The new scheme will enable UK-based research projects that have received recognised prestigious grants and awards to recruit top global talent
The UK government has announced the launch of a new visa to encourage scientists, researchers and mathematicians to come to the UK, with no limit on the number of people who may be accepted in any given year. Previously applications were capped at 2,000 per year but this limit was never exceeded.
From February 20, the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) visa will be rebranded as the “Global Talent” route and, in addition to the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the British Academy, Tech Nation or Arts Council England, UK Research and Innovation, the science funding agency, is now also authorised to endorse applicants.
The old Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) category was designed to encourage exceptionally talented individuals in the fields of science and medicine, engineering, humanities, digital technology and arts and culture to immigrate to the UK. It was divided into two sub-categories: Exceptional Talent, for those who are already leaders in their field, and Exceptional Promise, for those who have the potential to become leaders. To be granted leave as a Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) migrant, a person first had to be endorsed by a body with expertise in their particular field.
Eligible individuals will be processed under the current normal and accelerated routes, but an additional “fast-tracked“ process has also been added for academics, researchers, scientists, research engineers or other skilled research technology/methodology specialists who have a grant or award worth £30,000 or more, covering a minimum period of two years. It is hoped that the new policy will:
- enable twice the number of eligible fellowships to be awarded;
- continue to ensure that the visa-holders’ dependents have full access to the labour market;
- preserve the route’s flexibility by not requiring an individual to hold an offer of employment before arriving or tying them to one specific job;
- provide an accelerated path to settlement for all scientists and researchers who are endorsed via this route; and
- provide an exemption from the UK’s absences rules for researchers and their dependants, where they are required to be resident overseas for work-related reasons, thereby ensuring they are not penalised when they apply for settlement in the UK.
All applicants endorsed in the fields of science and medicine, engineering and humanities can apply for settlement after three years, regardless of whether they were granted leave under the Exceptional Promise criteria or the Exceptional Talent criteria. Digital technology, arts and culture applicants endorsed under the Exceptional Promise criteria still need to wait five years to qualify for settlement.
There is no English language or financial requirement for eligibility under this scheme.
