2025 will be a more welcoming year for Indian migrants planning to settle in the UK – Investing Abroad News

By Yash Dubal

2024 has been a tumultuous year for Indo-UK migration. With the general election in the United Kingdom, immigration has become one of the main political issues. Both main parties in the election campaign have pledged to reduce net migration. Measures were introduced at the start of the year to limit the number of international students, workers and their dependents.

The election saw a change of government and a dramatic shift in support from the Conservative Party to the Labor Party. While the Labor Party is traditionally pro-immigration, the new Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has maintained his commitment to reducing migrant numbers. The latest figures from the UK show a record net migration of 909,000 in the year to June 2023, with a fall of around 20% the following year, to 728,000.

The reduction comes as new measures to reduce migration introduced by the former Conservative government begin to take effect. These include an increase in the minimum salary threshold for skilled worker visa applicants, who must now earn £38,700 a year to qualify for the route, and a ban on dependents of worker visa holders social and most student visa holders.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that Indians remain the largest group of non-EU migrants to the UK, leading in both student and work visa categories.

“Indian was the most common nationality for non-EU+ immigration for reasons related to work (116,000) and study (127,000) during the year (end of year) June 2024” , said the ONS.

While it might be easy to look at some of the messages coming out of the UK over the past 12 months and assume that the door has been closed to Indians, that is far from the case.

Indeed, considered on a global scale, the restrictions that came into force in Great Britain follow an international trend. For example, between 2013 and 2023, rejection rates for visa applications for the EU’s Schengen area more than tripled, from around 5% to 16%.

Visiting America doesn’t get any easier. Tourist and business visa appointments at the US consulate in Mumbai take approximately 14 months, and as of October 2024, the US immigration visa backlog was 363,242 cases. Meanwhile, in Australia, the Department of Home Affairs is grappling with an unprecedented 70% increase in visa applications compared to the same period last year, leading to longer processing times and arrears.

From this international perspective, we can understand why the UK remains the first choice for many qualified Indians looking to start a new life in another country. And Britain will remain a preferred choice for Indians in the coming year, not least because of the political stability brought about by the new administration.

The country has become more centrist and pragmatic under the leadership of the Labor Party, at a time when the rest of the world is leaning to the political right and embracing populism and its anti-migration tropes. This is particularly true in Europe, where right-wing parties with anti-immigration policies are in government or gaining support in Italy, Finland, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, in Austria, the Netherlands and Sweden.

Perhaps one of the biggest impacts on global migration in 2025 will be the new US presidency of Donald Trump, whose searing anti-immigration rhetoric will become reality after he takes office on January 20. He has pledged to deport millions of immigrants. I am confident that many people who were considering emigrating to the United States will wait for their decision to see how the Trump presidency plays out.

That leaves the United Kingdom, which still has a series of visa routes welcoming migrants and which also has a large, well-established Indian population well integrated into British society. It is this “living bridge” that has attracted record numbers of Indians to settle in the UK and will continue to do so in the coming year.

For skilled workers in particular, the increase in the Skilled Worker pathway salary threshold limits some, but also means that salaries paid to successful applicants will be higher. The Health and Care Worker visa (a subcategory of the skilled worker visa) remains a good option for young people without dependents.

Others may take advantage of the Indian Young Professionals program or be eligible for the High Potential Individual Visa. There are also a range of work visas available under the Global Mobility route. And for entrepreneurs who are seriously considering starting their own business in the UK, there is the option of self-sponsorship, which is growing in popularity.

For these reasons, 2025 will be a calmer and more welcoming year for Indian migrants considering settling in the UK.

(The author is a UK immigration and visa specialist. Views expressed are personal)

Disclaimer: The views, recommendations and opinions expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of FinancialExpress.com. Readers are advised to consult qualified financial advisors before making any investment decisions. Reproduction of this content without authorization is prohibited.