Government unveils new ‘start-up’ visa

The Government has revealed details of a new ‘start-up’ visa, aimed at getting entrepreneurs into Britain faster.

The new route was announced during London Tech Week.

The Home Office, which published a more detailed write up online, said the visa will “widen the applicant pool of talented entrepreneurs” and make the visa process “faster and smoother” for people coming to the UK.

It added that it will replace a visa route which is currently available exclusively to graduates.

To successfully apply, applicants will need to have acquired an endorsement from a university or approved business sponsor.

In other news, the Home Office said it would double the number of visas available on the Exceptional Talent route to 2,000 per year.

The Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, said: “The UK can be proud that we are a leading nation when it comes to tech and innovation, but we want to do more to attract businesses to the UK and our migration system plays a key part in that.

“That’s why I am pleased to announce a new visa for people wanting to start a business in the UK. This will help to ensure we continue to attract the best global talent and maintain the UK’s position as a world-leading destination for innovation and entrepreneurs.”

The new visa is expected to launch in spring 2019.