Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the context of no eligible prize holders having applied for her Department's fast-track Global Talent visa in the first six months of that scheme, what steps she is taking to help ensure that the immigration system is accessible to talented (a) scientists, (b) academics and (c) creatives at all stages of their career.

We have a very generous immigration offer, which enables talented scientists, academics and creatives to come to the UK through a number of different routes, including Global Talent, Skilled Worker, Creative and Temporary Worker Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) routes.

The new Points-Based System is working well, attracting the skills the UK needs, as demonstrated by the latest Immigration Statistics year end September 2021. Issuance of work visas across all routes is up on both 2020 and 2019 (pre-pandemic). Since launch, last year, the Global Talent route has seen a significant increase in applicants compared to the predecessor route, despite the impact of travel cause by the pandemic. The number of visas granted on this route has continued to grow from 422 between its launch in February 2020 to year end September 2020, to 1,709 applicants for the year ending September 2021.

We work closely with the endorsing bodies for the route, which include the country’s leading science bodies, to develop the route to ensure it continues to meet the sector’s needs. We ensure that the route makes it as easy as possible for those top scientists and academics coming to the UK, which is why we introduced the Prestigious Prizes pathway for those at the pinnacle of their career.

This was always intended to be for a very small number of those who may already use the Global Talent route. The only difference from the main route is the removal of the need to obtain endorsement for holders of prestigious prizes. Where individuals do not hold one of these prizes they continue to be able to use the wider route, which I am pleased to say they are doing so in strong numbers.