Indian Free Trade Agreement to see 15,000 to 20,000 more UK Work Visas issued

The controversy comes following the news that the UK Government will introduce a permanent Immigration Cap from April this year with a limit of 20,700 Certificates of Sponsorship for Tier 2 General and 1,000 visas for a new ‘Exceptional Talent’ route (for Nobel Prize winning Scientists etc). The Intra Company Transfer (ICT) route which many high profile Indian Consultancies such as Tata, Wipro, Infosys etc use will fall outside of the Immigration Cap.

The problem for the Coalition Government comes in the form of David Cameron’s pre General Election pledge to reduce net migration in the UK to ‘tens of thousands rather than hundreds of thousands per year’. Even though Tier 1 General has now been scrapped, serious limits have been introduced on Tier 2 General and the requirements for Tier 4 (Student) will be increased in the near future however the Government still has little chance of reducing net migration to the ‘tens of thousands’ quoted. Far less British nationals are migrating from the UK at present and the Government has been unable to stop EEA nationals from coming to the UK to seek work under free movement of labour rules.

The Department of Business, Innovation & Skills said that “The UK strongly supports the conclusion of an ambitious free trade agreement which is currently being negotiated by the Commission. The long-term benefits for both parties would be considerable and will deliver significant economic benefits to the UK, reducing both tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade.” Vince Cable the Liberal Democrat Business Secretary is taking the lead on the agreement rather than Theresa May, the Home Secretary, as trade deals fall under the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Commonwealth Contractors

Commonwealth Contractors is a collection of highly skilled professionals from the Commonwealth and beyond. We partner with OISC Registered Immigration Partners capable of professionally representing a Tier 1 Visa Application / Extension and Tier 2 Licensed Consultancy & Associated Trust Partners who may be prepared, where required, to sponsor a doctor on a Tier 2 Visa (formerly UK Work Permit). Commonwealth Contractors also provides updates on UK Immigration News.

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