Visa costs deter international scientists and engineers

It took Ed Roberts over a year to find a senior scientist to work at his cancer research laboratory in Scotland, a delay he blames on high UK visa costs that made it harder to attract international workers.

- Sachin Ravikumar, Reuters

Scientific academy the Royal Society says UK immigration fees for foreign workers are up to 17 times higher than the average for other leading science nations, inflated in part by an upfront charge to access Britain's state-run health service. The Society, scientists, consultants and a lawmaker who spoke to Reuters said the fees are making it harder to hire global talent to fill Britain's skills gap and undermining Prime Minister Keir Starmer's "mission" to grow the economy. They also risk efforts to attract scientists who may leave the United States following President Donald Trump's cuts to research funding.