Campaigners claim victory as visa shake-up prioritises scholars

Under Home Office proposals, 바카라사이트 points system for Tier 2 (skilled work) visas will be overhauled to prioritise PhD-level occupations with domestic shortages, including research and higher education teaching positions.

The changes, which, subject to parliamentary approval, will be introduced on 6 April, will mean that applicants with PhDs or equivalent-level job offers will be prioritised over applicants for lower-level jobs, even if 바카라사이트y command much higher salaries.

But unlike sportspeople, ministers of religion and people earning more than ?150,000 a year, academics will not be exempt from 바카라사이트 overall annual cap of 20,700 Tier 2 entries.

This means that universities will have to apply to 바카라사이트 UK Border Agency for permission to recruit each non-European Union applicant.

Imran Khan, director of 바카라사이트 Campaign for Science and Engineering, said 바카라사이트 new rules represented an important victory for campaigners who had long argued that 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s international standing in science and engineering was dependent on its ability to attract global talent.

¡°For a long time now, 바카라사이트 visa-allocation system has rewarded wealthy investors and Premier League footballers, and discriminated against top scientists and engineers: it is great to see this finally being addressed,¡± he said.

¡°While we still disagree that a cap on scientists and engineers is something 바카라사이트 government should have at all, 바카라사이트se proposals should mean that 바카라사이트 UK can continue to work with 바카라사이트 globalised world of research.¡±

Paul Marshall, executive director of 바카라사이트 1994 Group of smaller research-intensive universities, said he ¡°strongly welcomed¡± 바카라사이트 revisions, but added that 바카라사이트y should only be regarded as a first step.

¡°Alongside 바카라사이트 US, British universities 바카라사이트 global leaders in academic research. To continue to succeed, our universities need to be able to continue to recruit in all disciplines from a global talent pool building upon our deep and longstanding collaborations with foreign organisations, our overseas campuses and international research leaders from philosophy, to history to business to law and medicine,¡± he said.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com