New UK visa curbs to hit India, non-eu nations from April 6

A series of new visa restrictions that will affect India and other non-eu countries will come into effect from April 6, including an “immigration skills charge” of £1,000 per year, higher salary thresholds and a health surcharge.

The skills charge has been put in place with a view to “incentivising employers to invest in training British staff”, sources said.

The funds collected are meant for programmes to provide skills to British nationals. It is levied per non-eu employee recruited, per year.

The measures will substantially increase the cost of application for Tier 2 visas by employers and is intended to reduce Britain’s perceived dependence on non-eu workers.

The same curbs may be applied for EU citizens seeking to work in the United Kingdom.

New curbs will also apply to the Intra-company Transfer (ICT) visa, which is mostly issued to Indian IT and other companies to transfer employees to their offices in the United Kingdom.

From April 6, both ICT visa holders and their dependents will be required to pay health surcharge of £200 per year.

The closure of the Tier 2 (ICT Short Term Staff category means all ICT professionals, excep graduate trainees, must qualify under a single route with a sal ary threshold of £41,500.

The salary threshold for ICT Long Term Staff category has been reduced from £155,300 to £120,000; these high earners can stay in the route for up to nine years, rather than the usual five years.

From April 6, NON-EU nation als coming to take up jobs in the UK in the health, education and social sectors will be required to furnish a police clearance certifi cate also.