Indian students can soon live and work in the UK under a new work visa

A new work visa for the UK is set to bring greater opportunities for Indian graduates. 

India and the UK will launch the Young Professionals Scheme on Feb. 28, according to a Ministry of External Affairs statement issued after the 15th India-UK Foreign Office Consultations, reported The Economic Times.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has also confirmed this news on his Twitter. 

Today the UK-India Young Professionals Scheme was confirmed, offering 3,000 places to 18–30 year-old degree educated Indian nationals to come to the UK to live and work for up to two years. pic.twitter.com/K6LlSDLne4

— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) November 16, 2022

As of now, there have yet to be any updates on this new work visa for the UK.

Don’t worry, though, as the Home Office has released a document on how to apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa — which does contain references to Indian applicants. 

Like the Young Professionals Scheme, those under the Youth Mobility Scheme can live and work in the UK for up to two years.

Here’s how you can apply for the scheme:

A new work visa for the UK is in the works. Source: Money Sharma/AFP

All you need to know about the Youth Mobility Scheme

Who can apply for the Youth Mobility Scheme?

Here are the following requirements if you want to apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme:

• You want to live and work in the UK for up to two years.
• You are 18 to 30 years old.
• You have 2,530 pounds in your bank account for at least 28 days. 
• You have some form of British nationality or are from a listed country (which includes India). 

You cannot apply Youth Mobility Scheme if you:

• have children below 18 who live with you; or
• have children you are financially responsible for; or
• are already been in the UK under the scheme

You cannot, however, bring in family members through this application. The Youth Mobility Scheme is not a route to permanent residence.

Are there any country-specific requirements for Indians?

Yes. Here are a few things you should look out for:

• Check if the Home Office has issued you an invitation to apply. 
• Submit your application in time and provide the application number. 
• Provide a local police certificate or police clearance certificate issued within six months before the application date.
• You need to have at least a bachelor’s degree. You can prove this by getting a written confirmation from your uni. 

How many Youth Mobility Scheme visas are allocated to India?

3,000.

How do you apply to the Youth Mobility Scheme?

Apply online. Part of your application would require you to submit your fingerprints and photograph at a visa application centre for your biometric residence permit. 

Usually, it takes about three weeks to have your Youth Mobility Scheme application approved. 

A new work visa for the UK is set to bring greater opportunities for Indian graduates. Source: Money Sharma/AFP

What documents will you need to apply for this new work visa for the UK?

Remember to have the following documents ready for your online application: 

• A valid passport
• A bank statement as proof of funds
• Your tuberculosis test results. The test has to be done at a clinic approved by the Home Office. You can check the full list of approved clinics in India here.
• Certified translation of any documents that are not in English or Welsh 

How much does it cost to apply?

The application fee is 259 pounds. You will also need to pay a health surcharge (usually 470 pounds per year). Click here to check how much you will have to pay. 

What are the perks of this new work visa for the UK?

Under this new work visa for the UK, you can live and work in the UK for up to two years.

With this, you can choose to be self-employed or set up your company. There are a few restrictions:

• You should rent a place.
• Your equipment must not be worth more than 5,000 pounds.
• You aren’t allowed to hire any employees.