Rishi Sunak Approves 3,000 UK Visas For Indians; Here’s all About UK-India Young Professionals Scheme

UK-India Young Professionals Scheme: Under the scheme, Indians will have to hold a diploma or degree equivalent to at least three years of higher education and be able to express themselves in the language of the host country.

UK Visa for Indians: UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has given the go-ahead for 3,000 visas for young professionals from India to work in the UK each year. The British government said India is the first visa-national country to benefit from such a scheme, highlighting the strength of the UK-India Migration and Mobility Partnership agreed last year.

Under the new UK-India Young Professionals Scheme, the UK will provide 3,000 visas each year to degree-educated Indian citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 who wish to visit the country and work there for up to two years. It will be a reciprocal system.

It is to be noted that the announcement came hours after Sunak met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the 17th edition of the G20 Summit. This was their first meeting after the first Indian-origin British PM assumed office last month.

“Today the UK-India Young Professionals Scheme was confirmed, offering 3,000 places to 18-30-year-old degree-educated Indian nationals to come to the UK to live and work for up to two years,” the UK Prime Minister’s Office wrote on Twitter.

Today the UK-India Young Professionals Scheme was confirmed, offering 3,000 places to 18–30 year-old degree educated Indian nationals to come to the UK to live and work for up to two years. pic.twitter.com/K6LlSDLne4

— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) November 16, 2022

Who Can Apply For US Visa Under UK-India Young Professionals Scheme?

Unlike the Youth Mobility Scheme, which has no qualification or English language requirements, hopeful applicants under the Young Professionals scheme will have to hold a diploma or degree equivalent to at least three years of higher education and be able to express themselves in the language of the host country.

It is also possible that the visa could require sponsorship or a job offer from a named employer, which would distinguish it from the un-sponsored Youth Mobility Scheme route, however the eligibility requirements have not yet been finalised.

How will the 3,000 Indians be picked Under UK-India Young Professionals Scheme

This is not yet clear. It is likely that this visa will be over-subscribed, with millions of Indian nationals meeting the eligibility requirements. In this case it is likely that there will be a lottery for places, as in some countries for the Youth Mobility visa where places are heavily limited.

There are also concerns that this category may be dominated by large tech companies, which will gain a monopoly on the limited spaces available, if it offers a cheaper way to bring talent into the UK.