Let us know about free updates
Simply sign up for Global Economy Myft Digest and it will be delivered directly to your inbox.
The author is the founder and director of the New Britain Project Think Tank.
Of all the tremblings unleashed by Donald Trump’s second term, one of the quietest consequences is the sorting of the global innovation economy. Top talent is either running away from the US or seriously consider it.
This is not a story limited to university campuses. Tech workers question whether cultures increasingly shaped by Elon Musk’s libertarianism reflect their values. Scientists are seeing research budgets freeze and vaccine skepticism rise. And Green Entrepreneurs see a negative return of the climate to the political mainstream in the United States. These are people driving in the next industrial era. And for the first time in decades, the United States is no longer an automatic destination.
To seize the opportunity presented by the American brain drain, the UK government must mitigate the path of proper talent coming, whilst keeping the overall migration figures down. And it has to be done quickly.
It’s race – not just for fame, but for growth and security. France and Germany are leading the charges, but they are not alone. A country that has successfully attracted the best of minds will gain a critical advantage in the AI, biotechnology and energy sectors that promote the power of the 21st century.
Emmanuel Macron understands this. France’s 100 billion euro sovereign AI package comes with a fast truck visa and is more than a technology plan. It’s a geopolitical game. Germany is preparing to recruit 1,000 international scientists. The EU has launched a 500 million euro “Pick Europe for Science” programme, doubled its relocation support.
Until recently, the UK was barely on the departure line. That changed at London Tech Week earlier this month. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has accompanied a £1 billion pledge to expand the UK’s computing power, essential to training advanced AI models, with a package of reforms to boost 100 new AI scholarships and digital education. His goal of “making the UK a AI maker, not just an AI-Taker” was a clear signal that the UK wanted to compete.
This shift continued this week with the launch of a global talent drive to cover the full visas and transfer costs of world-leading researchers, a dedicated talent task force and a new £54 million fund. These moves show that the government knows it is at a crisis.
But we have to do more priorities. The UK’s highly skilled visa system remains a barrier rather than a lever. It is expensive, slowly and misaligned with national priorities. It suggests that talent is a risk to manage, not an asset to unlock.
And in some respects it’s not surprising. The migration debate is politically toxic. The government is under great pressure and, of course, it makes it difficult for some to argue that in order to reduce large-scale movements, it must be easier, faster and cheaper.
However, public attitudes are more subtle than they look. Voters are consistently more supportive of advanced immigration when they are clearly tied to national goals such as growth and innovation.
Therefore, an invitation-only visa model offers an attractive way. Design is selective as the UK is actively inviting people to identify and apply priority sectors. It’s faster, harder to criticize, and easier to explain. Regain control.
Other countries have already done this. Australia’s National Innovation Visa is built on exactly this logic. It is directly linked to a strategic sector with low costs and low deficits. If the UK is serious about growth, we need a version that works for us.
This is not just a visa. It goes to the heart of growth, the crucial mission of priorities. The UK aims to lead AI, biotechnology and clean energy. It requires talent – not as a rule, but in reality. People need to live, work everywhere and choose to build here.
