Researchers and advocates express growing apprehension over the recent changes to UK visa regulations, asserting that the country is becoming less appealing to foreign scientists seeking opportunities for work or study.
In a move announced by the UK government last December, plans to elevate the salary threshold for skilled worker visas from £26,200 to £38,700 are underway. Although these adjustments have not yet been put into effect, concerns are rising, particularly among postdoctoral researchers whose salaries often fall below the proposed new threshold.
This month, additional changes to UK student visas came into effect, barring new foreign undergraduate students from bringing family members with them. The modifications also include heightened costs for visa applications and an increase in the healthcare surcharge paid by migrants accessing the UK National Health Service, rising from £624 to £1,035 annually for adults.
Daniel Rathbone, interim executive director of Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE), a science advocacy group based in London, warns that the combination of salary threshold increases and escalating visa costs may diminish the UK’s appeal to top-tier students and researchers globally.
Implemented by the Conservative government, which has prioritized reducing immigration, these changes follow the Brexit vote, making it more challenging for international scientists to work in the UK and hindering UK-based scientists from participating in certain international collaborations.
Mike Galsworthy, Chair of the European Movement UK group, emphasizes the lasting impact of such moves on the science community, stating, “Once you have frozen something, defrosting it does take a lot of time and a lot of effort. So moves like this really do affect the science community for a long time afterward.”
While postdoctoral researchers were initially exempt from the salary threshold due to their typically higher earnings, uncertainties remain regarding whether this exemption will persist. Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory project at the University of Oxford, emphasizes the potential repercussions for postdocs applying on standard starting salaries, stating that the impact will vary based on the candidate’s institution and career stage.
Galsworthy criticizes the government’s decision to raise the salary threshold to £38,700, suggesting it sends a discouraging message to foreign scientists already working in the country, effectively saying, “The message that goes out to them is ‘go home.'”
Responding to concerns, a spokesperson for the UK Home Office, responsible for visas, assures that the government aims to attract global talent through visa routes such as the Global Talent scheme, designed for those excelling in academia and research. However, the spokesperson also acknowledges Prime Ministerial concerns about current migration levels being too high.
The recent surge in healthcare surcharge is anticipated to have an immediate impact on researchers, especially those with families. Sumption highlights the potential financial burden for someone on a five-year skilled-worker visa with a spouse and two children, estimating an expenditure of around £20,000 on the healthcare surcharge.
Uncertainty looms over whether laboratory technicians, generally earning less than postdocs, will be exempt from the salary threshold. Rathbone concludes that these changes collectively contribute to a negative image of the UK as a destination for research.
As the policies are enacted, Sumption and colleagues plan to monitor the impact on scientist numbers coming to the UK. They anticipate a decline in foreign undergraduate students, whose high fees constitute a significant source of funds for UK universities.
In response to the announced threshold changes, postdocs have expressed concerns on social media platforms. Universities UK, representing 142 UK universities, acknowledges the need to review minimum salary thresholds but cautions that an increase of nearly 50% could impede the recruitment of high-skilled international talent that universities heavily rely on.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s acknowledgment of the student-visa family policy on social media has prompted European researchers to highlight alternative opportunities, with some suggesting that German universities offer tuition-free education in English, presenting a more welcoming environment compared to the recent UK policy implementations. Galsworthy concludes that despite the UK government’s claims of supporting science, their actions demonstrate a lack of awareness of what fosters a vibrant science community.
