The Global Talent Visa (GTV) endorsed funder pathway has been expanded to allow eligible researchers to be supported by businesses for the first time. This change means that businesses can now use the GTV to recruit research and development (R&D) talent to the UK for funded projects.
UKRI, which manages the GTV, has approved over 100 businesses, including AstraZeneca and Jaguar Land Rover, to employ or host GTV recipients. These businesses can now recruit R&D talent to work on eligible grants from endorsed research and innovation funders.
Professor Christopher Smith, UKRI International, Talent and Skills Champion, stated that the expansion will ensure the benefits of the GTV are felt across more of the country and in various sectors, from medicines and AI to the creative and cultural economy. Oliver Buckley-Mellor of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry noted that opening the endorsed funder route to research-intensive businesses addresses a gap in the UK's global talent offer.