UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is working with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and the Home Office to expand the FTRI scheme under the Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) visa route.
It enables eligible UK businesses working on critical technologies to host international researchers, scientists, interns and technical specialists for research, training and work placements for up to two years.
This expansion will open the scheme to a wider range of innovative businesses, giving more companies in priority technology sectors a new way to tap into specialist international expertise.
This could be early-career researchers gaining hands-on experience, to seasoned specialists collaborating on cutting-edge projects.
Eligibility changes and UKRI’s role
UKRI can endorse UK businesses for a GAE sponsor license.
A sponsor license is required for businesses to sponsor individuals under the FTRI scheme.
The new eligibility criteria lets businesses use evidence from a much wider variety of funding sources to demonstrate that they are undertaking high-quality research and innovation when seeking endorsement.
This is important because the UK’s research and innovation system supports a broad range of businesses using different approaches at different stages.
Access to world-class expertise is critical at all those stages.
Criteria for businesses
To be eligible for UKRI endorsement the business needs to be undertaking research or innovation in one of the critical technologies in the UK’s Science and Technology Framework.
The critical technologies are:
- advanced connectivity technologies
- artificial intelligence
- engineering biology
- quantum technologies
- semiconductors
They should also have received research and innovation funding from one of:
- UKRI
- a UK government department
- a programme backed by a UK university or public body to form a spin-out
- a UK-based innovation centre, accelerator, early-stage funder, scale-up programme, or venture capital fund, including charitable and philanthropic funders
- the EU’s Horizon Europe Framework Programmes
Businesses no longer need a Skilled Worker licence to apply for endorsement for a GAE sponsor licence from UKRI.
This change will better support smaller, innovative businesses that might benefit from hosting short-term collaborations or work experience placements that are over and above their core work activities.
Businesses interested in applying for UKRI endorsement for a GAE sponsor licence should register their interest on UKRI’s Engagement Hub.
Further information
Any questions about this scheme should be sent to ukrigae@ukri.org