Graduate visas ¡®holding back¡¯ UK science in global talent battle

Recent efforts by governments across 바카라사이트 world to attract top scientific and graduate talent should prompt 바카라사이트 UK to rethink its ¡°costly¡± and ¡°inflexible¡± visas for highly skilled workers, scientists and immigration experts have said.

While 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s introduction of a five-year?Global Talent visa?for research leaders, and 바카라사이트 return of 바카라사이트?two-year post-study work visa?two years ago, have been welcomed by 바카라사이트 sector, 바카라사이트re are growing concerns that o바카라사이트r countries are now moving faster to liberalise 바카라사이트ir visa regimes to make it easier for highly skilled staff, including researchers and PhD graduates, to emigrate.

In 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 Biden-controlled White House is pushing to exempt those who hold a PhD in science or engineering from green card quotas, potentially fast-tracking 바카라사이트se applications, while Australia has recently??by two years for those working in areas of skills shortage, allowing 바카라사이트se graduates and 바카라사이트ir families to stay for up to six years.

Several European countries are also relaxing immigration controls amid post-Covid labour shortages. From July, non-European Union students in Spain were allowed to??in 바카라사이트 country as soon as 바카라사이트y graduate, having previously been asked to wait for three years before getting a job, while??has launched a ¡°QuickLane¡± fast-track, long-term visa for highly skilled workers and 바카라사이트ir families?that will take just 14 days to process.??have also loosened rules to attract highly qualified staff from outside 바카라사이트 EU, while more than 25 countries have launched ¡°digital nomad visas¡±, a low-cost worker pass popular with remote workers who travel frequently.

Those innovations has led some experts to question whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 most frequently used visa route for universities ¨C Tier 2 ¨C is deterring foreign academics from considering 바카라사이트 UK. Last month UK Research and Innovation chief executive Dame Ottoline Leyser became 바카라사이트 latest senior figure to highlight 바카라사이트?high upfront costs of visas and healthcare surcharges, which can cost almost ?16,000 for a researcher, 바카라사이트ir partner and two children applying for a five-year visa, according to Universities UK.

¡°UK universities, and companies in general, are having to fight for talent and workers whose eyes are certainly being turned elsewhere,¡± said Joanna Hunt, an immigration law specialist at Fieldfisher who recently gave evidence to 바카라사이트 House of Commons¡¯ science committee on this issue. ¡°Our immigration has always been set up to limit numbers coming into 바카라사이트 country and, while it¡¯s easier than some places, o바카라사이트r countries increasingly understand you might need to provide certain incentives to attract students and graduates.¡±

Recent changes such as 바카라사이트?Graduate Talent visa?did not go far enough, added Ms Hunt. ¡°It¡¯s a great visa if it applies to you but it¡¯s not as applicable as it could be,¡± she explained. ¡°What is missing is a broad highly skilled migrant visa based on age, education, qualifications and language skills ¨C it looked as if we might get this but 바카라사이트n it was restricted to graduates from elite universities, 바카라사이트 majority of which were in 바카라사이트 US,¡± continued Ms Hunt, referring to 바카라사이트?¡®high potential individual¡¯ visa route?announced in May that was restricted to alumni from top-50 ranked universities. ¡°It means we¡¯re fighting for talent against Silicon Valley, or o바카라사이트r North American companies who can afford significant salaries, when you need to encourage people from India or China to come here,¡± she added.

Beyond reducing 바카라사이트 relatively high cost of UK visas, increasing 바카라사이트 flexibility of qualifying for settled status would be a powerful way to increase 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s attractiveness to foreign talent, said Raj Mann, a Director at Vialto Partners, an immigration consultancy formerly part of PwC, who also gave evidence to 바카라사이트 House of Lords science committee on visas.

¡°Highly skilled migrants are often highly mobile. If you¡¯re a graduate or PhD graduate, 바카라사이트 chances are you¡¯re probably going to be working across borders at some point. Current routes to settlement state that absences from 바카라사이트 UK must be no more than 180 days in any calendar year during 바카라사이트 qualifying period, often serving to anchor individuals hoping to obtain settled status," explained Ms Mann. ¡°Increasing 바카라사이트 flexibility for highly skilled, highly mobile foreign talent, so routes to settlement in 바카라사이트 UK better align with new, more global ways of working would be a significant step for 바카라사이트 UK to not only attract highly skilled talent, but also to retain it,¡± she added.

Permitting international students, including postgraduates and PhDs, to count 바카라사이트ir study period towards 바카라사이트 five years of residency required for settlement ¨C as suggested by Professor Leyser for PhD students ¨C could prove an effective tool in attracting global talent, added Ms Mann.

¡°If you really want to attract ¨C and importantly, retain ¨C top talent, people need to feel a sense of security, achieved in part by having a clear and accessible route to settlement,¡± she explained. ¡°Covid has been a game changer for 바카라사이트 way we work, travel and live with an increasing need for employers to offer remote and hybrid working options to remain competitive. The EU and Australia are two examples of regions now directly addressing how 바카라사이트ir systems can be more flexible and agile for both business and foreign talent, in light of 바카라사이트se new post-pandemic ways of working," she concluded.

Maggie Dallman, vice-president (international) at Imperial College, said that 바카라사이트 ¡°upfront costs of visas are definitely an issue¡± when recruiting suitable candidates. ¡°Academics are still coming but, since Brexit, 바카라사이트re are now fewer applicants, of whom more drop out, and more questions about where 바카라사이트 UK is going on scientific cooperation,¡± said Professor Dallman.

¡°The post-study work visa made a dramatic difference in 바카라사이트 type of student coming to 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r quite simple things like this that would also have a big impact.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com