I saw this in an article from “The New European”. Eleanor Longman-Rood of TNE reports,
A fast-track visa route into the UK exclusively for prize-winning researchers has failed to be the big draw that the government had hoped. In two years, the scheme has received just three applicants, Research Professional News reported.
Britain’s attempts to become (or remain) a science super-power (£|(-))seems to have hit a roadblock. Scientists don’t want to come here. These visa schemes usually fail to recognise that, part of a good science policy is about building capability; while prize winners, to whom the visa policy is limited, would be very welcome, tomorrow’s prize winners should be more so.
Mike Galsworthy comments,
“Just three people applying to the government’s Global Talent Visa scheme over two years is embarrassing. Particularly when it spans all science, engineering, the humanities and medicine.”
Galsworthy emphasises the Government’s ‘hostile environment’ as part of the problem, and while he mentions the dilatory meandering approach to the Horizon negotiations, I want to point out, that while outside Horizon, British research institutions are cut out of its funding scheme. Horizon funds require transnational co-operation. Projects designed for Horizon funding will, mostly, now no longer approach British institutions because they are ineligible for subsidy.
The article also notes the increases in the NHS Tax charged on immigrants which is levied after they pay taxes in their wages. Why would people come to a place where they are clearly unwelcome?
Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.
