London (TDI): British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is considering a plan to eliminate visa charges for highly skilled individuals, according to British media reports.
The proposal, currently under discussion inside Downing Street and the Treasury, is aimed at attracting leading scientists, academics, and digital specialists to boost the UK’s economic growth.
Starmer’s newly formed “global talent task force” is reportedly drawing up options to make Britain more appealing to world-class professionals.
One idea being weighed is to scrap visa costs entirely for individuals who have studied at the world’s top five universities or who have won internationally recognized awards, a report said.
Read More: Trump Imposes $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas, Unveils $1m Residency Plan
The discussions were already underway before Washington announced a steep new charge of $100,000 for H-1B visas, which are widely used by US technology companies.
The American move added momentum to those in London pushing for reforms to Britain’s own system, with an eye on stimulating growth ahead of the UK Budget scheduled for November 26, according to officials.
Read More: US State Department Revokes 6,000 International Student Visas, Citing Violations
Currently, applying for a global talent visa in the UK costs £766 (around $1,030), with the same fee applied to spouses and dependents.
