A long-standing historical and cultural relationship between India and the United Kingdom and a strong wish to expand the economic cooperation in the field of labour and employment has given a new impetus to the Partnership between the two countries today.
With the rising intensification between India and the UK’s bilateral trade, this migration and mobility partnership has opened new doors to ease of student exchange, labour and skilled workers exchange between India and the UK.
A deep dive into the migration and mobility partnership memorandum of understanding
The MoU signed between India and the UK has the following scope to cover and strengthen stronger ties between the 2 countries:
1.1.1 Greater collaboration across the field of migration and mobility, recognising the close people-to-people ties between the Participants.
1.1.2 The facilitation of mobility of students, academics and researchers and migration for professional and economic reasons, abiding by equal treatment of nationals of both Participants’ countries in similar situations subject to national immigration laws.
1.1.3 The prevention of, and fight against, illegal migration, including the facilitation of the return of nationals of a Participant’s country to that country where those nationals have no legal right to enter or remain in the other Participant’s country.
1.2 The provisions of this MoU will be without prejudice to commitments in respect of the temporary movement of natural persons for the purpose of providing services, which the Participants may make in the context of a Free Trade Agreement between the Participants. All actions by the Participants pursuant to this MoU will be consistent with the Participants’ obligations under relevant international law, including any obligation of the Participants under the WTO agreements.
1.3 The provisions of this MoU will be without prejudice to the application of national laws, including changes to immigration rules which may affect this MoU.
Short-stays and multiple-entry visas
Visas will be issued to the applicants as soon as possible after a valid application is made. Further, business people, start-up entrepreneurs, skilled workers in the cultural sector, academics, scientists, researchers, specialists and experts can come to the UK in short-term visits where such activities are permitted as per the immigration laws and regulations.
The UK to continue to welcome Indian nationals who wish to visit the UK in order to pursue a wide range of activities in accordance with the UK Immigration Rules.
The applicants can gain entry through a visitor category of visas. The visitor visa allows staying in the Uk for at least six months on each visit with multiple entries, and validity for 6 months up to ten years, according to the circumstances and purpose of the application submitted, the duration of the planned activities and the validity of the passport.
Skilled mobility plan between the UK and India
Recognising the contribution of the nationals of both the countries, the skilled worker’s route has been provisioned, permitting the residence for skilled employment purposes of the skilled worker and their dependent family, and which may be extended to reflect the duration of the work and stay and may also lead to permanent residence in specified circumstances as per the domestic rules and regulations. Further, in due course of time, the applications can also seek British citizenship. However, the eligibility requirements of a good character, passing the Life in the UK test, English proficiency, age of 18 years and above must be fulfilled.
The memorandum of understanding reads as follows:
The UK will facilitate the mobility of employed Indian nationals who are: (a) managers or specialist personnel that are the subject of a transfer between the enterprises of the same group; or (b) graduate-level recruits who are the subject of a transfer between the enterprises of the same group as part of a structured management training programme.
Take legal assistance
The UK and India mobility partnership has certainly opened new opportunities for trade, student and skilled worker exchange programmes. To have your visa application approved for any of the routes, you must take legal assistance from the best Immigration firm in Uk, London. A Y & J Solicitors have been assisting many students and skilled workers to get their visas approved in record time.
