The HPI visa is the UK's new post-Brexit wild card to attract international talent from software development to cybersecurity.

Countries and companies are vying to attract the most in-demand technology profiles in the market. In this context, the UK launched its HPI (High Potential Individual) visa on May 30, the British equivalent of the American H1B visa reserved for highly skilled professionals.

"In engineering and cybersecurity or advanced health research, the UK will be able to welcome talented individuals to drive economic growth as well as technological and medical advances," the UK government said in a statement.  "The competition to attract the best international talent is fierce. Receiving profiles from international universities will complement the pool of particularly bright graduates from British universities," the Home Office added.

Who can benefit from an HPI visa?

Profiles from 50 of the world's most prestigious universities and colleges are eligible. Harvard and MIT in the United States, Kyoto University in Japan and PSL University (Paris Sciences et Lettres), the only one classified for France, are among the institutions concerned.

To obtain the visa, security checks are always required, as well as an English language test. The visa costs £715 (about €837) plus significant additional costs (health, maintenance funds, etc.). Successful candidates will receive a 2-year work visa (3 years for those with a PhD) and will be allowed to pursue other avenues to long-term employment, with family if appropriate.

Attracting international talent

Effective January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union ("Brexit") has made it difficult to recruit foreign-born, based and trained professionals. The Home Office therefore wanted to simplify and speed up the visa process for "high potential" profiles. There is no cap on the number of visas issued, but they are still "highly selective".

As noted by the Financial Times, the initiative is reminiscent of the Highly Skilled Migrant Program that ran from 2002 to 2008. However, unlike the previous program, the new HPI visa allows its beneficiaries to come to the UK without a referral or a promise of employment from a UK-based company.

There is no longer any question, at least officially, of proving a certain salary level or demonstrating that the position sought cannot be filled by a British worker.

Other countries are seeking to match the supply of available technological skills with the strong demand from companies and public administrations. France is promoting the creation of a one-stop shop for information, "European Tech Talent," which will make Europe more attractive to qualified international profiles.

Fully autonomous vehicles could be on British roads by 2025 under new government plans backed by a £100 million investment.

New laws are planned to speed up the rollout, with £34 million of safety research to fuel the development of legislation.

 Vehicles that can only be driven on freeways could even go on sale within the next year, the government said, but people would still need a licence to use them on different types of roads.

Others that are fully autonomous, and could be used for deliveries, for example, would not need a license and could be operational in three years if the government's vision becomes a reality.

Cars with autonomous driving capabilities, such as Teslas, are already quite common in some British cities, and companies such as Google are already testing autonomous vehicles on public roads in the United States.

The technology relies on multiple distance-sensing cameras and lasers to navigate and spot vehicles, pedestrians and other obstacles.

Supporters say it can make roads safer and reduce driver error, but testing and rules and regulations around the technology are still being developed.

The government is consulting on safety and has said new laws would make manufacturers liable for a vehicle's actions when autonomous driving is fully under control, meaning a human driver would not be responsible for accidents.

The industry could create up to 38,000 jobs and revolutionize public transportation, according to the Department of Transportation.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the technology can "improve people's access to education and other vital services" and "make our roads safer by reducing the risk of driver error in crashes."

 "We want the UK to be at the forefront of the development and use of this fantastic technology, which is why we are investing millions in vital safety research and setting out the legislation to ensure we get all the benefits this technology promises," he added.

AA President Edmund King said the government is right to invest more in funding and research into self-driving technology and the laws that go along with it.

 "Driver assistance systems, for example, autonomous emergency braking and adaptive cruise control already help millions of drivers stay safe on the roads," he said.

 "It's still a big step from assisted driving, where the driver remains in control, to autonomous driving, where the car takes control.

 "It is important that the government study how these vehicles would interact with other road users on different roads and in changing weather conditions.

 "However, the ultimate prize, in terms of saving thousands of lives and improving mobility for the elderly and less mobile, is worth pursuing."