‘Relax UK visa rules for skilled staff’
24 Sep 2012 11:07 PM GMT
A leading think-tank, considered close to the ruling Conservative party, wants the David Cameron government to relax immigration rules to make it easier for digital companies to recruit highly skilled staff from anywhere in the word.
In a report titled Bits and Billions, the London-based Policy Exchange said the UK has enormous potential to be a world-leader in the high-tech and digital economy, but that it is tough for start-ups to find enough coders, designers and other highly skilled staff.
The study wants UK policymakers to learn lessons from the United States, especially California which is home to nearly half of the top 100 digital start-ups in the world, and relax immigration rules.
One of its major recommendations is to reinstate the two-year post-study visa that enabled students from India and other non-EU countries to work for two years after completing their courses.
The visa, which was popular among Indian students, was scrapped in April. The report wants the government to relax visa requirements for skilled migrants, to enable start-up businesses in the digital sector to take on highly skilled staff for a two-year probationary period without needing to pay a high up-front salary. [PTI]
In a report titled Bits and Billions, the London-based Policy Exchange said the UK has enormous potential to be a world-leader in the high-tech and digital economy, but that it is tough for start-ups to find enough coders, designers and other highly skilled staff.
The study wants UK policymakers to learn lessons from the United States, especially California which is home to nearly half of the top 100 digital start-ups in the world, and relax immigration rules.
One of its major recommendations is to reinstate the two-year post-study visa that enabled students from India and other non-EU countries to work for two years after completing their courses.
The visa, which was popular among Indian students, was scrapped in April. The report wants the government to relax visa requirements for skilled migrants, to enable start-up businesses in the digital sector to take on highly skilled staff for a two-year probationary period without needing to pay a high up-front salary. [PTI]
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