Is the Migration Advisory Committee reviewing both routes?

Yes. The MAC ran a call for evidence on the Global Talent and Innovator Founder routes, open until 1 May 2026, as part of a review of how the immigration system could be used to attract international global talent. No final report had been published as of 22 October 2026.

What does Innovator Founder require that Global Talent may not?

Innovator Founder is built around a business: an endorsing body must be satisfied your plan is innovative, viable and scalable, and you must have a day-to-day role in it. You need 70 points, including English at B2 and a financial requirement. Global Talent has its own, different criteria, which you should check on GOV.UK.

Can I hold both visas at once?

You hold one permission at a time. The choice is which route to apply for, and whether you might later move between them, subject to each route's own rules.

Which route leads to settlement faster?

Innovator Founder settlement is possible after 3 years of continuous residence if you meet the settlement endorsement criteria, including at least 2 of 7 business criteria. For Global Talent, check GOV.UK directly. Under the earned settlement proposals, practitioner commentary says both routes would keep a 3-year path, but those proposals are not law.

Should I wait for the MAC report before choosing?

There is no published date for the report, and its recommendations would not change the rules on their own. Most founders are better served by choosing the route that fits their circumstances under today's rules and keeping an eye on changes.

Innovator Founder vs Global Talent in 2026: which route fits you?

Founders with strong professional records often ask whether they should go for Innovator Founder or Global Talent. In 2026 that question has an extra layer: the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is reviewing both routes together as part of what it calls its "Talent Review".

This article compares the two at a level we can support from published sources. On Innovator Founder, we use the Home Office caseworker guidance and GOV.UK. On Global Talent, we keep it general and point you to GOV.UK, because its criteria are detailed and outside the scope of this piece.

Why the two routes are being reviewed together

The MAC's call for evidence on the Global Talent and Innovator Founder routes was announced around 5 March 2026 and closed on 1 May 2026. It formed part of a review of "how best the immigration system could be used to attract international global talent to the UK". Respondents included endorsing bodies and people on Innovator Founder visas, and the questions covered experience of the route, its impact on the UK and whether it targets the right people.

MAC minutes from June 2026 record that the secretariat summarised roundtable evidence on both routes. The MAC is independent of the Home Office, and its findings will be published in a final report. As of 22 October 2026, no final report has been published. For more, see the MAC Talent Review explained.

Innovator Founder at a glance

Feature	Innovator Founder (per GOV.UK and caseworker guidance)
Core test	Endorsement of a new business plan as innovative, viable and scalable
Points	70: business 50, English B2 10, financial 10
Your role	Day-to-day role; sole founder or instrumental founding-team member
Visa fee	£1,357 outside the UK, £1,693 inside (per person)
Endorsing body fees	£1,000 endorsement plus £500 per contact point meeting, at least two, excluding VAT
Length	3 years, extendable with no limit on extensions (new endorsement needed)
Ongoing checks	At least 2 contact point meetings, normally after 12 and 24 months
Outside work	Only jobs requiring at least RQF level 3
Settlement	After 3 years, with at least 2 of 7 business criteria met

The defining feature is that your permission depends on the business and on your endorsing body's continued support. An endorsing body can withdraw endorsement at any time, including after approval, and if it does, permission can be cancelled to 60 days.

Global Talent, kept general

Global Talent is a separate route with its own eligibility criteria and assessment arrangements. Broadly, it focuses on the individual rather than on a specific business plan. We are not summarising its detailed criteria here; check the current Global Talent guidance on GOV.UK.

Two dated points are relevant from 2026 commentary:

Practitioner summaries of Statement of Changes HC 1691 report a Global Talent design pathway from 1 July 2026. See HC 1691 explained.
Commentary on the earned settlement consultation reports that Innovator Founder and Global Talent holders would keep a 3-year path to settlement under the proposals. Those proposals are not law, and the government response had not been published as of late September 2026.

Who each route tends to suit

This is a general framing, not a test of eligibility.

Innovator Founder may fit if:

your case rests on a specific new business idea, not on your personal track record
you want to be the operational founder, running the business day to day
you are willing to be checked against your plan at contact points
you can evidence market need and a credible route to growth

Global Talent may be worth checking if:

your strongest evidence is your own professional record rather than a business plan
you are not yet sure which business, if any, you will build

Some people could plausibly qualify for either. In that case, compare the conditions and settlement requirements of each directly on GOV.UK, and consider taking advice. Our earlier piece on switching from Skilled Worker or Global Talent covers what carries over if you later move to Innovator Founder.

What the review means for your choice now

There is no published date for the MAC's final report. Even when it arrives, recommendations do not change the Immigration Rules on their own; changes would come through a Statement of Changes. So:

Do not delay an application solely to wait for the report.
Do not assume either route will get easier or harder.
Do build an application that is strong under today's rules.

We explore possible scenarios, clearly labelled as such, in what the MAC review could change.

A practical way to decide

Write down whether your case is mainly about a business or mainly about you.
If it is a business, test it against the Innovator Founder criteria. A free assessment is a quick way to start.
If it is about you, read the Global Talent guidance on GOV.UK and compare.
Compare the costs and timelines, including endorsing body fees for Innovator Founder.
Check settlement requirements for whichever route you choose, and note that the earned settlement proposals remain proposals.

Sources and further reading

Key takeaways

The MAC is reviewing Innovator Founder and Global Talent together; its call for evidence closed on 1 May 2026 and no final report has been published.
Broadly, Innovator Founder is about an endorsed business you run, while Global Talent focuses on the individual.
Innovator Founder requires 70 points, ongoing endorsing body support and at least 2 of 7 business criteria for settlement after 3 years.
Earned settlement proposals reportedly keep a 3-year path for both routes, but they are not law.
Choose on today's rules and build a strong application; do not wait on the review.

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