The UK’s tightening immigration policy is putting international academic careers at risk—and barely anyone’s talking about it. With new visa rules, such as reducing the post-study graduate visa to 18 months and extending citizenship wait times to 10 years, nearly 78,000 international academics face growing uncertainty.

Many are stuck on short-term contracts, battling isolation, rising visa fees, and the constant stress of relocation. Their “functional homes” feel more like hotel rooms than havens.

These aren’t just any staff, they’re researchers, grant-winners, and future-makers. If the UK wants to stay a global academic powerhouse, it needs to treat these academics like permanent members of the university family, not just visitors with an expiry date.