In a new scheme introduced by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to fortify bilateral and economic ties, 3,000 Indians will be granted visas annually to come to the UK. Under the new UK-India Young Professionals Scheme, the country will offer 3,000 places annually to 18-30 year-old degree educated Indian nationals to come to the UK to live and work here for up to two years.
The new UK-India Young Professionals Scheme opens up to eligible Indians on February 28, 2023. Those qualified can live, study or work in the UK for two years without a job or even a sponsor. But the visas cannot be extended further and the candidates won't be able to avail of any state benefits under the scheme.
The scheme will be reciprocal. Nearly a quarter of all international students in Britain are from India, and Indian investment into the UK supports 95,000 jobs across the UK. The new UK-India Young Professionals Scheme's 3,000 UK visas are merely a drop in the bucket considering the UK granted 56,000 work and 127,000 students visas to Indians in 2022.
UK-India Young Professionals Scheme: Eligibility and details
Here are the eligibility criterion for candidates applying for the Young Professionals Scheme:
- Mandatorily show £2,530 (approximately INR 2,50,000) in the bank account
- Candidates must be aged between 18 and 30 years old
- Maximum 2-year validity for visa
- Ballot selection only
- No access to state public funds
The scheme is expected to get many applicants from India due to the country's population. Speaking on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Indonesia, PM Rishi Sunak had said the scheme fortifies bilateral and economic ties between the two countries.
"The Indo-Pacific is increasingly crucial for our security and our prosperity. It is teeming with dynamic and fast-growing economies, and the next decade will be defined by what happens in this region," Sunak said in a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office.
"I know first-hand the incredible value of the deep cultural and historic ties we have with India. I am pleased that even more of India's brightest young people will now have the opportunity to experience all that life in the UK has to offer, and vice-versa, making our economies and societies richer," he added.
