PUNE: UK’s new visa programme for researchers, announced by the British government on Monday, is likely to prove beneficial to Indian scientists, mathematicians and researchers, analysts said.
The Global Talent Visa does not cap the number of beneficiaries and will offer researchers a flexible immigration route to the UK. It replaces the tier-I visa which had a limit of 2,000 and comes as England prepares to leave the European Union later this month. “The proposed visa category is surely an advantageous route for highly-skilled researchers and their families to live and work in the UK,” said Poorvi Chothani, Solicitor, England & Wales, and founder and managing partner of LawQuest, an immigration law firm based in Mumbai.
An immigration system that promotes science, math and innovation is always a positive sign, she said. “The...points-based system-...will be popular with Indian scientists and researchers. However, we have to wait and see the exact parameters,” Chothani said. However, “if the standards are too stringent, some of our junior researchers may not meet the criteria and established scientists may not be eager to move if they are already doing well in India,” she added.
Applicants in this category will be endorsed by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), an umbrella body comprising different research councils, and not the immigration office.
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Britain plans to invest up to £300 million to fund experimental and imaginative mathematical sciences research by the best global talent over the next five years. This would double funding for new PhDs as well as increase the number of mathematics fellowships and research projects. UK is the latest country in Europe to lure highly talented workforce from other countries. “The UK has a proud history of scientific discovery, but to lead the field and face the challenges of the future we need to continue to invest in talent and cutting-edge research,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.
The Global Talent Visa does not cap the number of beneficiaries and will offer researchers a flexible immigration route to the UK. It replaces the tier-I visa which had a limit of 2,000 and comes as England prepares to leave the European Union later this month. “The proposed visa category is surely an advantageous route for highly-skilled researchers and their families to live and work in the UK,” said Poorvi Chothani, Solicitor, England & Wales, and founder and managing partner of LawQuest, an immigration law firm based in Mumbai.
An immigration system that promotes science, math and innovation is always a positive sign, she said. “The...points-based system-...will be popular with Indian scientists and researchers. However, we have to wait and see the exact parameters,” Chothani said. However, “if the standards are too stringent, some of our junior researchers may not meet the criteria and established scientists may not be eager to move if they are already doing well in India,” she added.
Applicants in this category will be endorsed by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), an umbrella body comprising different research councils, and not the immigration office.
(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)
Britain plans to invest up to £300 million to fund experimental and imaginative mathematical sciences research by the best global talent over the next five years. This would double funding for new PhDs as well as increase the number of mathematics fellowships and research projects. UK is the latest country in Europe to lure highly talented workforce from other countries. “The UK has a proud history of scientific discovery, but to lead the field and face the challenges of the future we need to continue to invest in talent and cutting-edge research,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.
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