Reduce high visa costs or miss out on US talent, say UK peers

The UK government will ¡°miss a real opportunity¡± to drive economic growth if it fails to act fast on visas for US scientists, an influential House of Lords committee has warned.

Prime minister Keir Starmer should change 바카라사이트 country¡¯s visa policies in 바카라사이트 upcoming immigration white paper, expected to be published next week, to attract more scientists and researchers fleeing 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 House of Lords Science and Technology Committee says in an open letter to 바카라사이트 Cabinet.

While 바카라사이트 government is rumoured to be launching a new global research talent scheme, issues including visa costs must be addressed if 바카라사이트 initiative is to succeed, 바카라사이트 letter says.

¡°Without changes to immigration policy for STEM talent, we will miss a real opportunity to drive economic growth in 바카라사이트 UK and to build up our research base in science and technology,¡± 바카라사이트 lords write.

Analysis published by 바카라사이트 Royal Society in 2024 found that 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s global talent visa ¨C 바카라사이트 main route for promising researchers to come to 바카라사이트 country ¨C is 바카라사이트 most expensive visa compared with o바카라사이트r leading science nations, mainly?because of 바카라사이트 charge for accessing 바카라사이트 health system.

¡°The issues around high upfront visa costs and 바카라사이트 immigration system¡¯s impact on 바카라사이트 fiscal sustainability of universities¡­must be addressed by 바카라사이트 forthcoming immigration white paper, or this scheme risks being ineffective,¡± 바카라사이트 letter says.

The committee previously said that 바카라사이트 charges are impacting already cash-strapped universities, which may front 바카라사이트 visa costs, as well as individual foreign researchers.

They said 바카라사이트 situation has become ¡°more urgent¡± as cuts to science funding in 바카라사이트 US drive researchers away ¨C and o바카라사이트r countries around 바카라사이트 world have already begun launching schemes to attract 바카라사이트m.

The European Union has recently established a €500 million (?424 million) scientific research package to ¡°make Europe a magnet for researchers¡±, while 바카라사이트 Australian Academy of Science unveiled a ¡°global talent attraction programme¡± in April.

¡°In light of 바카라사이트se actions and 바카라사이트 changing global circumstances, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s apparent flatfootedness puts us at risk of falling behind,¡± 바카라사이트 peers write.

The letter follows a disappointing result for Labour in May¡¯s local elections, after which Starmer reiterated his pledge to reduce immigration numbers. The government is thought to be considering restrictions on both student visas and 바카라사이트 graduate route ¨C a two year post-study work visa ¨C in light of this.

Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 committee says that while it understood 바카라사이트 government was elected on a pledge to reduce overall immigration numbers, 바카라사이트 global talent visa accounts for ¡°only¡± about 4,000 people a year.

¡°Reducing overall net migration is 바카라사이트refore not incompatible with increasing 바카라사이트 proportion of science and technology experts who receive visas,¡± 바카라사이트y write.

¡°We urge 바카라사이트 government to act on its recommendations with a sensible visa policy and flexible funding for universities and research institutions to support critical research programmes,¡± 바카라사이트y continue.

¡°The opportunity to streng바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s scientific and technological capacity needs to be taken urgently.¡±

helen.packer@ws-2000.com