India continue to be top nationality granted ‘worker’ visas: British High Commission

“Indian nationals also continue to be the top nationality granted ‘Worker’ visas, accounting for 39 percent of the total with 56,042 visas issued. An increase of 26,490 (90 percent) as compared to 2019 (29,552),” British High Commission said, as quoted by news agency ANI. 

For student visas, there were 127,731 grants to main applicant Indian nationals in the year ending September 2022, an increase of 93,470 ( 273 percent) compared to 2019 (34,261), the Commission further said.

Earlier in October, British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis said they were on track to get back to processing India-to-UK visa applications “within our standard of 15 days”, as per ANI reports. 

“We are on track to get back to processing India to Great Britain #visa applications within our standard of 15 days,” Ellis tweeted.

Now, India has overtaken China as the largest nationality being issued sponsored study visas in the UK.

According to the latest UK Immigration Statistics published on August 25, nearly 118,000 Indian students received a student visa in the year ending June 2022 — an 89 percent increase from the previous year.

The United Kingdom also continued to be a popular destination for Indian holidaymakers too, as Indian nationals accounted for the highest proportion (28 percent) of visitor visas granted, ANI reported. 

More than 258,000 Indian nationals received visit visas in the year ending June 2022 — a 630 percent increase compared to the previous year (when travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic were still in place).

In the year ending June 2022, Indians also received nearly 103,000 work visas (which includes skilled and seasonal workers) — a 148 percent increase over the previous year.

India nationals also continue to be the top nationality granted skilled worker visas, accounting for 46 percent of all skilled work visas granted globally.

(With ANI inputs)