By 2030, the UK Government plan for the UK to be the leading Life Sciences economy in Europe, and by 2035, the third most important Life Sciences economy globally, after the US and China.
This guide provides practical advice about the different visa options open for UK businesses hiring workers from outside the UK domestic labour market.
The Graduate visa is a visa that allows Student visa holders to extend their stay in the UK once they have complete their UK study. Currently, the visa is granted for 2 years, but this is due to be shortened for anyone applying after 1 January 2027 (unless graduating from a PhD/doctorate).
A Graduate visa has no restrictions on salary, skill level or employment type, so is a great way to sponsor university graduates. The visa is only for 2 years, so retaining workers on a Graduate visa will involve them applying for a new visa in a new category.
Sponsoring a Graduate visa holder on a Skilled Worker visa allows for concessions on the minimum salary requirement. The minimum salary for a New Entrant is generally only 70% of the going rate, however this can only be for a maximum of 2 years.
There are sometimes issues with making sure the role is highly skilled enough to meet the skilled occupation eligibility requirements for the Skilled Worker visa, and there is often an issue with how to increase a salary after 2 years so that an extension application can be made.
See our article on switching from the Graduate visa to the Skilled Worker visa.
The Skilled Worker allows UK companies to sponsor workers to work in the UK. There are minimum salary and minimum skill level requirements to meet, but there are concessions that help support UK Life Sciences employers, such as:
The Skilled Worker visa requires a company to register as a sponsor, which is not as complicated as it sounds and allows for very new companies at early stages to employ workers and colleagues from overseas.
The Skilled Worker route is a route to indefinite leave to remain for the main applicant and their partner and minor dependents.
Read more about the Skilled Worker visa route:
How to Choose the Correct SOC Code for Skilled Worker Sponsorship
Skilled Worker Visa Salary Thresholds in 2025 Explained
Breakdown of the Costs for a Skilled Worker Visa in 2025
The Global Talent visa is a visa route for individuals in different sectors, including the life sciences that offers a fast track route to indefinite leave to remain.
Applying for the Global Talent visa in the scientific application stream requires either having held a peer reviewed research fellowship listed by the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering or the British Academy, or appointment to an eligible academic or research position, employment with a UK research organisation listed by UKRI or via peer review.
The Global Talent visa can lead to indefinite leave to remain in just 3 years and puts no restrictions on a person's work status in the UK.
Read more about the Global Talent visa route:
Global Talent vs Skilled Worker Visa: Which UK Immigration Route Is Right for You?
Global Talent to ILR: Planning Your 3-Year Settlement Strategy
Global Talent: Exceptional Promise vs Exceptional Talent Explained
The Scale Up visa is a sponsored visa route for high growth companies who have a 20% annualised increase in turnover or headcount over 3 years.
Currently, the government is proposing a scheme to refund employers for fees paid to sponsor under the Scale Up route to promote the route further: UK Government proposes free Scale Up visas
For high growth company, it offers a great opportunity to sponsor workers and minimise the related sponsorship costs.
The Scale Up route is also a pathway to indefinite leave to remain after 5 years for the main applicant and their partner and minor dependents.
The lab technician occupation will be removed from eligibility for the Skilled Worker visa route from 1 January 2027.
See Lab Technician role to be removed from shortage list for more details on what you can do now to prepare for this change.
Immigration can be complex and restrictive, but there are still plenty of options for Life Sciences employers to attract and retain global talent. Contact us to discuss what options could be open to you and your organisation.