India-UK FTA Opens Doors for Indian Students, Eases Work Pathways

The India-UK Free Trade Agreement or the FTA not only enhances the bilateral relations and trade between the two countries but also offers a host of benefits to Indian students and professionals who want to study or work in the UK. The UK, currently home to over 150,000 Indian students and the FTA makes the UK more attractive than ever for Indians. Here are a few benefits for students and professionals.

#1 Visas to Get Streamlined

It is expected that the FTA will make visa processes simpler and more streamlined than ever to facilitate smoother transition for Indian students and professionals applying for student or work visas. This means that the administrative hurdles will be vastly reduced once the FTA is implemented.

#2 Social Security Exemptions for Working Professionals

This is great news for Indian professionals who are working or intend to work in the UK temporarily. As per the FTA, working professionals will be exempted from paying contributions to National Insurance for up to 3 years. This provision ensures that the professionals are exempted from double taxation.

#3 Mutually Recognized Qualifications

This provision ensures that both UK and Indian qualifications will be mutually recognized and Indian professionals who want to work in the UK will be exempted from pursuing additional certifications or training to work in specific sectors such as architecture, law, and accounting.

#4 More Employment Opportunities in Various Sectors

High demand sectors such as IT, Finance, Education, and AI will see improved pathways for Indian students and workers. The FTA offers access to these key sectors by simplifying processes as well as expanding job categories under the Global Mobility Visa which is extremely beneficial for Indian workers.

Whilst more details are awaited in the future, we can still see that the UK-India Free Trade Agreement not only improves bilateral trade between the two countries but also benefits students and professionals from India intending to study or work in the UK. The FTA positions the UK as an attractive destination for the Indian talent and deepens the ties between both countries.