United Kingdom introduces yearly visa quota for yoga teachers, classical musicians, and chefs, along with others
The India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has brought about significant changes for Indian professionals seeking employment opportunities in the UK. The deal includes specific visa procedures and liberalised entry categories for a wide range of professions, from architects and engineers to chefs, yoga instructors, and musicians.
Under the FTA, Indian professionals in these fields can work in the UK across 35 service sectors for up to two years, with simplified visa procedures and liberalised entry categories to facilitate easier movement and employment. The agreement sets a quota of 1,800 visas annually specifically for chefs, yoga experts, and classical musicians, requiring them to meet qualification and experience criteria.
The FTA legally protects existing UK business mobility categories used by Indian professionals, including short-term business visitors, intra-corporate transferees (ICTs), contractual service suppliers, and independent professionals. Indian companies can send employees to the UK for up to one year on contractual service assignments, and self-employed Indian professionals can deliver contracted services independently for up to a year, subject to qualifications and experience.
The visa application process is intended to be transparent and free from unnecessary obstacles. The deal prevents arbitrary reversals of these provisions by future UK policy changes, thus safeguarding Indian professionals’ rights to work in the UK under these categories. Indian professionals and their employers will also be exempted from dual social security contributions in the UK for up to three years, enhancing cost competitiveness.
However, it's important to note that the UK has not restored post-study work visas for Indian students, and it has not made binding commitments on broader visa categories, including business visitors or IT professionals. The government's statement indicates that the FTA will provide benefits across multiple sectors and professions in the UK and India, but the services sector in the UK is expected to see wide-ranging benefits from the FTA.
The agreement does not impose caps on the number of UK service providers and offers commercial presence rights (Mode 3) across multiple domains, providing greater market access for IT and IT-enabled services, financial and legal services, professional and educational services, and digital trade.
According to Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, the FTA benefits farmers, artisans, workers, MSMEs, start-ups, and innovators in both countries. The FTA is expected to serve as a catalyst for inclusive growth in India and is expected to double trade between the two countries by 2030, contributing to India's journey towards becoming a global economic powerhouse.
- Indian bankers and financial analysts could potentially benefit from the India-UK Free Trade Agreement, given the expanded market access for financial and legal services it provides.
- The energy sector might experience substantial growth, as the agreement offers commercial presence rights for IT and IT-enabled services, including digital trade, which could leverage advanced technology solutions in renewable energy production.
- India's sports industry could benefit from the improved trade agreement, with greater market access for professional and educational services, potentially attracting UK sporting teams and coaches.
- The UK's education-and-self-development sector would have the opportunity to expand, due to the increased market presence allowed for professional and educational services.
- Cross-border trade between India and the UK is predicted to grow considerably, as the FTA aims to double trade volume by 2030, making it beneficial for trade-related professionals.
- With the IT industry receiving greater market access across multiple domains, there might be a rise in collaboration between Indian and UK tech firms, benefiting both nations.
- MSMEs, start-ups, and innovators from India can look forward to a boost in their businesses, as the FTA is expected to foster an environment for inclusive growth and provide a path for their products and services to reach the UK market.
