UK immigration minister in India to discuss UK Visa cap

The visit will focus on what the UK Visa cap and immigration policy means for Indian business, and the minister will meet a range of people, including Shri Vayalar Ravi, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs; Shri Anand Sharma, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Shri Shivraj Patil, Governor of Punjab, as part of the broader consultation process on the UK’s immigration policy.

Mr Green said: “For more than 100 years the UK has benefited from the skills and talents of immigrants from all over the world, in particular from India.

"Immigration has enriched British culture and enhanced our economy. The new Coalition Government wants this to continue. But to enable Britain to benefit from immigration it must be properly controlled."

The UK Government is currently consulting about the permanent UK Visa cap, which will come into place in April. The temporary UK Visa cap currently in place applies to all new applicants under Tier 1 (General), except for extension applications and in-country applications.  Applications under Tier 2 (General) will be limited by the number of Employer Sponsorship Licences that are issued.

“The new limit on economic migration, on which we are currently consulting, will allow us to attract the best talent to the UK – those whose skills we need and for whom there are jobs.

“We will continue to differentiate between those with high educational levels and good qualifications and those who are unskilled. The brightest and the best will always be welcome in the UK,” Mr Green said.

The UK Immigration minister will also visit Chandigarh where he will thank the Punjab government for its cooperation with the UK on migration.

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The UK Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people with their  UK immigration applications to the British Embassy.