Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what schemes are available to help UK video games studios recruit skilled staff from overseas.

The Government is committed to supporting the growth of the UK’s video games sector which brings economic, cultural and social benefits across the UK.

To help recruit skilled staff from overseas, the Home Office launched a dedicated Temporary Work route for creative workers. This route maintains generous provisions for creative workers, allowing them to enter the UK to undertake paid engagements for up to twelve months, which can be extended by a further twelve months in some circumstances.

This Government is working with industry to deliver a new generation of highly skilled workers, and will articulate these plans as part of the upcoming Creative Industries Sector Vision. The £8 million expansion of the UK Games Fund is providing valuable support to early stage games development businesses and talented graduates throughout the UK. This includes its Tranzfuser programme which mentors teams of talented and entrepreneurial graduates in regional hubs across the UK.

This Government is investing over £100 million to support research and development across the creative industries, which video games developers are able to apply for. This funding supports groundbreaking programmes including Innovate UK’s £30 million for the Creative Catalyst Programme and the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s £75.6 million CoSTAR programme.