Wellcome Sanger Institute shares concerns about the UK Government’s suggested settlement reforms
The Wellcome Sanger Institute’s Head of Policy and Advocacy, Dr Sarion Bowers, urges the UK Government to implement a settlement system that properly recognises the vital contributions that international scientists make to UK society. In particular, she urges that those on Skilled Worker visas employed in the UK life sciences research sector should not see the qualifying period for settlement extended beyond five years.
17 February 2026
The Sanger Institute has a highly diverse workforce, with staff representing more than 70 nationalities. Approximately 70 per cent of our postdoctoral researchers are non-UK citizens, reflecting both the UK’s global reputation in Life Sciences and the Institute’s position as a world-leading centre for genomics research.
We welcome the proposal to maintain the three-year route to settlement for those on the Global Talent visa. However, many of our staff hold Skilled Worker visas with salaries below £50,270. Under the proposed changes, their route to settlement would extend from five years to ten years. This outcome is inconsistent with the Government’s stated principle that migrants should “earn” settlement through their contribution to the UK. Our researchers demonstrably meet that test through the nature of their cutting-edge work that delivers substantial societal, health and economic benefits, yet the proposals would lengthen their pathway to settlement.
Lengthening the route to settlement for Skilled Worker visa holders risks creating unintended disincentives for highly skilled international researchers and technical staff to choose to come to the UK, or to remain here long term, thereby weakening the UK’s world-leading life sciences sector. Moreover, extending the period of sponsorship would require our organisation to commit significantly greater financial and administrative resources to visa management — resources that would otherwise support research leading to health and economic benefits. Overall, therefore, the proposals risk reducing, rather than enhancing, the contribution to the UK economy and society.
To mitigate these risks, we propose three recommendations.
- Reform the Global Talent visa to ensure that genuine global talent is routinely eligible and not compelled to rely instead on the Skilled Worker route. In particular, the list of eligible awards under Route 2 endorsement and the list of eligible funders under Route 3 endorsement should be broadened to reflect the realities of the sector, and the process for adding new awards and funders should be more streamlined and transparent. Furthermore, the Route 4 endorsement process should be significantly shortened, and the decisions that underpin Route 4 peer review should be made more transparent.
- Introduce greater flexibility within the Skilled Worker route to settlement for those working in sectors key to the UK’s Industrial Strategy, such as the life sciences sector. In particular, the qualifying period for settlement should be reduced by at least five years for those on postdoctoral salary levels in UK academia (below £50,270).
- Recognise that undertaking a life sciences PhD constitutes a direct contribution to UK R&D and should therefore be distinguished from undergraduate study. This could be addressed in one of two ways: either by allowing time spent undertaking a PhD in the UK to count towards the qualifying period for settlement (despite the Student visa status), or by introducing a reduced qualifying period for settlement for individuals who have obtained a life sciences PhD from a UK research institution.
