U.K.’s ‘Brightest and Best’ Visa Leaves Out Africa, India and Latin America

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Under the new program, graduates of top-ranked global colleges can move to Britain for two years, even without a job offer. But critics say the plan nurtures global inequalities.

LONDON — When Britain started a program this week offering a two-year visa to graduates from some top global universities, Nikhil Mane, an Indian computer science student at New York University, welcomed the news.

“I was happy,” said Mr. Mane, 23, whose university was on the list. “It’s a good way to pursue our dreams.”

More than 5,000 miles away, Adeola Adepoju, 22, a biochemistry student at Olabisi Onabanjo University in Nigeria, also read the announcement with great interest. But he had the opposite reaction.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Mr. Adepoju said. “No university from the third world is ranked.”

Britain’s “High Potential Individual” visa program allows graduates from 37 top-rated world universities in Australia, Canada, China, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the United States to come to the country for two years even if they do not have a job offer.

A majority of universities on the list are in the United States, including Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California, San Diego.

The government said the plan would attract the world’s “brightest and best” and benefit the British economy. Critics, however, say the plan nurtures global inequalities and discriminates against most developing countries. » | Emma Bubola | Friday, June 3, 2022

New VIP Visa Service for Wealthy Foreigners

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Wealthy foreign business executives will get a new “VIP” visa service to speed their entry to the UK, Theresa May will announce.

Ministers are creating a new visa system for global business leaders amid concerns that moves to tighten immigration rules are deterring “high-value” individuals from overseas.

Around 100 wealthy foreigners will initially be invited to join a new “bespoke” visa service which the Home Office said will ensure their passage through the UK border system is “swift and smooth.” » | James Kirkup, Political Editor | Wenesday, November 06, 2013