UK Sees Surge in Skilled Worker and Student Visas from India

According to the Office for National Statistics, Indian citizens have received the highest number of skilled worker and student visas in the UK within the past year. They constituted the largest share of skilled worker visas, which also included healthcare professionals, and accounted for 41% of the grants for the recently introduced Graduate post-study work route.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS), highlighted that Indian citizens were the leading nationality in various sectors, particularly in healthcare visas designed to address staff shortages in the National Health Service (NHS).

In the analysis by the Home Office, Indian nationals claimed the highest number of visas in the ‘Worker’ category, accounting for one third (33 percent) of the total grants. In the year ending March 2023, a total of 92,951 extensions were granted under the Graduate route to previous students. Among these, Indian nationals constituted the largest group, making up 41 percent of the grants.

The increasing prominence of Indian nationals in receiving visas is likely to strengthen the demand for stricter immigration regulations from within the ruling Conservative Party. The party has set a target to reduce overall immigration figures, particularly in the aftermath of Brexit. Nevertheless, experts caution against the inclusion of international students in the calculation of net migration statistics, arguing that it is an inherently flawed method.