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Policy Manager for Skills, Talent & Diversity, India Lucas, comments on the Science & Technology Committee's report into 'An immigration system that works for science...

Yesterday, the Science and Technology Committee released their report ‘An immigration system that works for science and innovation’. We were very pleased to see such strong synergies between the report’s recommendations and principles for a future immigration system and our own, as put forward both in our written submission to the Committee inquiry and expressed in the oral evidence session earlier in June which our Head of Policy gave evidence at. 

We commend the Committee for highlighting the business and research need for access to the brightest and best and hope the report feeds into the imminent Immigration White Paper. 

The report’s key takeaways:  

Short-term mobility – techUK commends the Committee for recognising that short-term mobility, both into and out of the UK, is integral for research, innovation and collaboration. Similarly, the Committee notes that short-term mobility is often needed at short notice and therefore the UK immigration system must facilitate such travel.  

Breaks in continuous residency – the report calls for an Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) ‘Research Activity’ exemption to be made for individuals who need to spend more than 180 days in any 12 months overseas for research purposes. We have already seen softening in traditional ILR requirements in the EU Settlement Scheme’s continuous residency requirements and we hope the government continues applying this pragmatic flexibility. 

Tier 2 – 

• The shortage occupation list – there are clear problems with the shortage occupation list for Tier 2 (General) visa. Whilst this has been temporarily relieved following the short-term removal of NHS workers, techUK is clear that there is still a need for reform. The Committee goes further in calling for the scrapping of the list, on the basis that it’s reactionary nature means it will always be out of date. 
• Defining ‘skills’ – the Committee is acutely aware in their report that salary should not be used as a proxy for skill and techUK supports this. The Committee suggests that ‘skilled workers’ should be defined as requiring Level 3 qualifications or above. techUK supports calls to redefine ‘skilled worker’.  
•  Annual caps – we support the Committee in calling for the removal of the cap on Tier 2 (General) visas.  
• Visas costs – The Committee calls for the reduction in costs for both individuals and employers for Tier 2 visas. This clearly draws on our evidence on the often convoluted and burdensome visa application process for employers. 

Post-study work – techUK called for the reintroduction of the Tier 1 Post Study Work visa in our written submission under certain conditions. We are glad the Committee’s supports us in reinstating the visa for individuals with a recognised degree from a UK higher education institution as a means of ensuring the brightest and best who have been educated at UK institutions are encouraged to remain in the UK.