SEOUL/BEIJING, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Countries including

South Korea are aiming to take advantage of tougher U.S.

immigration policy to lure foreign scientists and engineers,

boosting their domestic industries and reversing an exodus of

talent.

On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump introduced a $100,000

fee for new H-1B visas - widely used by tech firms to hire

foreigners - as part of his crackdown on immigration. The move

dealt a blow to a sector that relies heavily on skilled workers

from India and China.

Since taking office in January, Trump has cracked down hard

on immigration, legal and illegal, and the change to the H-1B

visa program is his administration's highest-profile effort yet

to rework temporary employment visas.

South Korean Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik said

on Monday he had instructed ministries to find ways to exploit

the U.S. changes to attract scientists and engineers from

abroad.

U.S. VISA CHANGES PUT WIND IN THE SAILS

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is exploring proposals

to abolish some visa fees for top global talent, the Financial

Times reported on Monday, citing people briefed on the

discussions inside Number 10 and the Treasury.

The Treasury department and Downing Street did not

immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.

According to the report, the reforms were being discussed

before the Trump administration announced the new fee, but the

U.S. decision at the weekend put "wind in the sails" of those

pushing for changes to Britain's high-end visa system.

Kang did not give further details on South Korea's steps,

but said the government plans to focus next year's budget on

initiatives around artificial intelligence and other areas for a

technology-led economy.

"The new U.S. policy could be an opportunity for Germany and

Europe to attract top talent," the head of Germany's digital

association Bitkom, Bernhard Rohleder, also said.

EXODUS OF AI EXPERTS FROM SOUTH KOREA

According to a June report published by the Korea Chamber of

Commerce & Industry, the country, home to technology giants

Samsung and LG Electronics, has been

losing tech talent to countries such as the United States.

In 2024, the nation recorded a net loss of 0.36 AI experts

per 10,000 people, ranked 35th, near the bottom of the 38 member

countries in the OECD, according to an index measuring net flows

in the report.

That compares with a gain for Luxembourg of 8.92, 1.07 for

the United States and 2.13 for Germany.

In September last year, the government launched a new visa

called a K-Tech Pass aimed at attracting foreign engineers

educated at the world's top 100 universities. It aims to issue

1,000 such visas by 2030.

In a similar move, China will introduce a new visa category

aimed at attracting skilled workers in science, technology,

engineering, and mathematics.

The K Visa category will take effect on October 1 and allows

successful applicants to enter, study, and work in China without

having first received a job offer or research position,

according to guidelines published by the Chinese government.

China's foreign ministry declined to comment on the U.S.

changes over the weekend, but said the country "welcomes"

top-tier talent from all over the world.