Home Office Tier 2 visa announcement

22 November 2012

Commenting on Home Office changes to Tier 2 visa rules that allow absences for up to 180 days per year, Dr Wendy Piatt, Director General of the Russell Group, said:

“We welcome the Home Office’s positive response to our concerns that the previous rules unfairly restricted the ability of many academics to carry out important work overseas.

“These changes will help researchers participating in the kind of international collaborations that contribute so much to our universities’ world-leading reputation. 

“This modest change to the Tier 2 system is a step forward for our efforts to attract and retain world-class academic talent.

“We need to be open to people with first-rate academic qualifications to help us generate ideas and innovations so we can stay ahead in a fiercely competitive global knowledge economy.” 

Notes for editors

1. From December skilled migrants can be absent from the UK for up 180 days per year without it affecting their application to stay permanently in the UK, provided the absence is for a legitimate reason. For further information on the Home Office announcement see http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/media-centre/news/brightest-best-changes.

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