One of the most powerful ways to support your Global Talent Visa application is to demonstrate a strong public profile through strategic PR — including media recognition, judging roles, conference speaking, and more.
The MC (Mandatory Criteria) focuses on proving that you are a recognised leader or emerging talent in your field. The clearest way to show that is through media coverage, participation in high-level professional activities, and visibility across trusted industry platforms — with evidence drawn from the last five years..
In this guide, we’ll explore what counts as public recognition, how to build it strategically, and what to avoid when planning your Global Talent media strategy.
Not all exposure is equal. For Mandatory Criteria, the quality of your visibility matters more than volume.
You may have been a keynote speaker at a tech event, judged a hackathon, been featured in a niche but respected publication, or given a podcast interview that reached 10,000+ listeners. All of these contribute to showing that your voice matters in your industry — and that others pay attention to your work.
It’s less about shouting the loudest, and more about being respected in the right rooms.
This one’s a classic. Being featured in media is one of the most direct ways to show public recognition — and one of the most effective tools in PR for Global Talent Visa applications.
If a tech journalist has interviewed you, quoted your expert opinion, or written about your work in a respected publication, that’s a strong MC asset. This includes expert commentary, interviews, or guest-written pieces on platforms with a strong editorial presence.
It doesn’t have to be front-page news. Even a short expert comment in a trusted outlet can count — as long as it’s clearly tied to your professional expertise.
The key is that someone outside your company considered your perspective valuable enough to publish. That’s third-party validation — exactly what publications for visa cases are about.
Examples: Techcrunch, Sifted
If you’ve ever spoken at a professional event — even virtually — and especially if there were around 100 attendees, don’t ignore it. These appearances often carry as much weight as a media feature.
If you’ve been a keynote speaker, even better. Delivering a talk on machine learning at a regional data summit is exactly the kind of recognised visibility that helps build a strong public profile for Global Talent Visa cases.
Photos, schedule screenshots, official invitations, and letters from organisers really help. The more official it looks, the better.
Examples: London tech week, Data science conference
Here’s a hidden gem: judging competitions. If you’ve served as a judge at a startup pitch night, a hackathon, or on a conference programme committee, this can often count towards MC as well. Even if it was an online event or a small initiative (we recommend no fewer than 100 participants), the key is your expert status. The fact that someone trusted your judgement—and asked you to assess others—is a clear signal that you’re recognised as a leader in your field.
Examples: Banking tech Awards, Junction
Awards and rankings count — but only when they’re tied to professional achievement, not popularity contests. This includes winning hackathons, being featured in “Top 100” developer lists, or receiving prestigious tech or industry awards.
It’s important to show these are competitive and externally validated, not internal company awards or pay-to-play features.
Examples: Young engineer of the year award, Time 100 AI, Forbes 30 under 30
Being a guest on a podcast can definitely help if the topic is professional, the audience is relevant, and you are presented as a tech expert. The episode with you should be available on major platforms like Spotify or YouTube and reach a few thousand listeners.
It’s not a primary MC asset, but when used alongside press or conference talks, it rounds out your public recognition and makes you look more active and engaged.
Examples: Hard fork, This week in tech
Whatever you claim, make sure you can demonstrate it. Back every point with verifiable evidence: screenshots, live links, and reference letters. Keep copies in case pages go offline. Gather multiple confirmations where you can. If a piece of evidence feels borderline, include it with context that shows its relevance to your application.
Building your public recognition for the Global Talent Visa isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s about crafting a narrative. Showing that your work matters, that others recognize it, and that you’re not just great at what you do, but known for it too.
And remember: you don’t have to be famous. You just have to be visible in the right ways.
What’s often overlooked is that recognition takes time. A one-off interview or talk won’t be enough. Consistency is key, and the sooner you start building that visibility, the more natural and credible your profile will look when it’s time to apply.
If you are reading this and realizing you have not spoken at a conference yet, do not have media mentions, or have not judged any industry events, you are not alone. Most of our clients started in the exact same place.
Our team has already helped over 500 professionals from all around the world build strong, tailored public profiles that meet Global Talent criteria, including those who had zero visibility at the start.
Whether you need expert interviews, speaking opportunities, or a full media strategy — we know what works, and we can help you make it happen.
Want to know what would work best for your case? Book a consultation, we’re happy to advise.
