the current Innovator Founder Visa policy will change under the new Labour government in the UK. This is a question that only time will answer. However, I will outline some areas where change ought to be made. These proposed changes will ensure that the Innovator Founder Visa policy is robust and creates an attractive entrepreneurial ecosystem for international entrepreneurs. 

None of the content in this article, website, or my services constitute immigration advice or services. This content is presented as general information and on the basis of personal opinion. For immigration assistance, please refer to a regulated solicitor or immigration advisor.

Before I highlight the potential areas of change to the Innovator Founder Visa regime, let me briefly describe this visa. 

I previously wrote an article and made a video on the flaws of the Innovator Founder visa policy, which you can read here. 

What is the Innovator Founder Visa? 

The Innovator Founder Visa is an immigration pathway designed for international entrepreneurs who may wish to set up an innovative business in the UK. 

Please refer to the UK Government website for full information about this visa. 

How should the Innovator Founder Visa policy change?

There are several areas in which the Innovator Founder policy ought to change. 

An overview of the changes that I deem to be beneficial are:

• Innovation requirement 
• Visa costs and fees 
• The Endorsing Bodies

Let’s look at each one in more detail:

Innovation

One of the common issues I have observed since the launch of this visa is the innovation requirement and its interpretation. 

The “issue” with this requirement is that no specific factor determines innovation. For instance, patentability / Intellectual Property (IP), and no trade marks do not fall under this category. However, the problem with setting this as an absolute requirement is that many businesses, despite being innovative, cannot obtain patents. Thus, this would exclude a considerable number of founders and their businesses. 

Although this is a common problem, there is no clear fix either. 

Currently, determining innovation is subjective and up to each Endorsing Body to determine. 

Visa Fees

This is sadly a problem that many founders are unhappy about. 

There are several costs associated with this visa, which are:

1. Endorsement fee: the fee that you pay the Endorsing Body to assess your idea
2. Visa processing fee: paid to the UK government 
3. NHS Health Surcharge 

With the first cost, the Endorsing Bodies have to charge applicants as this fee enables them to sustain their operations.

However, the visa processing fee, payable to the UK government can be lowered. This is especially true when looking at other countries such as the Netherlands, where a similar visa costs around €380, in contrast to £1,191 for this visa. However, it is important to state that the Dutch self-employment visa only lasts for one year and has to be renewed. 

Nevertheless, given the lower number of applicants for the Innovator Founder Visa, in contrast to other visa routes such as the Skilled Worker pathway, it is sensible to consider lowering this fee. 

The Endorsing Bodies

Firstly, allow me to clarify that this is not to criticise the current Endorsing Bodies. However, I believe that a higher number of Endorsing Bodies means more options for founders and additional sector-specific expertise. 

However, a potential issue that may arise from increasing the number of Endorsing Bodies is a potential conflict of interest between them. 

But looking at other countries such as Canada, we notice that applicants have more choices when it comes to third-party approval. With Canada in particular, founders have the option to either raise investment from VCs, or angel investors or enrol in incubation programs (but they do come with a cost). 

These are some of the areas in which the Innovator Founder visa policy may be reviewed and potentially changed. 

I have made a video on this topic as well, which you can view below:

If you require business assistance as an international founder, have a look at my services designed for founders wishing to set up a business in the UK here. 

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About | My name is Sohrab Vazir. I’m a UK-based entrepreneur and business consultant. At the age of 22, and while I was an international student (graduate), I started my own Property Technology (PropTech) business, StudyFlats. I did so by obtaining an endorsement from Newcastle University under the Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur Scheme. Subsequently, I obtained a further 3-year Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa (replaced by the Innovator Founder Visa). I grew my business to over 30 UK cities, and a team of four, and also obtained my Indefinite Leave to Remain (Settlement) in the UK. I now help other migrant entrepreneurs, such as myself, with their businesses.