No new UK visas for skilled Indians, says Starmer amid anti-immigration row

UK Visa News: During his trade visit to Mumbai, the UK Prime Minister said the new free trade agreement does not include any expansion of visa access for Indian professionals

Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday confirmed that the United Kingdom’s new free trade agreement (FTA) with India does not include any fresh visa opportunities for Indian workers.

 

Speaking to journalists on his flight to Mumbai, where he is promoting the deal signed in July, Starmer said, “The visa situation hasn’t changed with the free trade agreement — we didn’t open up more visas. The issue is not about visas — it’s about business-to-business engagement and investment and jobs and prosperity coming into the United Kingdom.”

 

He added that allowing more highly skilled workers from India “isn’t part of the plans.”

 

 

Starmer is leading a delegation of 125 business and cultural leaders to India, several of whom have warned that the UK’s continued tightening of immigration rules could worsen labour shortages across industries.

 

UK under pressure over migration limits

 

Starmer’s Labour government is facing pressure to reduce migration numbers amid a surge in support for the anti-immigrant Reform UK party.

 

Recent policy proposals include lengthening the time people must live in the UK before qualifying for indefinite leave to remain and linking eligibility to an individual’s “contribution” to the country.

 

Critics warn these changes could deter skilled professionals who may instead look for work in countries with clearer settlement pathways.

 

Rain Newton-Smith, Chief Executive of the Confederation of British Industry, who is part of the Mumbai delegation, said migration remains vital to address workforce gaps in the UK.

 

Standard Chartered’s Chief Executive Bill Winters, also on the trip, has previously warned that tighter immigration policies could damage London’s global competitiveness.

 

Asked whether the UK might attract highly skilled workers turned away by President Donald Trump’s visa fee hikes in the US, Starmer said, “Where there is very top talent across the globe, I want to have top talent in the United Kingdom, to help us grow our economy.”

 

He declined to say how the government planned to attract such talent. Business Standard earlier reported that ministers are considering a special visa route for foreign investors who inject substantial capital into the UK.

 

What the FTA includes for Indian professionals

 

The India-UK trade deal, signed on July 25, covers 35 service sectors, allowing Indian professionals — including chefs, yoga instructors, architects, and musicians — to work in the UK for up to two years.

 

According to India’s Ministry of Commerce, the agreement could create openings for more than 1,800 Indian chefs, yoga teachers, and classical musicians annually.

 

However, the UK has not made binding commitments for wider categories such as IT professionals or business visitors.

 

For Indian workers already in Britain, the agreement provides predictability. The FTA guarantees continued access under existing schemes, including the Global Business Mobility (GBM) programme, which issued over 25,000 visas globally in 2024.

 

One key clause ensures Indian employees transferred within their companies to UK branches — under the intra-corporate transfer route — can stay for at least three years even if UK immigration rules change. Currently, they can remain up to five years, or nine under the higher salary bracket.

 

Graduate trainees, senior staff setting up new branches, and self-employed professionals with contracts in listed sectors are also covered.

 

Indian service providers in engineering, architecture, and accounting already had limited access under WTO rules, but the FTA expands that list. The new 1,800-person quota for chefs, yoga teachers, and musicians applies to short-term roles only.

 

What remains unchanged

 

The deal does not create any new visa categories or offer a route to permanent residence. Applicants must continue to meet existing UK immigration criteria, including:

 

• Minimum salary threshold of £48,500 for senior or specialist workers

• Proof of qualifications or experience

• Contract with a UK-based employer

• Sponsorship from an approved company

 

Indian workers must also pay the full immigration health surcharge (£1,035 per adult annually) and other fees such as the Immigration Skills Charge (£1,000 for most employers in the first year) and certificate of sponsorship (£525).

 

Douglas Alexander, Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade, told Parliament that the deal “does not affect the points-based system. It only covers business mobility, which is different from immigration, as it is about travel for specific and temporary business purposes.”

 

Who qualifies under business mobility

 

The FTA confirms access for the following categories:

 

• Business visitors: up to six months for meetings, conferences, or trade fairs

• Intra-corporate transferees: senior staff or trainees transferring to UK branches

• Contractual service suppliers: employees delivering services under approved contracts

• Independent professionals: self-employed workers offering services under UK contracts

• Expansion workers: professionals setting up a UK branch of an Indian company

 

Most categories are capped at one year, except for intra-corporate transferees.

 

Anti-immigration protests in UK

 

Anti-immigration demonstrations have continued across the UK through 2024 and 2025, fuelled by far-right groups and misinformation about migration figures.

 

In September 2025, the “Unite the Kingdom” rally in London drew over 100,000 protesters led by far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Police reported 26 officers injured and 25 arrests after clashes with counter-demonstrators.

 

Smaller protests have also erupted outside hotels housing asylum seekers in Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle. These followed the arrest of an asylum seeker in Epping, which far-right groups used online to inflame tensions.

 

Public anger over small boat Channel crossings and concerns about economic strain continue to dominate the immigration debate. Many Britons say high migration is burdening public services, while critics argue that inflammatory political messaging has deepened divisions.