Global Talent Visa expanded to innovative research businesses

Business Support
Regulatory News
06 Aug 2026

The GTV is a key UK research visa, supporting the most exceptional minds from across the globe to work on funded research projects at UK research-intensive businesses.

The flexible visa allows individuals to move between projects and enhance high-growth sectors.

So far, through the endorsed funderpathway, UKRI has helped over 12,500 talented people from over 130 different countries to continue building their research careers in the UK.

Now, for the first time in this pathway, eligible researchers can be supported by businesses can use the GTV to work on innovative and exciting funded projects.

Exceptional researchers

UKRI International, Talent and Skills Champion, Professor Christopher Smith, said:

By providing a route for exceptional researchers to work in and contribute to the UK, the Global Talent visa is playing an important role in our mission to advance knowledge, improve lives and drive growth.

The expansion of the Global Talent visa to innovative businesses across the country will ensure these benefits are felt across more of the country and in a wide range of sectors, from medicines and AI to the creative and cultural economy.

Unlocking growth

This is key to unlocking growth in sectors where access to global research and development (R&D) talent is mission critical, especially in the eight strategic, high-growth industries identified in the UK government’s Modern Industrial Strategy.

Boosting British science

Oliver Buckley-Mellor, UK Competitiveness Senior Policy Manager at the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry said:

The UK’s Global Talent visa is one of the most globally competitive pathway of its kind, but its potential to boost British science and economic growth was not being fully realised.

By opening the endorsed funder route to research-intensive businesses, including several ABPI members, the government is helping to address a key gap in our global talent offer.

We were glad to work with UKRI on this expansion, which is a welcome first step that should be built on enable more exceptional global talent to come to the UK.

Working with the sector

In expanding the pathway, UKRI worked with a number of membership organisations to seek advice on UK-based research-intensive businesses.

Enabling these businesses to support the best globally mobile research talent to come to the UK will have a clear benefit to research delivery plans.

These membership organisations were:

  • AIRTO
  • BioIndustry Association
  • Bionow
  • British Plastics Federation
  • Composites UK
  • Creative UK
  • UK Quantum

Over 100 businesses have now been added to the list of employing or hosting organisations approved by UKRI for the GTV.

This means that these businesses can now recruit R&D talent to the UK, to work on an eligible grant from an endorsed research and innovation funder.

Some of the businesses supported are:

  • Added Value Solutions
  • AstraZeneca
  • Denroy Limited
  • Ffilm Cymru Wales
  • Infinitopes
  • Jaguar Land Rover
  • Lumino Technologies
  • NunaBio
  • Roslin Technologies

Fast-rack route

The GTV endorsed funder pathway  is a fast-rack endorsement pathway.

Research-intensive businesses interested in receiving updates from UKRI about potential future expansions to the list of approved GTV organisations should register their interest in GTV.

This expansion has been made possible because of the expertise and contribution of UKRI’s visa advisory board and the membership organisations we have worked with.