Successful Innovators Immigration Scheme Extended

19 September 2002

The Innovators scheme is to be extended, the Home Office announced recently.

The Innovators Scheme is to be extended indefinitely after a two-year pilot in which 112 of the most talented people in the world have come to Britain to set up high tech businesses in areas such as e-commerce, electronic share dealing and music industry technology.

Home Office Minister, Beverley Hughes, said:

Under the Innovators Scheme we have been able to bring more than 100 of the world's cutting edge business people to the UK. These new high-tech businesses are helping to boost our economy. On the basis of those companies which have already completed their initial period, we can expect at least 200 jobs to be created by the Innovators currently setting up businesses across the UK. Following a successful two-year pilot we now intend to extend the scheme indefinitely.

Under the Innovators Scheme, entrepreneurs with new and creative business ideas (particularly in science and technology) can enter the UK for an initial 18 months. The scheme is designed to attract and select entrepreneurs whose business proposals will provide the UK with exceptional economic benefits, but who may not qualify under any of the existing entry routes.