Peers have warned that the UK’s work visa policy is creating “unnecessarily high barriers” for Britain to attract global talent.
The Lords Science and Technology Committee has written to the Prime Minster, Home Secretary, Chancellor and Science Minister to say reforms are urgently needed following increasing global competition for STEM workers.
The committee argues that funding policies under Donald Trump’s US administration have left many American scientists seeking to relocate to other countries.
Other nations, including France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Canada and Australia, have already announced programmes to encourage them to move there.
Britain is set miss out because of a complex and costly process that means UK visa fees for scientists are amongst the highest in the world, the committee warns.
It comes as the Government looks to go further and faster in reducing net migration amid Reform UK’s sizable wins at the local elections last Thursday.
It is planning to publish its Immigration White Paper next week, which will lay out the details of Sir Keir Starmer’s plan to reduce immigration.
In his letter published on Wednesday, committee chair Lord Robert Mair, said: “The Government must seize this rare opportunity to rectify the situation where it is putting up unnecessarily high barriers to the global talent that want to live and work here, harming the national interest and in stark contrast to the actions of other nations.
“At a time of dramatic geopolitical and technological change, our action––or inaction––right now will have a huge impact on our future. We cannot afford business as usual.”
Visas for science, research and engineering roles fell by a third in the second half last year compared to the period in 2023.
Lord Mair added: “We understand that the Government was elected on a pledge to reduce overall immigration numbers–but the Global Talent visa accounts for only around 4,000 people a year, less than 1% of the overall figures in 2024.
“Reducing overall net migration is therefore not incompatible with increasing the proportion of science and technology experts who receive visas.”
As part of the Government’s immigration crackdown, visa applications from nationalities considered most likely to overstay and claim asylum in Britain could be restricted.
Work and study visas for people from countries such as Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka are among those that could reportedly be curbed by the Home Office.
In its manifesto, Labour promised that it would bring down the numbers of people coming into the country from abroad.
The party said that the overall level of net migration “must be properly controlled and managed”.
UK visa applications have significantly fallen in recent months, particularly for those coming for jobs in the NHS and social care, after tough new restrictions on eligibility were introduced in early 2024 under the previous Government.
But asylum applications have rocketed.
Home Office figures show a total of 108,138 people applied for asylum in Britain in 2024, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
A Home Office spokesman said: “To tackle abuse by foreign nationals who arrive on work and study visas and go on to claim asylum, we are building intelligence on the profile of these individuals to identify them earlier and faster.
“We keep the visa system under constant review and will where we detect trends, which may undermine our immigration rules, we will not hesitate to take action.
“Under our plan for change, our upcoming Immigration White Paper will set out a comprehensive plan to restore order to our broken immigration system.”
