Industry Responds to UK Government Immigration Rules Proposals

Industry has responded favorably to the recent announcement from newly appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, that immigration rules should be developed to ensure scientific talent is attracted to the country.

Johnson has instructed the Home Office and the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy to work alongside the scientific community to develop a fast-track immigration route that will appeal to elite researchers and specialists. “Britain has a proud history of innovation, with home-grown inventions spanning from the humble bicycle to the lightbulb. We were home to the world’s first national DNA database, we discovered graphene, and our cutting-edge scientists should be proud to follow in the footsteps of titans like Ada Lovelace, and Nobel Laureates Francis Crick and Peter Higgs,” Johnson said in an Aug. 8, 2019 government news release. “But to ensure we continue to lead the way in the advancement of knowledge, we have to not only support the talent that we already have here, but also ensure our immigration system attracts the very best minds from around the world.”

Responding to the proposals, the head of skills and education at the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), Andrew Croydon, said, “Bringing the brightest and best scientists to the UK, as well as nurturing our own home-grown talent, will be critical to our future success in researching and developing medicines. The government’s proposals to attract more scientists to the UK are a step in the right direction.”

Sources: Gov.uk, ABPI