Issued by: HM Treasury

Ministers to highlight government focus on stability and certainty in a volatile world

• Chancellor and Business Secretary arrive at World Economic Forum Annual Meetings today (20 January) to showcase Britain’s strengths to investors and CEOs

• UK to reimburse certain visa fees, while creating fast track processing for select international companies growing their UK footprint

Britain is a haven of stability in an uncertain world as this government makes the UK the premier destination for global investment, Chancellor Rachel Reeves will tell global business and investors in Davos today.

The government will also double down on this position of strength with new plans to attract the world’s brightest minds in AI, life sciences and clean energy, which are set to be unveiled as the Chancellor takes the stage at Bloomberg House this afternoon.

In a drive to make the UK the destination of choice for top global talent shaping the future, the Chancellor will announce reimbursing visa fees for select trailblazers in deep tech sectors and those joining the most promising UK companies in priority sectors. Global companies will also find it quicker to expand in Britain via a new offer to fast-track their sponsor licenses.

This comes as the government replaces a broken immigration system built on cheap overseas labour with one that welcomes the world’s brightest and best. The Home Secretary has also set out further fundamental reforms to ensure those who come here contribute and put in more than they take out. Net migration is now at its lowest level in half a decade and has fallen by more than two-thirds under this government.

The government will intensify its efforts by doubling its resourcing of its Global Talent Taskforce – this includes bringing in specialist private sector head-hunting expertise, establishing new functions to support individuals to relocate and companies to set up UK offices at pace, and emboldening its concierge offer to the world’s elite talent, starting with a dedicated focus on international AI talent.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said:

"In a volatile world Britain stands out. This government is making sure Britain is home to the stability, talent and capital that businesses and investors want and that drive greater growth.

"Some countries give you a platform, but Britain gives you momentum. My message at Davos this week is clear: choose Britain – it’s the best place in the world to invest."

The ‘Team UK’ delegation, which includes Business Secretary Peter Kyle, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, and Minister for Investment Lord Stockwood will send a clear message as they pitch UK strengths to a global audience: Britain’s blend of business conditions and talent drives momentum that lasts.

They will highlight that in a volatile world, this government is giving international investors exactly what they need most: stability, predictability and a clear long-term plan under the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy so they can commit capital with confidence.

Ministers will also emphasise their commitment to protecting and strengthening British industry – from steel and aerospace to life sciences and clean tech – ensuring the UK can make, build and buy more at home while remaining open to global investment and trade.

The Chancellor arrives at Davos fresh from announcing the biggest transport investment in the north of England in a generation, and will point to recent successes in the UK economy – securing £340 billion private investment in 18 months, the FTSE reaching record highs, and six interest rate cuts since the election - the fastest pace of cuts in 17 years.

Throughout the week, the Chancellor will meet the world’s top business leaders and investors including Mario Greco of Zurich Insurance, Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone Inc, and Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan. She will appear on a World Economic Forum public panel under the 2026 theme “A Spirit of Dialogue”.

Business and Trade Secretary, Peter Kyle said:

"We are positioning the UK as the destination of choice for the brightest minds and innovators as we strive to lead the global race for talent.”

"By attracting leaders in AI, quantum, life sciences, and clean energy, we will drive growth, innovation and make the UK the premier launchpad for the world’s best entrepreneurs."

Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

"Scientists and researchers working up and down the UK, right now, are inventing new cures for diseases, new ways of harnessing clean energy, new ways of communicating and computing, and much more. These are breakthroughs that will make our lives easier, give rise to new jobs and businesses, and turbocharge economic growth.

"The UK is one of the few places in the world with the infrastructure, skills base, world-class institutions and international ties needed to make the most ambitious ideas a reality we all benefit from. We’re spending over £5 billion on a suite of support for scientific talent, and from our latest recruits through the Global Talent Fund to new funding from ARIA for top AI experts, work is already full-swing to put the world’s best minds bringing their ideas to the fore, in the UK."

The UK has all the ingredients for exceptional talent to thrive – global connectivity, a flourishing research and academic ecosystem, rule of law, £10 trillion of capital and a competitive tax regime. Today’s new package of talent measures will help make the UK the first choice for top talent coming to work, study and build businesses, in line with the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy.

Researchers and academics in sectors such as AI, quantum computing and semiconductors will benefit from visa fee reimbursements, so they can more easily come to the UK and drive innovation. In addition, new scholarships to study at UK universities will be made available for International Mathematical Olympiad gold medallists, including internships with world leading research teams, startups and labs, coordinated by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency.

Top science and research talent are already flowing into the UK, with four new hires working on neuroscience, tackling online disinformation, and more, announced today by the £54 million Global Talent Fund. The fund recruits the world’s leading science and research talent to the UK and is part of the government’s commitment to spend £5 billion spending on top science and research talent over the Spending Review period.

The Chancellor will close the event by committing to continue to explore how best to attract and retain the world’s top talent.

More information

• For more information on the UK’s offer to global talent and key pathways to moving here please visit the UK Global Talent website [https://www.business.gov.uk/campaign/global-talent].

• The UK Government’s presence at Davos will be the most visible in years, with print and out of home marketing promoting the UK’s ambition, talent and connectivity to coincide with the summit.

• The £54 million Global Talent Fund is just one part of more than £5 billion that DSIT will spend on top science and research talent over the Spending Review period, with a suite of flagship talent and grant schemes running to recruit the very best scientific and research talent to the UK.

• The Global Talent Fund today announces four new recruits: Dr Katie Seaborn, joining the University of Cambridge (from the Institute of Science, Tokyo). Dr Seaborn’s work looks at how people interact with computers, and in particular, how to build resilience to online misinformation. Dr Dong Ma, also joining the University of Cambridge (from Singapore Management University). Dr Ma works on wearable technologies, looking at how devices like wireless headphones can be used to track health and athletic data. Professor George Mangun, joining the University of Birmingham (from University of California, Davis). Professor Mangun is a neuroscientist, focusing on how the brain focuses on and pays attention to things – which is helping us better understand a range of neurological and psychiatric diseases. Dr John Lindner, also joining the University of Birmingham (from the BioMed X Institute in Germany), is a molecular biologist with a focus on immunology. His recent work has looked into autoimmune diseases, where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy cells.

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