Complex visa rules driving top scientists away from UK, universities warn
Scientists applying to work at British universities must have their country of origin and the nature of research considered by Foreign Office officials before they are accepted
Top foreign scientists are deciding against carrying out their research in Britain because of long delays in the security vetting process, leading universities have warned.
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Manchester University professor Sir Andre Geim slammed the UK's academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS), calling the process an act of “economic self-sabotage” that damages the UK far more than small boat crossings.
He described the system, designed to remove applicants who pose a national security risk, as a “bureaucratic warhead” preventing the country recruiting the best people.
Scientists applying to work at British universities must have their country of origin and the nature of research considered by Foreign Office officials before they are accepted.
Applicants are told they will receive a decision within 30 days, but universities say candidates this year have been left waiting six months or more.
Sir Andre said two if his doctoral students, “both from the very best university in their country”, gave up waiting for an ATAS decision and went to the US instead.
University chiefs warn these delays could cause entire research projects to collapse.
Ben Moore, the head of international policy at the Russell Group, the group of leading research universities, told The Times: "The government says it is committing to bringing more global talent to the UK, boosting our research and development capabilities by attracting international researchers.
"But the severe delays in the vetting process are hampering these efforts. At some universities, 30 students or more have been waiting over two months."
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The confusing system has been criticised by Sir Adrian Smith, president of the Royal Society, who told the House of Lords that the UK is sending confusing signals to foreign scientific talent.
"We do not have something from the government that we could see as a joined-up international strategy," he said.
"You have noises about ‘yes, we want to be terrific at science, so we want to attract the brightest and best from around the world’, and then you invent a visa cost system, which is, on average, 17 times more expensive than any other country. It is insane … DSIT [the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology] will say, ‘we want global talent’, and the Home Office will say, 'we will try to put you off’."
A spokesperson for the Foreign Office said: "The academic technology approval scheme (Atas) safeguards UK research by preventing the misappropriation of sensitive technologies.
"Since its 2020 expansion to include military technologies, applications have doubled to 40,000 annually. Despite this, most are processed within 30 working days."