July 6th, 2020
The UK government has set up a new cross-departmental unit called the “Office for Talent” to make it easier for international scientists, researchers and innovators to obtain a UK visa to live and work in the UK in the post-Brexit immigration system.
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This announcement follows the recent publication of the UK Research and Development Roadmap, prioritising “ground-breaking research” to attract top global talent. The news came as part of a wider package of measures to encourage research and development, unveiled by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), itself an element of Boris Johnson’s wider “new deal” for post-coronavirus economic recovery.
Officials say the office for talent will involve the Home Office, BEIS and other departments, with Downing Street coordinating its function.
The UK government will ensure an extension of the graduate route into the jobs market for international PhD graduates.
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“The new Student Route, being introduced this autumn, will be simpler and have new features: no limits on study time at postgrad level, 6 month application window and you can switch visa category within the UK rather than returning home.”
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In addition, when the student route opens, there will be other improvements.
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They include extending the window in which prospective students can make visa applications and removing study time limits at postgraduate level, as well as allowing students to switch to any other type of visa from within the UK.
