Combat Controller sends me this little snippet:
Graduates from the world’s top universities will be able to apply to come to the UK under a new visa scheme.
The government says the “high-potential individual” route will attract the “brightest and best” early in their careers. The scheme will be available to alumni of the top non-UK universities who have graduated in the past five years. Graduates will be eligible regardless of where they were born, and will not need a job offer in order to apply.
Successful applicants will be given a work visa lasting two years if they hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree, and three years if they hold a PhD. They will then be able to switch to other long-term employment visas if they meet certain requirements. There will be no cap on the number of eligible graduates.
A quick perusal of the list shows that Hillsdale College is not included, which gives you an idea of which ones are.
Regardless, I think it’s a good idea (as does CC) to target people who have worked hard and achieved something, as opposed to simply taking in the dregs of the world willy-nilly, as the Brits (and we) do.
Speaking of dregs, there are of course complaints from the Usual Suspects, who want to know why no Asian or African universities were included on the list.
Because they’re all shit universities, is why.
Looks like a cash grab to me… Come to the UK, earn a large salary, pay confiscatory tax rates.
I don’t think they are deliberately slight Hillsdale:
“establishments from Top 50 rankings which appeared on 2 or more lists”
The complaint that the list excludes many top schools is valid. For example, none of the Indian Institute of Technologies is included.
Sounds like a good immigration policy.
Although this is written about third world countries, the principle is the same
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1275994/
First thing that pops to mind is to ask:
Is the UK undergoing ANOTHER Brain-Drain?
Why else would they be doing this?
quite possibly yes. Either their colleges are not producing competent people or other countries are luring them away.
JQ
Looking over that list, I’m not seeing that many schools that I’d truly rate as elite. Honestly, NO college rates as “elite.” There are some programs AT colleges that rate that status. CalTech made its reputation in Aerospace Engineering, supplemented by Physics and the work at the Jet Propulsion Lab. Johns Hopkins? Medical school, plus a decent Electrical Engineering program. Maybe throw in their Astronomy people.
But an entire college? Well, the UK seems to be governed by 11-year-olds these days. So I can’t hope for really insightful policies.
“High potential individual” immigration is a crock. Unless you’re talking Nobel Laureates, it’s just a cheap labor racket.
The only reason that someone would entertain utilizing this would be to get their foot in the door of a high paying field, and then book to a lower tax area once they get established, so the net effect is not good for the country. The only people who would tend to stay would be those intending to enter government itself at some point, or those who wouldn’t be acceptable elsewhere.
As an example of this response, back when CA first instituted their 10% surcharge for high earners (1M/yr) in 2000, there were 28k in the state. 1/3 instantly bailed. Twenty years later, there were about 2400 left, when they hit them with another 3% added. Again, 1/3 bailed instantly. Hell, some idiot in Sackatomato chased Elon Musk out of the state!
Knowledge, skill, and money tend to be portable.