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International Business Times UK
International Business Times UK
Rohit David

Battle for Global Talent: UK Mulls Offering Free Visas for Top Talent as Trump Enforces $100k H-1B Fee

Keir Starmer's plan to scrap UK visa fees for top talent counters Trump's $100k H-1B hike (Credit: Nataliya Vaitkevich : Pexels)

In a high-stakes transatlantic showdown for the world's brightest minds, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is eyeing zero visa fees for elite scientists and digital experts to supercharge Britain's economic growth.

This bold gambit follows US President Donald Trump's executive order on 19 September 2025 slapping a $100,000 (approximately £74,000) annual fee on new H-1B visas, reshaping high-skilled immigration overnight.

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