Rogue companies are helping migrants pose as talented artists and tech experts in a bid to fraudulently enter the UK, it was reported today.
Bogus applications are being lodged under the Government’s Global Talent visa scheme which aims to attract the ‘brightest and best’ scientists and researchers from around the world, an investigation found.
But the fast-track scheme, launched in 2020, is being abused by migrants lying about their credentials and experience with the aid of rogue consultants, the BBC found.
It reported the Home Office is now revoking visas issued to two Nigerian men who claimed to be fine art photographers, as officials believe they were obtained by deception.
The system appears to be open to abuse because applicants are not interviewed, despite needing to prove they are exceptionally talented or promising in their field to obtain a visa to live and work in Britain.
The BBC probe found wealthy migrants can buy fake art portfolios which they can pass off as their own work.
Successful applicants can bring their families to the UK and there is a potentially quick path to permanent residency within three to five years.
A consultant, who gave their name as Peter and said they work for a company called iCareer Consultancy UK, told an undercover BBC reporter that he could make it look as though they had been an artist for some time
An undercover reporter posing as a potential client was told by a consultant from one rogue firm in London that he could supply artwork produced in China to help with a bogus visa claim.
The consultant, who gave his name as Peter, said he was from a company called iCareer Consultancy UK and could arrange exhibitions as well as fake media coverage and letters of recommendation to create the impression a client was a major talent and leader in their field.
Peter boasted to the undercover reporter that taking the ‘fully inclusive’ package – costing more than £100,000 – was the best option because no clients buying it had ever been refused a Global Talent visa.
Social media posts by iCareer employees pitch Global Talent visas as a route for wealthy Chinese nationals to come to the UK, without the need to speak English, the BBC reported. The firm is based in London's Canary Wharf and was founded in 2018.
The case of the two Nigerian men emerged after the corporation was alerted to apparently faked newspaper articles reviewing their artistic work.
Molara Wood, a well-known Nigerian art critic, said her name had been attached to online reviews praising the work of the two men claiming to be artists.
‘There is a real problem whereupon fake articles are being implanted onto newspaper websites using bylines of reputable culture journalists,’ she told the corporation.
Another woman who spoke to the BBC said she tried to get a talent visa via the tech route from India.
She revealed that a company she used created bogus evidence for her application, including a fake mentoring award and material falsely claiming she had been a speaker at an event. Her application was rejected.
The Home Office described the findings as ‘extremely serious’ and said the company caught offering the £100,000 package was already under investigation.
A spokesman said the department ‘will not tolerate anyone cheating the UK immigration system’ and that the Global Talent visa route was already under review and 'the Home Secretary will take whatever action is needed to stop it being abused’.