Indian professionals to challenge annual cap on UK immigration

United Kingdom, 29th June: Indian professionals from India and other non-EU states are planning to challenge the recently announced UK immigration cap saying the cap is going to prove unworkable. 

Amit Kapadia, director of HSMP (Highly Skilled Migrant Programme) Forum has stated that the UK immigration cap is wholly illogical and will have drastic effects on the Indian high skilled workers especially in the field of education, IT, medicine and services sector annually since majority of non-EU citizens immigrating to the UK hail from India. 

The annual limit on UK immigration on non-EU immigrants desirous of living and working in the UK will have worst effect. 

Apart from the Indian professionals, the annual UK immigration cap is also facing severe opposition from the UK industry and business. Even Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, also showed concerns of the impact of the immigration limit on the City. 

An official spokesperson for the London Mayor stated that putting an annual limit on the number of immigrants to be allowed into the UK might prove harmful for the immigration of highly skilled and talented migrants who have made a significant contribution towards UK economy. 

The latest announcement by the UK government has limited the number of UK work permits to be issued in the next year between 19th July and 31st March to 24,100 making a drop of percent as compared to the last year. 

Meanwhile, Mr. Anand Sharma, the Indian Union Commerce and Industry Minister, stated at a meeting of Confederation of Indian Industry in London held on Monday that the annual UK immigration limit should not be a hindrance for the free movement of business professionals from India to the UK. 

Leading a delegation of Indian businesses, Sharma discussed the issue with William Hague, UK Foreign Secretary asking the latter not to allow the immigration cap to hinder the immigration of Indian businessmen and professionals into the UK since UK is a hub of business activity for Europe. 

Criticizing the UK immigration cap, Director-General of the CII (Confederation of Indian Industry), Mr. Chandrajit Banerjee said that India does not favor the UK immigration cap on Indians.