Great Britain relaxes visa rules for Nobel Prize winners and Oscar winners

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Oscar stature: Great Britain wants to bring excellent artists and scientists into the country

Photo: Liselotte Sabroe / EPA

If you want to live and work in Great Britain, in most cases you have to deal with many administrative procedures and a lengthy application process.

The government in London now wants to spare special talent from this process.

For award-winning artists and highly endowed scientists, simplified visa rules are to apply in the future.

Applications from Oscar and Grammy winners as well as Nobel Prize winners, but also winners at the Golden Globes, the British Film Awards (Baftas) or the Brit Awards, should be given preferential treatment, as the Interior Ministry announced in London.

The move is part of the country's plan to attract the "best and brightest" from all over the world.

"The winners of these awards are at the peak of their careers and they have so much to offer the UK," said Home Secretary Priti Patel.

The changes would give them the freedom to work "in our world's leading arts, sciences, music and film industries."

"This is exactly what our new immigration system was designed for - to attract the best and brightest based on their skills and talents, not where they come from."

One of the driving forces behind Brexit was that Britain wanted to restrict free movement more.

Since leaving the European Union, London has introduced a new system for work visas.

Obtaining a work permit is now more dependent on the qualifications and English language skills of the applicants as well as the type of job offer.

The government defends the new system as fair.

However, critics fear that the new visa rules could deter professionals from working in the UK.

In addition, there is still no agreement with the EU on visa rules for artists.

asc / dpa / Reuters