The Lords Science and Technology Committee has written to the Prime Minster, Home Secretary, the Chancellor and Science Minister to express deep concern with the UK’s immigration and visa policy for STEM talent.
The committee says that the situation has become much more urgent following increasing global competition for STEM talent due to the negative attitude to science funding policy of the current US administration, which has left many leading US scientists seeking to relocate. Many countries have already announced programmes to encourage US scientists to move there.
The committee warns that without changes to immigration policy for STEM talent, the UK will miss a real opportunity to drive economic growth and to build its research base in science, technology, and other vital areas. Without reforms to upfront visa costs, and without considering the fiscal sustainability of universities when designing immigration policy, any scheme to bring US scientists to the UK risks being ineffective, warns the committee.
With UK visa fees for scientists still amongst the highest in the world, the committee stands by its earlier warnings in its letter dated 30 January 2025 that the UK’s current immigration system, and approach to STEM talent for academia and industry, is “an act of national self-harm” and its visa and immigration policy needs to adapt to recognise global competition for talented individuals in science and technology. The Committee’s letter follows evidence taken from Nobel laureate Sir Paul Nurse and life sciences expert Sir John Bell.
READ MORE: Royal approval – again – after Leeds consultancy grows 300%
With the publication of the Government’s Immigration White Paper imminent, the committee says the government must seize this rare opportunity to rectify the situation where it is putting up unnecessarily high barriers to the global talent that want to live and work here, harming the national interest and in stark contrast to the actions of other nations. It says that at a time of dramatic geopolitical and technological change, the UK’s action––or inaction––right now will have a huge impact on our future, warning we cannot afford business as usual.
The letter directly quotes Matt Clifford’s recent AI Opportunities Action Plan, which noted that “the cost and complexity of visas …create obstacles for startups and deter overseas talent from re-locating to the UK” in the AI sector, adding that “Other countries have already acted. The EU, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Canada and Australia have developed schemes designed to attract global talent, particularly from the US. Canada has fast-tracked 3,000 visas for displaced US researchers in its ‘Tech Talent Strategy.’ Ursula von der Leyen and Emmanuel Macron launched a 500m EUR scheme on 5 May, signalling commitment to attracting global talent from the very top; we have not yet seen similar high-level statements from UK ministers. In light of these actions and the changing global circumstances, the UK’s apparent flatfootedness puts us at risk of falling behind.”
The plea also comes as ministers consider restricting visa opportunities to certain nations considered likely overstay, reportedly including former British colonies such as Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka, and as anti-immigration candidates celebrate sweeping gains at last week’s local elections.
