UK launches new high potential visa: What it is, who is eligible, how it works

On Monday, UK launched a High Potential Individual visa for graduates from the world’s top 50 non-UK universities.As per the UK home office, the HPI visa is intended to attract an unlimited number of talented graduates at the early stages of their careers who “demonstrate exceptional promise, providing a highly desirable and able pool of mobile talent from which UK employers can recruit.”The UK government said these new visas form part of a series of changes to the country’s immigration system after leaving the European Union (EU) and grant visas “based on the skills they have to offer and the contribution they can make, not where they come from”.Let's take a closer look at the programme:Who is eligible?Under the new route, the world’s top graduates in subjects such as science, engineering and medical research will be encouraged to bring their skills to the UK after graduating from prestigious universities such as Harvard, Stanford and MIT.The top 50 list of universities has been identified from the rankings lists produced annually by ‘QS’, ‘Times Higher Education’ and the ‘Academic Ranking of World Universities’ and covers universities from the US, Canada, Japan, Germany, Australia, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, France, Sweden and Switzerland.As per the BBC, the list of eligible universities from 2021, published online by the government, featured 20 US universities, including Harvard, Yale and MIT.Seventeen other qualifying institutions included the University of Hong Kong, University of Melbourne and the Paris Sciences et Lettres University.The home office notes that the list of the top 50 Global Institutes has been identified from three of the world’s most reliable university rankings lists, which are widely cited by the education system and used in immigration systems globally.“Using a combination of these lists provides independent validation for institutions and opens up the opportunity for new international universities to move up the ranks and join this list in the future,” the spokesperson added.How does it work?

• According to the UK Home Office, an applicant applying under this route must have funds of at least £ 1,270 to be eligible
• An institution must be outside of the UK and must have featured in the top 50 of at least two of the three rankings for the year in which the applicant was awarded the qualification.

How long you can stay?The visa usually lasts for 2 years. If you have a PhD or other doctoral qualification, it will last for 3 years.What you can do

• Work in most jobs
• Look for work
• Be self-employed
• Live in the UK with your partner and children, if they’re eligible
• Do voluntary work
• Travel abroad and return to the UK

What you can’t do:

• Apply for most benefits (public funds), or the State Pension
• Work as a professional sportsperson
• Apply to settle permanently in the UK

Studying with HPI visaYou can only study with an HPI visa if your chosen course is not eligible for a Student visa. If your course is eligible for a Student visa, you can apply for a Student visa instead, or extend your Student visa if you already have one.You may need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate if you’re studying or researching sensitive topics.Can you extend your HPI visa?No.But you can be able to switch to a different visa, for example a Skilled Worker visa.What they saidSome expressed disappointment that no South Asian, Latin American or African universities made the list.Christopher Trisos, director and senior researcher at the University of Cape Town, told the BBC that it is a deeply inequitable approach.He said that if the UK wants to play a role in addressing the major challenges of this century, such as energy access, climate change and pandemics, "then they need to be recognising and including diverse skills and in-depth knowledge held by many graduates from universities in developing countries".However, Indian-origin UK Cabinet ministers Rishi Sunak and Priti Patel said the new “exciting” category under the post-Brexit points-based system is aimed at attracting the “best and brightest” talent from around the world, regardless of nationality.“This new visa offer means that the UK can continue to attract the best and brightest from across the globe,” said Chancellor Rishi Sunak.“The route means that the UK will grow as a leading international hub for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. We want the businesses of tomorrow to be built here today – which is why I call on students to take advantage of this incredible opportunity to forge their careers here,” he said.“The UK is already home to some of the most ground-breaking start-ups, on the forefront of R&D and an incredibly diverse and exciting place to live – come and join in,” added UK-born Sunak, himself an MBA from Stanford University in the US.“I am proud to be launching this new and exciting route as part of our points-based immigration system which puts ability and talent first – not where someone comes from,” said UK Home Secretary Priti Patel.“This government is delivering for the British people by bringing in the high skills and talent our country and businesses need,” she said.“Graduates from the listed universities are eligible for the High Potential Individual route scheme regardless of nationality,” a home office spokesperson said.“Each of the eligible universities attracts students from across the globe to study. There are several other routes eligible for graduates from other universities including the Graduate, Skilled Worker and Global Talent route,” the spokesperson said.Meanwhile, international students, including Indians, who are studying in the UK at any of the top universities are already eligible to stay for up to three years through the Graduate visa – popularly referred to as a post-study work visa – opened in July last year.A new Global Business Mobility route opened in April this year to simplify and improve various routes to enable businesses to expand. Later this year, the Scale-up visa route is aimed at supporting businesses in talent recruitment by enabling them to bring employees to the UK.With inputs from PTIRead all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.