AI minister pushes visa changes to keep tech growth in the UK

AI minister Kanishka Narayan renewed his call for more visas for top engineers, arguing that Britain must do more to help tech companies grow at home rather than sell, relocate or list overseas. In his first interview since joining Andy Burnham’s cabinet, Narayan said he would use his position to push for specialist visas and planning reform for AI, promising that the UK would be a fast partner for tech investors creating jobs.

A new reimbursement scheme lets eligible scale-ups in digital technology, life sciences and clean energy reclaim up to £25,000 a year in immigration costs when hiring overseas workers through the Skilled Worker, Global Talent and Scale-up visa routes. Narayan has also backed reimbursing visa fees, speeding up applications for AI specialists and expanding domestic AI training.

Immigration lawyer Charles Avens said the agenda was “not grounded in reality” while high business costs and a difficult visa system continue to deter talent. Home Office figures for the first quarter of 2026 showed Global Talent visa applications fell just 2.4 per cent year-on-year, while more than 99 per cent of decisions resulted in a visa being granted. Recent Boston Consulting Group research also ranked London among leading technology hubs, highlighting talent and digital services as central to competitiveness.