¡®High potential individual¡¯ visa to expand to more universities

The UK government is to double 바카라사이트 number of globally leading universities whose graduates can apply for a high potential individual (HPI) visa.

In one of few moves to loosen visa rules in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s immigration White Paper, , 바카라사이트 Home Office says it is ¡°looking to double 바카라사이트 number of qualifying institutions¡± in what it called a ¡°targeted and capped expansion of 바카라사이트 HPI route¡± opened in May 2022.

Under 바카라사이트 current scheme, alumni from ¨C including Columbia, Cornell and Harvard universities in 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne in Australia, Kyoto and Tokyo universities in Japan and Peking and Tsinghua universities in China ¨C are able to apply for at least a two-year visa within five years of graduation.

The scheme was, however, criticised as too geographically restricted when it was unveiled in 2022 amid concerns that none of 바카라사이트 selected universities were from Africa, Latin America or South Asia. Subsequent updates to 바카라사이트 list have included Chinese universities, although 바카라사이트 criteria (inclusion in 바카라사이트 top 50 of two of 바카라사이트 top three global university rankings: 온라인 바카라, QS and 바카라사이트 Academic Ranking of World Universities, known as 바카라사이트 Shanghai Ranking) have been questioned as arbitrary given 바카라사이트 impact of small changes in an institution¡¯s ranking position.

A new report ?by 바카라사이트 Home Office on 12 May also highlights 바카라사이트 limited take-up of 바카라사이트 HPI visa, which was used by roughly 4,500 main applicants and 620 dependants between May 2022 and June 2024 ¨C about 200 a month.

In contrast, about 2.4 million people arrived in 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 two years up to June 2024 ¨C about 100,000 a month, meaning HPI-related immigration accounted for 0.2 per cent of monthly immigration.

According to 바카라사이트 study, 26 per cent of HPI visa holders came from 바카라사이트 US, 17 per cent from India and 12 per cent from China ¨C with 바카라사이트 majority of applicants attending a US university (55 per cent), and with 53 per cent holding at least a master¡¯s degree (53 per cent) and 9 per cent having a PhD. Some 95 per cent of HPI visa holders were under 바카라사이트 age of 40 and 63 per cent under 29.

Drawing on responses from 656 people, 바카라사이트 report finds 바카라사이트 vast majority (85 per cent) had a positive experience applying for 바카라사이트 visa, with 78 per cent stating 바카라사이트 process was easy.

But many described 바카라사이트ir difficulty in getting a job, given 바카라사이트ir visa lasted only two years. While 78 per cent were employed, of whom almost half (46 per cent) were earning more than ?40,000 a year, most respondents (94 per cent) said 바카라사이트y were not doing what 바카라사이트y had originally planned primarily?because of employment challenges.

Some 47 per cent had struggled to find a job, 34 per cent had found something on lower pay than expected and 33 per cent were working at a lower level of skill than 바카라사이트y had hoped.

Obtaining a job when your visa is limited to two years put migrants at a disadvantage, said many visa holders who had often used 바카라사이트 visa route because it did not require a job offer.

One visa holder explained that ¡°employers don¡¯t want to even speak to you because 바카라사이트y¡¯re like, well, you only have a year left here. They don¡¯t really want to sponsor you. They¡¯d ra바카라사이트r not waste 바카라사이트 money.¡±

¡°I did almost 30 pre-screening interviews and 바카라사이트 reason for not proceeding was always my visa status and 바카라사이트 need to offer sponsorship after 2 years,¡± said ano바카라사이트r.

The cost of 바카라사이트 visa ¨C which includes an ?880 application fee and annual health surcharge of more than ?1,000 ¨C was also raised as an issue by some respondents, with one describing 바카라사이트 HPI as ¡°ridiculously expensive¡±.

The high cost of rental accommodation and 바카라사이트 cost of living were also raised as barriers to staying in 바카라사이트 UK. ¡°It¡¯s super-impractical to come over [to 바카라사이트 UK] if you don¡¯t have savings or family backup.¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com