London – The UK will not alter its visa policies for Indian citizens despite a recently signed trade deal with India, Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer affirmed today.
The trade agreement, finalized in July after years of negotiation, is projected to substantially boost bilateral commerce. It will lower export costs for UK products like cars and whisky entering India, while making Indian textiles and jewellery more competitive in the UK market.
A key component of the deal includes a three-year exemption from social security contributions for Indian workers in the UK on short-term visas.Though,government officials have stressed this dose not signal broader changes to immigration rules.
“The issue is not about visas,” Starmer stated. “It’s about business to business engagement and investment and jobs and prosperity coming into the United Kingdom.”
the Labour government, committed to reducing overall immigration levels, recently unveiled a stricter policy regarding settlement status at its party conference last week.
Speaking to reporters en route to Mumbai, starmer reiterated that visas were not a factor in the trade negotiations and that this position remains unchanged. He emphasized that the deal focuses on trade and investment, not visa arrangements.
When questioned about perhaps attracting tech entrepreneurs following changes to the US H-1B visa program under former President Donald Trump, Starmer affirmed the UK’s desire to attract “top talent” globally to stimulate economic growth. Though, he explicitly stated there are currently no plans to establish new visa pathways specifically for Indian nationals.
