Loss of ‘vital’ technicians could harm research post-Brexit

The UK could face a shortage of the highly trained technicians who underpin its research if citizens from the European Union and European Economic Area are subject to existing immigration rules for non-EEA workers after Brexit.

A consortium of high-profile university groups, health charities and campaign groups has called on the UK government to review its immigration rules to ensure continued recruitment of enough technical staff after Brexit. 

Under the existing immigration system, research technicians from outside the EU and the EEA are not considered skilled enough to meet the criteria for a UK worker visa.