The recently signed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the UK brings promising prospects for Indian professionals seeking opportunities in the United Kingdom. The agreement, finalized on Thursday during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Britain, introduces a more predictable visa regime for various categories of Indian professionals, business visitors, company executives, and investors.
One of the key highlights of the FTA is the introduction of a new visa scheme that allocates 1,800 visas annually for Indian professionals in the cultural and wellness sectors, including chefs, yoga instructors, and classical musicians. This provision aims to facilitate the entry and work of skilled Indian talent in the UK. The agreement enables India's professionals to work in 35 UK sectors for two years.
Beyond the cultural and wellness sectors, the FTA secures business visa access for short-term business visitors (up to 6 months), intra-corporate transferees, investors, contractual service suppliers, and independent professionals. The agreement ensures continued access for Indian nationals across key categories such as short-term business visitors, intra-corporate transferees (ICTs), independent professionals, and contractual service providers. Senior executives of service sector companies with branches in India and the UK will be eligible for visas lasting up to three years. Contractual service providers across more sectors will be eligible for business visas of up to 12 months.
The FTA also reaffirms long-term work options for employees of Indian companies through the Global Business Mobility Scheme and offers a temporary exemption from UK national insurance contributions for Indian workers on short-term assignments. Moreover, the agreement pushes for mutual recognition agreements, potentially leading to the recognition of Indian nurses', accountants' and other professionals' academic qualifications in the UK.
According to Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, the agreement enhances mobility for Indian professionals by simplifying access for contractual service providers, business visitors, and independent professionals.
While the British government will closely monitor eligibility norms to avoid a large influx, the UK has preserved its ability to change visa eligibility criteria unilaterally, including salary and sponsorship thresholds, qualifications, surcharges, and immigration fees. All applicants will still need to meet UK immigration requirements. India has kept legal services out of bounds but agreed to let British accounting and audit firms set up shop there, provided the UK offers reciprocal access.
The British government believes the deal will boost the British economy. The government said that British workers will enjoy a collective uplift in wages and could also see cheaper prices and more choice on clothes, shoes and food products. The deal is expected to increase bilateral trade andhalve tariffs on whisky and gin exported to India.
