UK visa restrictions are expected to be relaxed for foreign experts in Artificial Intelligence in a bid to ramp up the industry and boost economic growth.
The Government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, released on Monday, suggests exploring “how the existing immigration system can be used to attract graduates from universities producing some of the world’s top AI talent”.
The proposal, written by tech entrepreneur Matt Clifford, states: “Graduates from some leading AI institutions, such as the Indian Institutes of Technology and (since 2020) Carnegie Mellon University in the US, are not currently included in the High Potential Individual visa eligibility list.
“Government should take steps to develop new pathways, and strengthen existing ones, to support these graduates.
“It should also explore how best to address wider barriers like the cost and complexity of visas which create obstacles for startups and deter overseas talent from re-locating to the UK.”
In a pitch to AI companies on Monday, Sir Keir Starmer promised to "remove the blockages that hold you back" as he vowed to adopt the 50 recommendations in Mr Clifford’s report.
The Prime Minister added: "This is a Government that backs the builders. So if you're looking at where to build your data centres, we will speed up planning permission if you need better access to power."
He also pledged further AI regulation, but said the Government would "test and understand" the technology beforehand to ensure that any future rules are "proportionate and grounded in the science".
Last year the former Conservative government implemented a string of new visa restrictions amid pressure to cut record legal immigration to the UK and slash arrivals by 300,000 a year.
They included a ban on many overseas employees bringing family members with them to Britain and a hiking the salary threshold for skilled workers to £38,700.
One of the areas of concern among AI industry chiefs is the lengthy bureaucracy and cost of hiring from overseas.
Measures being considered include considering stock options, offered as part of an employee’s wage package, when calculating the salary threshold for the skilled worker visa.
Provisional data shows 547,000 visa applications were received between April and December 2024, down from 942,500 in the same period in 2023.
John Dickie, chief executive of BusinessLDN which represents company leaders in the capital, said: “The Government’s new action plan rightly recognises the need to seize the opportunities that AI offers to boost investment, productivity and growth across the UK through partnership with business and coordinated action across departments.
“Speeding up planning permission and grid connections for critical infrastructure such as data centres, training and retraining workers so they have the digital skills needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow, and ensuring our immigration system is responsive to the needs of AI start-ups are all vital to keep the UK ahead of the pack.
“Delivering on this vision will help the economy shift gear, improve public services and keep the UK at the cutting-edge of AI innovation.”
