AMN
UK has announced changes to its visa policy for non-EU nationals, which will affect a large number of Indians especially IT professionals. Under the new visa rules announced last evening by the Home Office, anyone applying after November 24 under the Tier 2 intra-company transfer (ICT) category would be required to meet a higher salary threshold requirement of 30,000 pounds from the earlier 20,800 pounds.
The ICT route is largely used by Indian IT companies in Britain and the UK’s Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) had found earlier this year that Indian IT workers accounted for nearly 90 per cent of visas issued under this route.
Nationals outside the European Union, including Indians, will also be affected by new English language requirements when applying for settlement as a family member after two and a half years in the UK on a five-year route to residency settlement in the UK. The new requirement will apply to partners and parents whose current leave to remain in the UK under the family immigration rules is due to expire on or after 1st May next year.