Please assist me in appealing for stage 1 endorsement. I have attached the comment by the assessor.
This is what I submitted
My MC was an achievement outside of work
MC - 1. Evidence of open-source contributions and GitHub profile showing collaborative Hackathon projects.
2. Mentorship evidence with an organized body (e.g., ADPList).
3. Certificate of contributions to women’s empowerment in tech.
4. Contributions beyond traditional roles, helping tech startups gain visibility. (SkilledupLife
OC1 - Master’s Certificate.
6. Digital Learning Certificate – Google.
7. Product Management Certificate – and Cloud Engineering Recommendation Letter.
OC3
Employment letter including salary details and signed SLAs with high-value clients.
9. Sales pipeline, recognition as a top revenue generator in the team lead role, and the promotion letter for performance, leadership, and revenue growth
10. Recommendation letter from employer
My recommenders are big industry leaders working in well-established companies one of which we worked together for 5 years in the past
I am rather confused by the assessor’s comment as evidence is clear and can be zoomed in the case where it is not. I also explained all evidence and added hyperlinks -
Please help me determine how to address these comments.
What is the best approach to use?
When is the best time to submit the appeal?
I would appreciate someone to assist me personally through this tough challenge. @Francisca_Chiedu
Hi @Didi it looks like the whole application hasn’t met the criterias.
Appeal is completely dependent on your original application (the content of it and what you have put together not just the above 10 pointers). Since you cannot add any new information in an appeal, the strength of the appeal is quite dependent on the strength and quality of original application itself.
I understand your point - but my point is that it is not true at least based on this - Tech Nation Visa Guide - Tech Nation - so my question how do I approach this? remember I am a business applicant.
Also, should I appeal next year instead? - But aside from what the assessor commented did u see what I submitted?
You have posted just 10 points. An application is much more detailed. It’s not possible to comment with just the above one line pointers in detail.
However as I can see clearly OC1 is about demonstrating your contribution to product and digital innovation and just certificates don’t demonstrate that.
OC3 is about demonstrating impact of your work in terms of quantified company metrics. Not sure if your documents had that. Educational and other certificates don’t qualify as valid evidences for this.
ADP list is not considered by TN as a valid mentorship program.
Also looks like your letters did not have the kind of depth that TN looks for in terms of validating your significant contributions and impact.
Here are my MC - what are your thoughts? I attached certificates to this, Letter of recommendation, badges and github links
To showcase my commitment to advancing the digital technology sector outside my professional role, I’ve actively engaged in initiatives beyond my primary role, particularly through contributions to open-source projects like Oppia and Hacktoberfest, Mentorship , Empowering women in tech and supporting early stage tech startups.
Open-source contributions Oppia, is a globally recognized open-source platform and is dedicated to enhancing access to quality education through interactive lessons that empower learners worldwide. From July 2023 to February 2024, I collaborated with Oppia’s marketing team to enhance campaign effectiveness. I played a critical role in monitoring, analyzing, and reporting on marketing data, directly influencing decision-making. My contributions included evaluating the impact of various marketing strategies, tracking conversion rates, and analyzing user engagement metrics. By working closely with cross-functional teams, I refined target audience groups and provided data-driven recommendations to improve outreach initiatives. . Open-Source Contribution and Impact with Oppia Foundation
Hackathon contribution and open source Additionally, I actively participate in open-source projects through initiatives like Hacktoberfest, a month-long hackathon celebrating both coding and non-coding tech contributors who support open-source development. Although my contributions were non-coding, I worked on project documentation, community support, and troubleshooting to improve accessibility and usability. I received badges for each Hacktoberfest contribution, demonstrating my commitment to lifelong learning and effective collaboration. My GitHub profile and Holopin profile showcase these contributions and accomplishments, each badge representing my growth as a contributor and my dedication to the global tech community. Together, these roles underscore my active involvement in the tech sector’s advancement and my readiness to contribute beyond my core occupation.
Proof of Mentorship ADPList is a global mentorship platform that connects experienced professionals with mentees across various industries to foster learning, growth, and career development. Over the past two years, I’ve been an active mentor, guiding numerous mentees and providing valuable insights. My contributions have consistently received positive reviews, showcasing the impact of my mentorship. For verification, my ADPList profile can be viewed here ADPList Mentorship Highlights:
Recognized Contributions to Women in Tech I’ve been an active member of the She Code Africa community for two years, a platform dedicated to empowering African women in tech through mentorship, networking, and resources. At the 2024 She Code Africa Summit, I received a Certificate of Appreciation for my contributions as part of the Community Team. This recognition reflects my ongoing commitment to fostering inclusion and building a stronger, more diverse tech ecosystem by equipping women with the tools and opportunities to excel in the industry.
Driving Startup Visibility through Skilled Up Life Contributions Skilled Up Life connects skilled individuals with early-stage tech startups, supporting growth through strategic contributions. From November 2022 to March 2023, I contributed as part of their Content Marketing team, managing Instagram and Twitter accounts to strengthen their brand presence. My role involved engaging directly with followers, moderating content, and developing strategies to enhance audience reach. This experience demonstrates my commitment to impactful tech sector contributions beyond traditional roles, helping startups expand visibility and connect with broader communities Recommendation Letter: Supporting Startup Growth through Skilled Up Life.
The fundamental reason your application was rejected is this: “It is not clear that all worked closely but speak on her other accomplishments that hints towards influence from the applicants.”
The Global Talent endorsement process is peer-reviewed in nature. Tech Nation cannot be experts in all the technicalities of every candidate across multiple fields in digital technologies, nor can they determine whether you are a person of “good character” who will benefit society.
Instead, they rely on high-profile individuals who are familiar with you as a person and possess expertise in your field of achievements.
The order in which they assess the application is as follows:
Your story (personal statement)
Your background (CV)
LORs (strength of the endorsers x their judgement of your story and background).
Only after these three foundational components are assessed do they look at additional supporting evidence to add color and credibility to your case.
If you fail to convince jury with your story and CV — which, on their own, hold no reason to be believed unless cross-referenced by strong LORs — then no amount of supporting evidence will be sufficient. Pointing on “influence from the applicant”, they state outright that the integrity of your LORs is unconvincing.
I hope this helps clarify the reasoning behind their decision.
The second LOR is the current ceo of - https://www.oxygenx.africa/ - Also this person we worked for five years together in his previous place of work which is this - https://renmoney.com/ he was also the CEO
Did you demonstrate that each LOR comes from referees with a strong public profile and an impactful international reputation in the industry?
On the first page of the LOR, you need to “sell” your referee and convince Tech Nation (TN) that they are:
EITHER:
“Stars” in their own right: speaking at high-profile conferences, featuring in top-tier media, publishing books, judging competitions, driving public policy initiatives, etc.
OR
From organizations with long-standing expertise and a reputation as leaders in Digital Technology. For example, an entity like Oxygen X established in 2024, as stated on LinkedIn, may not carry that weight.
Simply being a CEO of a tech company is not enough to prove they have the necessary star magnitude.
TN’s comment, “hints towards influence from the applicant,” can be interpreted as suspicion that you wrote the LORs on behalf of the referees, which would be a breach of TN rules.
In my understanding, an ideal LOR should:
Demonstrate a referee with an undeniably strong reputation recognized from multiple credible angles.
Be diverse rather than uniform, proving your recognition across various perspectives.
Follow a sharp narrative:
The applicant achieved [specific evidence], which demonstrates [this criterion].
I know this because I worked/collaborated/mentored the applicant during [context] at [organization] when [timeframe].
When TN mentions that the letters “speak generally,” it suggests the LORs were too broad and lacked specific facts, data, or measurable impact to substantiate your claims.
@Francisca_Chiedu