The Home Secretary has announced that the number of eligible
fellowships which can offer accelerated endorsement for visas for
scientists wanting to conduct research in the UK will double from
62 to over 120.
This builds on the announcement made by the Prime Minister in
August 2019, which outlined how a wider pool of world leading
scientists and researchers will be able to benefit from a
fast-track process to obtain entry into the UK.
In line with the current process, individuals who receive these
fellowships will only need to provide a letter from the relevant
funding organisation, which will see them fast-tracked to the
Home Office / UKVI visa application stage where immigration
checks will be carried out.
This will ensure that world leading scientists can come to the UK
as soon as possible to begin their innovative work.
The Home Secretary, , said:
The UK is already a world leader in science, with some of the
most exciting and innovative research being undertaken here in
this country.
We want to make sure the UK continues to be at the forefront of
innovation, so we need an immigration system that attracts the
sharpest minds from around the globe.
As part of this ambitious plan, we are taking decisive action
to boost the number of top scientists and elite researchers who
can benefit from fast-tracked entry into the UK.
Business Secretary said:
We want the UK to be a global science superpower, and
continuing to attract the world’s top scientists and
researchers to join us in the race to solve the great
challenges of the future - from clean energy and advanced
storage to solving antibiotic resistance - is an important part
of realising that ambition.
Organisations joining the expanded list include world renowned
research fellowships such as Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions,
Human Frontier Science, European Research Council and the
European Molecular Biology Organization. A number of additional
awards from UK Research and Innovation and its research councils
will also be added, allowing the UK to attract a wide range of
elite researchers and specialists.
The revised list of fellowships will be added to the existing
Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) route, which is the beginning of a
wider package of measures to welcome the brightest and best
researchers to the UK.
As announced in August 2019, the Home Office will be bringing
forward the plans to abolish the cap on the numbers under the
Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) route and an accelerated path to
settlement who arrive under this scheme. The Home Office is
working to implement these changes early in the New Year.
The full fellowships list will be published in due course.
The current fellowships list
is available.
