Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the number of applications for foreign visas in the United Kingdom and others has surged. Over 200,000 people are said to have left the nation since February, prompting many observers to refer to it as a “brain drain.” While it is feasible to apply for regular visas while overseas, the procedure is tedious and complicated. At the same time, most nations now have professional immigration procedures based on merit – yet visa attorneys are renowned for being sluggish and costly. Now, a new business is hoping to profit on the exodus of Russians and former CIS republics linked with Putin’s dictatorship.
London-based Immigram, an IT professional and entrepreneur immigration platform, has secured $500,000 in a fundraising round headed by Xploration Capital. Mikita Mikado, a Belarusian immigrant to the United States and CEO of PandaDoc, as well as Joint Journey Ventures and a group of angel investors, were also in attendance. Immigram is also funded by Hatchery, a University College London-based startup incubator. The goal of Immigram is to create a B2B SaaS platform that will help organizations attract and retain foreign talent by guiding them through the migration process. This includes everything from obtaining a necessary visa to locating an apartment and opening a bank account. The program claims to “automate immigration” by combining legal advice with tech-enabled processes.
Immigram’s scoring methodology, which is tailored to the UK Global Talent Visa, is at the heart of the concept. Immigram claims to have helped 150 clients migrate since its introduction earlier this year. A regular lawyer would very likely take much longer to do this. Immigram also offers a B2C service. Unlike typical law companies that bill by the hour, Immigram claims to offer set pricing, is 50% less expensive, and offers refunds if an application is rejected. It claims to have been utilized by Google, Meta, Twitter, Revolut, Bumble, and Yandex executives, as well as Y Combinator, 500 Startups, and Techstars founders and graduates.
Anastasia Mirolyubova and Mikhail Sharonov, the creators of Immigram, moved to the United Kingdom from Russia some years ago and came up with the concept, which is based on the United Kingdom’s increasing focus on the economic and technological components of applications rather than the legal issues. A comparable option might be introduced in the United States in the near future. The House Rules Committee submitted a measure in January 2022 that would provide a temporary visa for foreign-born entrepreneurs.
“We’re designing the product with the immigrant in mind, not a certain nation.” Currently, there is a worldwide talent deficit of 40 million talented workers, which is impacting immigration regulations and pressuring industrialized countries to create new talent visa programs. In a statement, Anastasia Mirolyubova, CEO and co-founder of Immigram, stated, “Our objective is to establish an end-to-end global mobility platform that will assist individuals through the entire process and help them discover a community of like-minded people wherever.”
“We have arrived at a unique juncture in history, when countries begin to compete for people. Immigram aids this process by assisting professionals in realizing their goals on a worldwide scale,” said Igor Kim, managing partner of Xploration Capital. Businesses like Jobbatical and Localyze will compete with Immigram, although these companies typically do not have access to CIS markets and focus on EU-based labor. Immigram is now offering a particular service to brilliant Ukrainian IT professionals who wish to relocate to the United Kingdom via the Global Talent route.
