UK Non-EU Visa: Rules That Will Affect Indian IT Professionals

UK Non-EU Visa: Hard Words Predicted For Anglo-Indian Meeting between Prime Ministers’ May and  Modi

As changes to its UK Non-EU visa process, the United Kingdom has just announced for visitors from outside the European Union certain factors which include new English language requirements and increased salary thresholds for various categories.

The UK Non-EU visa rules have dictated that any person applying for a Tier 2 intra-company transfer after the 24^th of this month will have to be paid a minimum wage of £30,000, which is around Rs 24.95 lakh per annum, which is an increase of nearly £10,000. The Tier 2 General salary limit is increased to £25,000, which is Rs20.80 lakh, and the Tier 2 intra-company transfer; skills transfer subcategory has been abolished.

The Tier 4 category for has also been amended, with changes to the requirements for living and maintenance for students studying for a Ph.D. The English language requirements in the  UK Non-EU visa are now to be applied to partners and parents of workers or students whose permission to stay is due to run out on or after the 1^st May next year. A study by the Migration Advisory Council discovered that as a result of UK Non-EU visa,  90% of visas issued to Indians under the ICT route were for people working in IT which is going to have a discriminatory effect on Indian IT professionals.

Previously Britain has stated that immigration levels were going to be limited to being in the tens of thousands.  UK Non-EU visa changes to the working visa have come at an unfortunate time as Theresa May is embarking on a three-day trip to India on Sunday where she was predicted to start for post-Brexit trade discussions with PM Modi. Legislation like the  UK Non-EU visa can be seen to have negative consequences particularly for Indian IT professionals is not likely to put Narendra Modi in a forgiving, generous mood. The UK may even lose out on lucrative trade deals because of the  UK Non-EU visa which is a short-sighted and ill thought out move.