Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her department has to apply the reforms to the Global Talent visa announced in Budget 2021 retrospectively; and what estimate she has made of the number of rejected applications for that visa that would have been accepted under reformed rules in the latest period for which figures are available.

The changes will provide expedited access to those individuals recognised as being at the pinnacle of their field and demonstrate the UK’s commitment to attract world leading talent to the UK. We believe no one who would qualify under the proposed provisions for globally prestigious prize winners would be refused under the current requirements.

Like other planned changes to visa rules, they will not be applied retrospectively to applications decided under previous rules.