India upset with UK visa rules; warns relocating of IT firms to other European nations

India has warned the United Kingdom to treat its IT professionals fairly else they will consider relocating to other European nations. The warning has come in response to the tough visa rules that IT companies have to deal with while sending their professionals to the UK.

UK had come up with a proposal to treat ‘intra company transfers’ i.e. professionals being transferred to UK within a company to be treated as ‘prospective immigrants’. India has stated that this rule has badly affected the performance of Indian companies operating in the UK.

India has also expressed concern over another issue that concerns Indian companies wanting to acquire UK firms. It has been pointed out that these companies have been facing considerable delay and long legal hassles.

Further, Indian professionals coming to the UK for business meetings are facing long delays in getting visa approvals. Since these professionals leave the country after completion of their contractual obligations with their employers in the UK, they cannot be treated as ‘economic migrants’.

Highlighting the vast contributions of Indian professionals to the UK economy, India has stated that stoppage of post-study work permits to students has not been found favourable to Indian students as they are not able to recover the cost of their education in the UK universities and therefore they are now looking for options to study in other countries. There are at present over 40,000 Indians students studying in UK universities.

The British government on its part has decided not to make any change in the 'intra-company transfers' for the next two years.