The buzz surrounding awards chatter is often tied to headline names: the actor attached to star, the director set to helm the creative project, the producer bringing it to market, or the studio or platform behind the deal. Those names matter; they help secure financing, generate publicity and shape audience expectations. However, they are only one part of a much wider production. Behind every successful project sits the below-the-line talent whose practical and technical expertise can be the difference between award hopeful and award winner.
It is key to grasp the UK immigration options available to those perhaps-overlooked individuals, and why immigration planning for wider production crew should be treated as a central part of bringing screen projects to life.
Crew should be recognised as core creative talent rather than simply logistical support and this is reflected in the visa routes available to these professionals. The work of cinematographers, production designers, costume and make-up teams, stunt coordinators, VFX supervisors, sound specialists and other below-the-line crew is integral to shaping the look, feel and overall quality of a production. As the UK continues to play an increasingly prominent role in global film and television production, an awareness of UK immigration routes that enable productions to access international expertise while attracting and developing emerging crew talent is essential to sustaining the UK’s competitiveness, creative excellence and long-term growth.
Here is the range of options available for both businesses and individuals seeking to relocate to the UK.
Creative Worker – this option allows individuals who can make a unique contribution to the UK’s creative industries to come to the UK on a temporary basis via a UKVI-approved sponsor.
Individuals looking to utilise this route will need to be prepared to evidence:
Global Talent – aka the GOAT. This option allows an individual to work for any employer if they can prove that they are an international leader or potential leader in one of the following fields: arts and culture, academia or research, digital technology.
Crew will almost invariably come under arts and culture, and individuals should be mindful of some disciplinary limitations put in place by Arts Council England, for example:
It’s worth noting that the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is currently reviewing how the immigration system could best be used to attract global talent to the UK, which includes a review of the Global Talent visa route. In addition, it was announced this year that a new Design Industry endorsement pathway would be added to the Global Talent route for both Exceptional Talent and Exceptional Promise. Taken together, these reviews and proposed changes suggest a positive direction of travel for a sought-after route.
Skilled Worker – this option allows non-UK nationals to stay or enter the UK to do an eligible job with an approved employer who must have a sponsor licence to allow them to hire foreign workers.
Personal routes – the UK also offers a variety of routes based on an individual’s personal circumstances including (but not limited to): family visa, ancestry visa and indefinite leave to remain.
There is no such thing as an overnight success. Immigration planning for crew should sit alongside casting, financing and location planning from the outset.
At Lee & Thompson, our market-leading Immigration team can assist you with personal or business immigration applications to live and work in the UK. Whether you are an owner of a company looking to hire overseas talent or an individual looking to relocate to the UK for job opportunities in the entertainment industry we can assist you.
