India-UK Trade Deal: Visa, Employment, Insurance, and What will Change for Indians in the UK Under the Trade Deal
The agreement ensures continued access for Indian nationals under existing business movement routes to the UK, such as short-term business visitors, intra-corporate transferees (ICT), contractual service suppliers, and freelance professionals.
India-UK Trade Deal: India and the United Kingdom on Thursday signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), setting new terms for trade in goods and services and introducing provisions that will govern the movement of Indian professionals, workers, and businesses to the UK.
The agreement ensures continued access for Indian nationals under existing business movement routes to the UK, such as short-term business visitors, intra-corporate transferees (ICT), contractual service suppliers, and freelance professionals.
These categories, which were previously governed by UK policy decisions, now receive legal protection under the FTA.
The rights of Indian business visitors travelling for meetings, trade fairs or consultations will continue to be protected under the agreement, preventing future UK policy changes from arbitrarily overturning these provisions.
India-UK Trade Deal: What Does it Mean for Indian Nationals in the UK
The FTA introduces a new visa route that allows up to 1,800 Indian professionals per year to work in the UK’s cultural and wellness sectors, including chefs, yoga instructors and Indian classical musicians. These roles can be contractual or self-employed and are intended to meet specific labour shortages in these sectors.
Independent professionals and service providers in sectors such as IT, engineering, and architecture will be allowed to work in the UK for up to 12 months under the FTA. However, applicants must meet UK immigration requirements, including salary thresholds and documentation, to be eligible.
The intra-corporate transfer route has been reaffirmed, allowing senior staff and graduate trainees of Indian companies to stay in the UK for up to three years, with the possibility of extension. This ensures predictability for Indian businesses with global operations.
Indian investors and graduate trainees will continue to benefit from existing UK schemes, with eligibility subject to existing immigration rules.
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