The new opportunity for UK biotech companies to attract global talent
The Global Talent visa route has been made easier for research-intensive businesses to attract international researchers and specialists
Kate Barclay
Skills Strategy Consultant, BIA
UK Government has recently announced packages of support to help Britain’s fastest-growing life science companies start, scale and stay in the UK, including a bespoke concierge service for high-potential scale-ups and strengthened measures to attract world-leading international talent.
As part of this wider pro-scale-up agenda, UK Government is expanding the Global Talent visa route to make it easier for research-intensive businesses to attract international researchers and specialists. BIA has been working with UK Government and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to help ensure our members can benefit from this expansion and that life sciences scale-ups are visible within this new national growth offer.
The Government’s announcement highlights a clear ambition to partner directly with high-growth companies, helping them overcome barriers such as regulation, access to finance, procurement and access to global talent.
What has Government announced?
The new concierge service will offer tiered, targeted support for some of the UK’s most promising scale-ups, helping businesses navigate and unblock issues that can slow growth. This could include regulation, finance, procurement, international expansion and access to specialist talent. The service is intended to be agile and developed with input from entrepreneurs and investors, ensuring support reflects the practical needs of companies scaling at pace.
Alongside this, the Government is introducing talent measures aimed at making the UK more competitive for globally mobile specialists. This includes a visa fee reimbursement scheme for scale-ups in digital and technology, life sciences and clean energy, as well as work through the Global Talent Taskforce to help high-potential firms access exceptional skills.
For biotech SMEs and scale-ups, the expansion of Global Talent into industry is especially relevant. UKRI is enabling a selected group of eligible businesses to become approved Global Talent visa host organisations, allowing qualifying companies to support international research and innovation talent through a flexible, fast-track route designed for globally mobile specialists.
The concierge service will complement the scale-up service that the Office for Life Sciences run, which was announced in the Life Sciences Sector Plan and which BIA helped shape.
Why is this good news for BIA members?
The announcement brings together several measures that speak directly to the needs of innovative, research-intensive companies looking to grow from the UK:
- A stronger national scale-up offer: the concierge service is designed to help high-growth companies unlock deals, unblock delays and access Government support
- Improved access to global talent: the wider package includes measures to attract and retain world-leading international specialists in priority sectors
- A more flexible route for exceptional researchers: the Global Talent route avoids rigid role definitions and minimum salary thresholds
- Better conditions for scaling in the UK: the package reinforces the message that Government wants high-potential companies to build, grow and remain in the UK
- Lower administrative barriers: approved Global Talent host organisations would not need a sponsor licence, certificate of sponsorship or ongoing sponsorship compliance duties
Where does BIA fit in?
BIA has been engaging with UK Government and UKRI to ensure innovative biotech companies are part of this opportunity. UKRI has asked BIA to help identify member businesses for nomination as potential Global Talent visa host organisations using specified eligibility criteria.
The opportunity is most relevant to biotech companies with UK-based R&D activity, a track record of carrying out research in the UK and at least £30,000 of public funding from an endorsed funder within the last five years. Businesses should also align with at least one of the UK Government’s frontier technologies and/or Industrial Strategy areas.
This is a chance for the UK life sciences sector to demonstrate that its research-intensive companies are exactly the kind of high-growth, innovation-led businesses the Government wants to support. UKRI will carry out due diligence and may recommend companies to the Home Office for inclusion on the approved host organisation list.
Why does this matter?
Access to specialist global talent is critical for the UK’s life sciences sector. The Government’s new scale-up package, including concierge support, visa fee reimbursement and the expansion of Global Talent into industry, strengthens the case for building globally competitive biotech companies in the UK.
BIA will continue to work with UK Government and UKRI to champion the needs of innovative life science companies and ensure members are well placed to benefit from new initiatives that help them scale, recruit and compete internationally.
