Visas, Jobs, and Insurance Under the India-UK Deal

1. Historic Moment & What Changed

On 24 July 2025, India and the UK signed the landmark Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), marking a major milestone the UK’s most significant post‑Brexit trade deal. It locks in predictable business mobility access for Indian professionals under existing UK visa routes.

While it does not create new visa categories, the deal guarantees continued access to existing schemes—bringing certainty to professionals, investors, contractors, and business visitors on both sides.

2. Visa Routes Locked In by the Deal

The Business Mobility chapter of the FTA ensures Indian nationals can continue using:

• Business Visitor (Standard Visitor): up to 6 months for meetings, trade fairs, and negotiations protected under the agreement.
• Intra‑Corporate Transferees (Senior/Specialist Worker, Graduate Trainee): business staff moving within branches enjoy a minimum three‑year stay, even if UK policy tightens. Current maximum stays remain at 5 years (or 9 if high skilled).
• Contractual Service Suppliers: Indian employees delivering services in listed sectors, up to 12 months per assignment—the deal expands sectoral access beyond WTO baseline.
• Independent Professionals: self‑employed Indians under UK contract across sectors like engineering, architecture, IT—allowed stays of up to 12 months under trade mobility rules.
• Expansion Workers: Indian executives setting up new UK branches (Expansion Worker visa), covered under the locked‑in access guarantees.

A special quota of 1,800 visas per year is dedicated to Indian chefs‑de‑cuisine, yoga instructors, and classical musicians—a targeted move to meet UK demand in cultural and wellness sectors.

3. What Stays the Same: Rules & No Path to Settlement

Nothing in this agreement overrides the UK’s immigration framework:

• UK maintains full discretion to adjust salary thresholds (£48,500+ for senior/transfers), sponsorship rules, or visa conditions at any time.
• Applicants must continue to satisfy the Points‑Based System, with 70 points including employer sponsorship (20), skill level and salary (20), English proficiency (10), shortage occupations, or PhD derivatives.
• There is no route to permanent residency; mobility remains short‑term and purpose‑specific.
• Visa applicants continue to pay full Immigration Health Surcharge, Immigration Skills Charge, and sponsorship fees.

4. Insurance & Social Security Exemptions

A major benefit for Indian firms assigning staff temporarily:

• Indian companies and professionals remain exempt from UK National Insurance contributions for assignments up to three years, if they remain covered under India’s social security system—a significant boost for take‑home pay and cost‑planning .
• Discussions are underway for a Double Contributions Convention (DCC) to formalise this exemption, preventing dual deduction in both countries.

5. What This Means for Indian Professionals & Employers

Predictability is the core win: Indian professionals—including IT staff, engineers, architects, chefs, yoga teachers—can rely on guaranteed access under defined visa routes even if UK immigration settings change.

• Intra‑Corporate Transferees get a minimum 3‑year stay despite future policy tweaks.
• Contract and Independent Professionals gain clarity on sectoral access and maximum 12‑month stays.
• Cultural and wellness professionals now have a fixed quota of 1,800 visas per year.

Cost savings: salary uplift via national insurance exemptions, easier mobility and reduced legal risk.

6. Key Considerations & Next Steps

• The agreement must be ratified in both countries before becoming enforceable. Business mobility commitments apply once domestic procedures are complete.
• Employers and applicants must still meet all existing Home Office requirements, including salary, sponsorship, English proficiency and documentation.
• No settlement rights or indefinite leave is provided—mobilities are strictly temporary.
• Future changes to UK immigration policy (e.g., salary thresholds, surcharges) remain under Home Office control—even under the FTA framework.

Summary at a Glance

8. Future Outlook – More Than Just a Visa Deal

The India–UK FTA is not just a short-term mobility pact—it’s the foundation for a broader, long-term partnership. As both countries deepen collaboration in technology, climate innovation, education, and healthcare, we can expect this agreement to serve as a launchpad for future visa liberalisation, especially for high-demand sectors like AI, fintech, pharmaceuticals, and green energy.

Potential Future Developments:

• A possible Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) for more professions—making it easier for Indian doctors, lawyers, and accountants to practice in the UK.
• Enhanced graduate mobility and student pathways, easing transition from study to work.
• Future negotiations could even introduce India-specific startup or tech visa pathways if bilateral trade crosses key investment thresholds.

9. 🇮🇳🇬🇧 What Each Country Gains

For India

• Legal guarantees that protect Indian talent from abrupt UK policy shifts.
• Preferential access for Indian service exporters in over 36 sectors.
• Social security cost savings for firms boosting overseas competitiveness.
• Cultural recognition through the 1,800-visa quota for chefs, musicians, and yoga experts.
• Export wins: textiles, apparel, fisheries, spices, furniture, pharmaceuticals most of it duty-free.

For the UK

• Access to world-class Indian talent to address skills shortages in tech, finance, and healthcare.
• Cultural enrichment via skilled migration in cuisine, music, and wellness.
• Stronger strategic and diplomatic ties with the world’s fastest-growing large economy.
• Better cooperation in climate, cybersecurity, education, and innovation.
• A politically stable and economically vital partner in the Indo-Pacific.

Expert Legal Perspective on the India–UK FTA

The India–UK Free Trade Agreement introduces legal certainty for mobility routes previously governed solely by internal immigration policy. By embedding these routes within a trade agreement, both Indian professionals and UK-based employers now have a clearer and more dependable framework to operate under.

Legal advisors specializing in immigration and trade policy emphasize that this agreement does not bypass the UK’s existing immigration system. Rather, it reinforces lawful pathways for temporary mobility, including intra-corporate transfers, contractual service providers, and independent professionals.

Businesses are advised to maintain full compliance with Home Office sponsorship duties and immigration reporting obligations, as failure to do so could result in penalties, suspension of sponsorship licenses, or rejection of future applications.

Immigration Compliance and Risk Advisory

Despite the enhanced access guaranteed under the India–UK FTA, all applicants and sponsoring employers must comply with the UK’s existing immigration laws. The agreement facilitates temporary business mobility but does not relax enforcement or settlement policies.

Key Compliance Points:

• Visa Overstay: Individuals who remain in the UK beyond their visa validity may face:
  • Removal orders and re-entry bans (up to 10 years)
  • Ineligibility for future visa applications
  • Reputational and legal damage for employers
• Sponsor Duties: UK-based employers must:
  • Maintain accurate records for each sponsored worker
  • Report changes in employment status or job role within strict deadlines
  • Comply with salary, role, and location restrictions tied to sponsorship
• Temporary Nature: The FTA only applies to short-term, assignment-based roles. There is no route to settlement under these mobility categories, and switching to other visa routes is restricted unless allowed under UK immigration rules.
• Enforcement: The Home Office continues to conduct compliance audits and digital monitoring of visa holders and sponsors. Non-compliance may result in revocation of visa or sponsor status.

Note: The FTA enhances mobility access but does not override or weaken the UK’s points-based immigration system. All existing criteria salary thresholds, English proficiency, and sponsorship remain fully in force.

💬 Final Take

This India‑UK FTA is not just about trade it’s a blueprint for labour cooperation and trusted business mobility. While permanent settlement is not part of this deal, it brings stability and clarity to Indian professionals, exporters, and employers engaging with the UK. It locks in existing visa routes, safeguards short‑term mobility, and adds financial relief through social security exemptions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: Has the India–UK FTA introduced new visa categories?
A: No. The agreement guarantees continued access to existing visa categories under UK immigration law. It does not create any new visa routes.

Q2: Does the FTA grant a path to permanent residency?
A: No. The agreement facilitates short-term mobility for specific professional roles. It does not provide a route to settlement, Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), or long-term residency.

Q3: What types of professionals qualify under the cultural and wellness visa quota?
A: The agreement allows up to 1,800 Indian nationals per year to work in the UK in defined cultural sectors, including:

• Chefs specializing in Indian regional cuisine
• Certified yoga instructors
• Classical Indian musicians
  These roles are short-term and require sponsorship from approved UK entities.

Q4: What documentation is required for intra-corporate transferees?
A: Applicants must submit:

• A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from a licensed UK sponsor
• Proof of ongoing employment with the sending Indian company
• Salary evidence that meets current thresholds (e.g., £48,500+)
• Relevant qualifications or experience documentation

Q5: Can the UK government still change visa rules under this agreement?
A: Yes. While the FTA guarantees access to specific visa routes, the UK retains the right to revise immigration criteria—such as salary thresholds, job codes, or sponsorship rules—through domestic policy decisions.

Q6: Is there a provision for social security exemption?
A: Yes. The FTA includes a clause that allows Indian workers posted to the UK on temporary assignments to be exempt from UK National Insurance contributions for up to 3 years, provided they remain covered under India’s social security system.

If you’re planning to relocate or deploy staff under these arrangements, prepare to satisfy Home Office criteria, secure proper sponsorship, and stay updated as rafts of domestic implementation take place.

📚 Sources and Official References

1. UK Government – India-UK FTA Business Mobility Explainer
2. Business Standard – India-UK Deal Clears Visa Path for Indians
3. Hindustan Times – Visa, Employment & Insurance Changes Under India-UK FTA
4. The Economic Times – India-UK FTA: National Insurance Exemption for Indian Workers
5. Financial Times – Modi and Starmer Sign Landmark UK-India FTA
6. Times of India – Goyal Calls FTA a Game Changer
7. UK Home Office – Points-Based Immigration System Explained