UK to reimburse Global Talent visa fees to woo AI, tech and science talent

Treasury promises visa fee refunds and faster sponsor UK UK Global Talent visa: licences as ministers seek to draw AI, science and clean energy professionals

The UK government has set out fresh steps to draw global talent in areas such as artificial intelligence, life sciences and clean energy, as Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves travels to the World Economic Forum in Davos to pitch Britain as an investment destination.

 

In a statement on Tuesday, the Treasury said the UK would reimburse visa fees for “select trailblazers in deep tech sectors and those joining the most promising UK companies in priority sectors”. It also said companies looking to expand in Britain would be offered a faster route to secure sponsor licences.

 

At present, the Global Talent visa costs £766, with partners and dependants paying the same fee. The move comes as comparisons sharpen with the United States, where President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation introducing a $100,000 levy on a visa route widely used by American tech firms to hire Indian workers.

   

Who can apply for the Global Talent visa?

 

The Global Talent visa is open to individuals working in the following fields:

 

Science, engineering and medicine

Humanities and social sciences

Arts and culture

Digital technology

 

Unlike most UK work visas, applicants do not need a job offer or employer sponsorship. Fast-track entry is available for those endorsed by approved bodies.

 

Growth push alongside Davos outreach

 

The latest measures come as Reeves and Prime Minister Keir Starmer look to support their pledge to lift the UK’s economic growth rate. Britain’s economy is forecast to outperform several European peers in 2025, though it is still expected to miss Labour’s target of achieving the fastest growth among Group of Seven nations.

 

“This government is making sure Britain is home to the stability, talent and capital that businesses and investors want and that drive greater growth,” Reeves said in the statement. “My message at Davos this week is clear: choose Britain – it’s the best place in the world to invest.”

 

 

Global Talent Taskforce and funding plan

 

In June 2024, the UK launched a Global Talent Taskforce, backed by a £54 million Global Talent Fund, to attract science and technology professionals. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said the taskforce would support researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, senior engineers and creatives.

 

The funding, to be rolled out over five years from 2025, will be channelled through UK Research and Innovation to universities and research institutions. These bodies will identify candidates in line with Britain’s new Industrial Strategy.

 

“Genius is not bound by geography. But the UK is one of the few places blessed with the infrastructure, skills base, world-class institutions and international ties needed to fertilise brilliant ideas,” said Peter Kyle, UK Secretary for Science and Technology, when announcing the fund in June.

 

“My message to those who are advancing new ideas, wherever they are, is simple: we want to work with you, to support you, and to give you a home where you can make your ideas a reality we all benefit from,” he said.

 

Tighter migration backdrop

 

Alongside efforts to attract skilled professionals, the government is preparing wider restrictions on immigration, amid electoral pressure from Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party. Net migration is expected to be about 100,000 a year lower than forecasts by the Office for Budget Responsibility.