Office for Talent
Posted on Wednesday, July 1, 2020 by Gradsouthwest Team — No comments
The government has created a new ‘Office for Talent’ to make it easier for scientists, researchers and innovators to settle in the UK.
The announcement by business secretary Alok Sharma on 1 July 2020 is part of a research and development (R&D) roadmap, which is under a broader plan to help the UK economy regroup after the impact from the Covid-19 outbreak.
It follows the government’s pledge to increase R&D investment to £22bn a year by 2024-25, and it aims to drive collaboration between the public and private sectors and research organisations to ensure funding is available for initiatives that drive economic and societal benefits.
According to the government, a key pillar of the strategy is attracting, retaining and developing talent. As part of the new graduate route, the government announced that international students who complete a PhD from next summer can stay in the UK for three years after study to live and work. Students who have successfully completed undergraduate and master’s degrees will be able to stay two years after study. This will make it easier for some of the best, young international graduates to secure skilled jobs in the UK and contribute to economic growth.
As a graduate recruiter this makes the international talent pool more easily open to you to recruit from.
In addition, when the student route opens this autumn as part of the UK’s new points-based immigration system, there will be a number of improvements which will further streamline the immigration process. These include extending the window in which prospective students can make visa applications, removing study time limits at postgraduate level and allowing all students to switch to another type of visa from within the UK. Existing students and those who start their course this autumn will benefit from these changes, once they have been introduced. Again, opening up the international recruitment market for graduates for employers to benefit from.
MORE DETAILS:
The UK’s Points-Based Immigration System Further Details: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/899755/UK_Points-Based_System_Further_Details_Web_Accessible.pdf
Government Press Release: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-fires-up-rd-across-the-country-to-cement-the-uk-as-science-superpower
Office for Talent article from the BBC