New UK migration move to hit Indian professionals

Indian professionals who move to Britain on inter-company transfers will no longer be eligible for permanent settlement after the government accepted a recommendation to that effect from a key migration committee.

In August, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) of the Home Office had recommended a raft of new measures intended to ensure that British workers and employees are preferred over those from non-European Union countries.

Besides recommending that non-EU professionals coming to Britain on inter-company transfers should not have the right to settle here permanently, the MAC also raised the entry bar for non-EU professionals seeking work.

The measures raised a welter of protest from groups representing non-EU professionals, particularly those from India.

Amit Kapadia, executive director of HSMP Forum, said: "We are very concerned about the recommendation to deny those coming on intra-company transfers under Tier 2 the right to settlement (permanent residence)".

"(We) do not see any justification what so ever for withdrawing right to settlement to immigrants on intra-company transfers. We believe such draconian measures will only lead to further exploitation of migrants and would deprive hardworking skilled migrants who are paying their tax and are not a burden to the public funds their due rights after
spending 5 years in the UK," he added.