UK-India trade deal: New pact locks in short-term visas for Indians but no long-term promises

 

The UK and India have formalised a new chapter on business mobility as part of their broader trade agreement, ensuring short-term visa access for professionals and investors, but stopping well short of any new immigration routes or settlement pathways.

The deal guarantees continued access for specific categories of workers, including business visitors, intra-corporate transferees, investors, contractual service suppliers, and independent professionals, but with strict limits on duration and no exemption from visa or sponsorship rules.

“This supports UK companies looking to increase trade with India,” the British government said. “We want to make it easier for businesspeople to temporarily travel between the UK and India.”

Under the deal, Indian and UK firms will retain access to existing visa routes under the Global Business Mobility (GBM) scheme. For example, Indian employees transferring to a UK branch can apply to stay for up to five years under current rules, or up to nine years for high earners. The deal locks in a minimum stay of three years, even if visa durations change in the future.

No new visa routes

Importantly, the agreement does not create any new visa routes. “Nothing in this deal affects the UK’s point-based immigration system,” the government said. “All visa routes that have been locked in through the agreement are only available for temporary stays, and none of the routes provide a path to permanent settlement.”

Workers must still meet standard requirements, including salary thresholds, professional qualifications, sponsorship by a UK-licensed employer, and payment of surcharges such as the Immigration Health Surcharge (£1,035 per adult per year) and the Immigration Skills Charge.

Visa violations will be met with strict consequences, including re-entry bans, difficulty obtaining future visas, and deportation.

Who qualifies under the trade deal?

The agreement secures business visa access for:

• Short-term business visitors – up to 6 months for meetings, contract negotiations, or trade fairs

• Intra-corporate transferees – senior employees or graduate trainees relocating temporarily to a UK branch

• Investors – employees of Indian companies establishing operations in the UK

• Contractual service suppliers – employees with overseas contracts in listed sectors (e.g. engineering, finance)

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• Independent professionals – self-employed Indian nationals supplying services under contract

As part of the deal, a limited quota of up to 1,800 Indian chefs de cuisine, yoga instructors, and classical musicians per year will be allowed to enter the UK on a 12-month service visa.

The agreement also permits self-employed Indian professionals to work in the UK in designated fields, such as architecture or engineering, for up to one year, subject to contract and qualifications.

UK retains full control over visa rules

The UK has preserved its ability to change visa eligibility criteria unilaterally. This includes salary and sponsorship thresholds, qualifications, surcharges, and immigration fees.

All applicants must continue to go through the Home Office’s sponsor-based visa system. UK employers will be responsible for applying for a certificate of sponsorship (costing £525), and, depending on company size, pay up to £1,000 in Immigration Skills Charges for workers staying over six months.

The government emphasised that “nothing in the agreement affects the UK’s right or ability to control our borders” and that “it is not expected to have a long-term impact on net migration.”

Time spent in the UK under these temporary routes does not count towards permanent residency. “No UK mobility visa routes offer a path to settlement, and this deal does not change that,” the UK clarified.

Strategic certainty, not migration reform

The goal of the business mobility chapter is to provide legal certainty for businesses. “By ensuring that visa routes remain available for specific services sectors, such as finance and engineering, the agreement provides businesses with the confidence and stability needed to plan long-term strategies,” the UK government said.

The scheme is also aimed at ensuring reciprocal access. India, in turn, has committed to facilitating similar mobility for UK professionals entering its market in sectors such as accounting and engineering.

Despite expanded access in certain categories, officials reiterated that the deal does not ringfence jobs for Indian workers nor bypass the domestic labour market. “It is not a substitute for hiring local talent,” the government stated. “It enables businesses to access the right skills, in the right place, for a limited amount of time.”