Change in UK visa rules could be ‘hugely damaging to science’

More than 60 per cent of technicians in Stem would be affected, says Prospect union

The government’s changes to skilled worker visas, which will require higher salaries to quality to work in the UK, will make it difficult to attract scientists to the UK, a union has warned in a letter to immigration minister Tom Pursglove.

For illustration purposes, Prospect, which represents workers in scientific and Stem roles at both public and private sector organisations, has calculated that if a rise in the proposed salary threshold to £38,700 were applied to the existing working population, the new threshold would exclude a large majority of jobs.