UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is considering plans to abolish visa fees for top international talent, in a move aimed at boosting economic growth, according to a report by the Financial Times on Monday.
The proposal is being shaped by Starmer’s “global talent task force,” which is focused on attracting leading scientists, academics, and digital experts to the United Kingdom.
Under the suggested reforms, visa fees could be waived for individuals who have graduated from the world’s top five universities or those who have earned prestigious international awards.
Discussions on this initiative had already been taking place within Number 10 and the Treasury before the Trump administration in the United States introduced a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visas, which officially took effect on Sunday.
H-1B visas are widely used by U.S. tech companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers. The new fee could make the UK a more appealing option for global professionals at a time when America is tightening its immigration rules.
