Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 144
144
In terms of ensuring that the UK remains an attractive place to work in for...
Conclusion
In terms of ensuring that the UK remains an attractive place to work in for international academics, Iain Stewart MP, Minister for Scotland, highlighted to us that the Government is working on an International Education Strategy, headed up by Sir Steve Smith, “that is looking at the whole piece of making the UK academically a hugely attractive place to come and work and study” (and is due to conclude in the summer of 2021).337
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
We have now launched our new global, points-based immigration system, including most recently, the Graduate route, and have extensively promoted these new immigration routes throughout the EU and the rest of the world—sending out a clear message the UK welcomes the brightest and the best, whether they be at the start of their career as a young graduate, or a respected and experience member of their profession. We continue to welcome international students, placing no limit on their numbers, and we remain committed to increasing the number of international Higher Education students in the UK to 600,000 by 2030, as set out in the Government’s International Education Strategy. As part of the new Graduate route, international students who complete a PhD from Summer 2021 can stay in the UK for 3 years after study to live and work; students who have successfully completed undergraduates and master’s degrees to stay 2 years after study. The points-based immigration system’s new Student route includes several improvements to further streamline the immigration process, including extending the window in which prospective students can make visa applications, removing study time limits at postgraduate level and allowing all students to switch to another type of visa from within the UK. The new points-based immigration system treats EU and non-EU citizens equally and provides simple, effective, and flexible arrangements for skilled workers from around the world to come to the UK. The Government is working to radically improve our approach to attracting global talent to the UK and has set up the Office for Talent (OfT). The OfT will drive forward further visa reform and review the talent offer across all career stages to make sure that the coverage and attractiveness of programmes is among the best in the world. The OfT is working with delivery teams across government departments, ensuring the UK’s talent offer is stronger than ever for students, those building their careers, and those who are already world leaders in their fields, and will make it easier for those with the most talent,