• 04 Jan, 2023

UK-INDIA YOUTH MOBILITY SCHEME 2023

Prime minister of the UK Rishi Sunak has given the green signal to 3,000 work visas for Indian young professionals to live and work in the UK each year.

Prime minister of the UK Rishi Sunak has given the green signal to 3,000 work visas for Indian young professionals to live and work in the UK each year. The Indian degree holders of age 18-30 years old may avail the benefits of this scheme. This announcement came after the meeting of Rishi Sunak and Indian PM Narendra Modi in the 17th edition of the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia.

“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," said Sunak, Britain’s first Asian-origin Prime Minister.

This move by the UK government has come amid a huge labour shortage in the UK. The young professionals scheme was signed under the Migration and Mobility Partnership (MMP) between India and UK last year and will be launched officially in early 2023.

UK Labour Shortage

Currently, the UK is witnessing a labour shortage majorly in the manufacturing, construction and hospitality sector. British businesses have earlier urged Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to ease immigration rules in the country. They suggested the government expand the shortage occupation list which offers easier work visas in specified jobs to overseas candidates.
The agreement with India and some selected other countries will help tackle this issue and provide England with enough workforce to minimize the shortage.

Main Highlights of the New Youth Mobility Partnership Scheme:

• India is the first visa-national country to benefit from such a scheme
• Work visas will be offered for up to 2 years
• As many as 3000 Indians with a degree can avail of this visa each year
• The age limit is from 18 to 30 years

How Long It Takes

• The earliest you can apply for a visa is 6 months before you travel.
• Once you’ve applied online, proved your identity and provided your documents, you’ll usually get a decision on your visa within 3 weeks.

How Much It Costs

You will need to:
• pay the application fee, which is £259
• pay the healthcare surcharge, which is usually £470 per year
• prove you have enough personal savings i.e. £2,530 (for a minimum of 28 days)
What You Can and Cannot Do

You can:
• study - for some courses you’ll need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme certificate
• work in most jobs
• be self-employed and set up a company - as long as your premises are rented, your equipment is not worth more than £5,000 and you do not have any employees

You cannot:
• work as a professional sportsperson (for example as a coach)
• extend your stay
• get public funds
• bring in family members on your application - they must apply separately