India Young Professionals Scheme Visa

UK and India signed a Migration Partnership Agreement aiming to help both countries from 

A new revolutionary plan for Indian Professionals to work in the UK for 24 months, the British High Commission-New Delhi witnessed this historical event. The last Home Secretary Priti Patel and Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar signed the ‘Migration and Mobility Partnership’ on the 4th of May 2021.

The Aim of The India Young Professionals Scheme Visa

Both countries have agreed to allow young British Professionals to live and work in India, with the benefit of also allowing young Indian Professionals the “equal right” to live and work in the United Kingdom for 2 years, however, neither will qualify for the right to settlement in either country, which both countries citizens require visas to travel, this milestone deal can be deemed as finally doing justice to the Post Graduate Visa which also was replaced with the new Post Study Graduate Route which opened on the 1sy July 2021. 

The following ballot will open at 2:30 pm India Standard Time on 28 February 2023, and close at 2:30 pm India Standard Time on 2 March, Indian nationals overseas can apply online on this day, however, there is no guarantee that all that apply will be offered the visa, it is like a “lottery”, only 2,400 India Young Professionals Scheme Visas will be awarded from the February entries are free.

The India Young Professionals Scheme Visa Entry is Free

This new UK-India Young Professionals Scheme will offer 2,400 places annually to 18–30-year-old degree-educated Indian nationals to live and work in the UK for two years, it is hoped that such a scheme will be reciprocated in India, in addition, this trade-off is expected to build on UK-India trade relationships, expected to be worth over 24 million pounds, the UK is expected to seize this opportunity having presented by India’s growing economy having survived COVID.

The then Home Secretary Priti Patel on the 4th of May 2012 stated “It will give greater freedom and opportunity to thousands of young people in the UK and India wanting to experience each other’s cultures, whilst also ensuring that we can work together to protect the vast majority of Indian nationals who do play by the rules.”

Our new Home Secretary Suella Braverman has drawn up proposals to reduce the number, of dependants – spouses and children visas travelling to the UK, which includes shortening the duration of their visas and granting no rights to settle. According to new immigration figures, 490,763 students were given visas last year…They were accompanied by 135,788 dependants — spouses and children — up from 16,047 in 2019…Of these, India became the largest source of students with 161,000 students, including 33,240 depend…The government is yet to make a final decision on the contentious matter…

You ought to apply as soon as the ballot opens, at 2:30 pm India Standard Time on 28 February 2023, and close at 2:30 pm India Standard Time on 2 March 2023. 

The India Young Professionals Scheme Visa Requirement

An Indian Citizen meets the requirements if applying from India between the age of 18 to 30 years old, and must be at least 18 years old at the time of application, or the intended date of travel. The requirements are very similar to the Youth Mobility Scheme Visa, however, any Indian Citizen already on the Youth Mobility Scheme Visa cannot apply under the India Young Professionals Scheme Visa. The second requirement is that of qualifications, which must be at least at bachelor’s degree level or above (Regulated Qualifications Framework level 6, 7 or 8), being a graduate is a pre-requisite. The third requirement is savings of £2,530 which must be held in an account for a period of 28 days, and finally, the applicant cannot have any children under the age of 18 financially dependent on them in India, this is primarily to prevent dependants from seeking entry at the same time if approved.  

So if you are an Indian Citizen, a Graduate aged between 18 to 30, single and have £2,530 in savings for 28 days, no criminal convictions, and have never been removed or deported from the UK, you should apply on 28 February 2023, and close at 2:30 pm India Standard Time on 2 March 2023. 

If Your India Young Professionals Scheme Ballot Succeeds 

Remember there are only 2,400 visas available in the February 2023 ballot, and the Home Office has set a team aside to assess applications, If you’re successful in the ballot, you will be invited to apply for a visa, a unique email with instructions outlining the fee to pay, you will have 30 days from the date of the email to apply online, pay the visa application fee and immigration health surcharge, failure to make payment within the timeline before the payment link expires. Good luck!!