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UK Launches £5k Visa Subsidy, £2.5bn Youth Jobs Funding

6/10/2026

Summary

Story summary

Ministers Rachel Reeves and Peter Kyle announced a visa subsidy that reimburses firms £5,000 per foreign hire, capped at £25,000, to address skill gaps in tech, life sciences and energy.
Migration Watch UK and Callum Price criticised the policy for ignoring British graduates and urged simplifying hiring workers instead of selective subsidies.
The government also pledged £2.5 bn for youth employment support, extra apprenticeships and a concierge service for scaling businesses.

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Story summary

Ministers Rachel Reeves and Peter Kyle announced a visa subsidy that reimburses firms £5,000 per foreign hire, capped at £25,000, to address skill gaps in tech, life sciences and energy.
Migration Watch UK and Callum Price criticised the policy for ignoring British graduates and urged simplifying hiring workers instead of selective subsidies.
The government also pledged £2.5 bn for youth employment support, extra apprenticeships and a concierge service for scaling businesses.