- More than 100 innovative research companies can now support the world’s brightest researchers to come and work in the UK through the Global Talent visa.
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- Global names like AstraZeneca and JLR, as well as fast-growing innovators, will benefit from a bigger pool of leading scientists and engineers.
- Move cements Britain as top destination for the world’s best talent, enabling innovative businesses to scale and stay in the UK, and laying the foundations for skilled jobs and economic growth in every postcode.
LONDON, England – An expansion of the Global Talent visa announced 6 August will give more than 100 of the UK’s most innovative companies the ability to support some of the world’s best scientists and engineers to come to live and work in the UK, unlocking a wave of international talent.
The move will help secure the arrival of some of the world’s best and brightest to drive breakthroughs in clean energy, life sciences and AI, while helping key businesses to innovate, scale and stay in the UK, in one more step towards reindustrialising Britain.
For the first time, exceptional researchers coming to the UK to work on funded projects can be supported in their move by UK research-intensive businesses thanks to the country’s premier visa route for research talent.
This move isn’t just about attracting the best researchers from around the world. Bringing in top talent from abroad will enable businesses to undertake cutting-edge R&D projects here in the UK – projects which support jobs for British workers.
Having already helped over 12,500 talented people from more than 130 countries build their research careers in Britain via the endorsed funder pathway, this expansion of the Global Talent visa route means some of the UK’s most innovative companies can now host top researchers alongside higher education, academic and independent research institutes and bodies.
World-leading talent brings the ideas, skills and investment that spark entirely new industries, spin out British companies, and create thousands of skilled jobs for workers across the UK. Welcoming the brightest minds drives good growth and opportunity for people in every part of the country, bolstering this government’s effort to make Britain better off.
The Global Talent visa recognises talented individuals at all career stages who have already proven themselves, including through a number of fast-track pathways – a leading academic appointment, a competitive fellowship, or being named on a funded research grant – so the UK can move quickly to welcome the world’s best. This comes alongside a peer-review pathway for established or potential research leaders who do not hold an eligible appointment, fellowship or research grant.
The expansion means that talented research individuals can now be supported by over 100 commercial research businesses, alongside the already approved universities and research institutes. This will include global names like AstraZeneca and Jaguar Land Rover as well as fast-growing innovators, including Added Value Solutions (AVS), Denroy Plastics and Ffilm Cymru.
These are innovators at the forefront of developing sustainable technologies of the future like nuclear fusion, creating life-changing medicines, putting Britain at the cutting edge of the car industry, and establishing the UK’s leadership in the use of technology in creative industries.
Top international talent, whose expertise is recognised through a research grant, will be empowered to boost the UK’s science and tech sector by switching to a new firm, or starting their own spin out. It means more world class researchers choosing Britain to unlock new discoveries in the technologies of the future, from life-saving medicines to quantum computing – supporting the skilled jobs and investment that fuels economic growth in every part of the country.
Research and development companies covered by the expansion each fall into the eight high-growth sectors identified in the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy – including advanced manufacturing, digital and technologies, clean energy, life sciences and the creative industries – where access to global talent is critical.
The expansion to the Global Talent visa is in addition to the change made in April to simplify the visa’s fast-track academic appointments route to cover all roles at approved UK institutions in academic, research or innovation leadership and development, and all PhD-level roles performing research and innovation as a primary function. These changes support our world-leading research base in attracting the best talent at all career stages, including researchers with high potential in the early stages of their career, to come to the UK.
In a further boost to innovative British businesses, the government is preparing to broaden the Future Technology Research and Innovation (FTRI) scheme. This is a UKRI-run scheme under the Government Authorised Exchange visa route that enables eligible UK companies, working on critical technologies, to host international researchers, scientists, interns and technical specialists for research, training and work placements of up to two years.
The forthcoming expansion will open FTRI to a wider range of R&D focused businesses, giving more companies in priority technology sectors – like AI, quantum and engineering biology – a way to tap into specialist international expertise. These could be early-career scientists gaining hands-on experience, to seasoned specialists collaborating on cutting-edge projects.
Faster, more flexible routes for early-career and experienced researchers are part of the wider government strategy to attract the world’s best to UK shores. Through the £54 million Global Talent Fund, we are helping to bring new research group leaders to the UK – driving breakthroughs in clean energy, life sciences and advanced technologies. This has brought 18 leading researchers to the UK so far, each pursuing work key to the UK’s Industrial Strategy.
This is in addition to launching the Global Talent Taskforce – a dedicated resource to identify and attract top international talent to lay down roots in the UK through a dedicated concierge service.