As the Donald Trump U.S. administration sharply raised the bar for H-1B professional work visas, countries around the world, including the United Kingdom, China, and Korea, have jumped into a race to attract key talent departing the United States. As the United States pushes out minds from around the world who once chased the "American dream," rival nations are seizing this as an opportunity for "reverse brain drain" and are launching a battle for talent.

Reuters reported on the 22nd (local time) that "several countries, including Korea, are trying to use the United States' hard-line immigration policy to their advantage," and that they "aim to attract foreign scientists and engineers to develop their own industries and reverse the outflow of talent."

Rachel Reeves, UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, speaks to UK and US government Ministers and leading British corporations at a business reception at Lancaster House in central London. /Courtesy of Yonhap News Agency

Europe is moving the fastest. The Financial Times (FT) reported that U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is considering scrapping some visa fees for top global talent. Barney Hussey-Yeo, CEO of U.K. AI startup "Cleo," told CNBC, "After the H-1B visa turmoil, I received more than 1,000 messages from top-level tech professionals looking to leave the United States," adding, "The U.K. should take every step to attract them."

Germany also sees this situation as a "golden opportunity." Bernhard Rohleder, head of Bitkom, the German digital industry association, said, "The new U.S. policy could be an opportunity for Germany and Europe to attract the best talent."

China has rolled out a more aggressive policy. Starting on the 1st of next month, it will introduce a new "K visa" to attract talent in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This visa allows entry into China to study and look for jobs without a prior job offer or a secured research position.

On September 17, 2025, a staff member of the South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences conducts research on yellowfin tuna aquaculture in Lingshui Li Autonomous County, Hainan Province, southern China. /Courtesy of Yonhap News Agency

Korea is also making an all-out push at the government level to attract high-skilled workers. Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik on the 22nd ordered each ministry to "find ways to attract overseas scientists and engineers by leveraging changes in U.S. policy." The government plans to concentrate next year's budget on technology-led economic programs such as AI (artificial intelligence). Korea has long suffered from a serious brain drain. According to a June report by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Korea in 2024 recorded a net outflow of 0.36 AI experts per 10,000 people, ranking 35th among the 38 member countries of the OECD.

Experts warned that the stream of reverse brain drain cases could ultimately become an own goal that weakens the U.S. innovation ecosystem. Colin Sebastian, an analyst at investment bank Baird, told Reuters that it could have "the unintended consequence of prompting (U.S. corporations) to relocate research and engineering centers to places like Toronto, London and Bengaluru."

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