UK's Boris Johnson plans visa shake-up to attract science talent

Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled plans August 8 for a new fast-track visa route for " brightest and best", in a bid to attract world's top scientists to Britain after Brexit.

"shake-up" of immigration rules is aimed at encouraging elite researchers and specialists in science, engineering and techlogy to immigrate, premier's Downing Street office said in a statement.

"We have to t only support talent that we alrey have here, but also ensure our immigration system attracts very best minds from around world," Johnson said in statement.

"I want UK to continue to be a global science superpower, and when we leave EU we will support science and research.

"Far from losing out, scientific community has a huge opportunity to develop and export our invation around world," he ded.

new PM anunced plan during a visit to a science centre in Oxfordshire in central England, as well as in a Facebook Live video.

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Johnson replaced predecessor resa May last month after winning governing Conservatives' leership contest on a pledge to take Britain out of European Union with or without a divorce deal on October 31.

He has pledged to pursue an Australia-style points-based immigration system to attract more highly-skilled workers after Brexit.

Britain's interior ministry and department for business will "work with scientific community" to develop new system, planned for later this year, according to Downing Street.

Abolishing cap on number of top-tier immigrants given "exceptional talent visas" and expanding pool of research institutes and universities able to endorse candidates would be considered, it said.

Officials will also look at removing need to hold an offer of employment before arriving, and an accelerated path to settlement, for certain qualified candidates. 

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