In a significant move, India and the United Kingdom(UK) have agreed to allow more young and talented professionals to work in each other's countries for two years, BBC reported.
Confirming the deal between the two nations, the UK Home Office said the scheme for 18 to 30-year-old professionals would allow "the brightest and best" to come to the UK based on "skills and talent".
This scheme has been officially named the Young Professionals Scheme.
The number of exchange of these young adults would be significant, as reports suggest thousands of people might be allowed in the near future itself. The UK, however, will allow permission on the basis of ‘skill and talent’. It further added that the two countries would work together to “crackdown” illegal immigrants. The two countries earlier announced business agreements worth £1bn.
The threshold set by the UK and Indian governments for admission of young adults is 3000 per year each. However, both countries can decide to lower or raise the limit.
Furthermore, the people taking part in this scheme have to be between 18-30 years of age with at least three years’ training relevant to their work. They should be able to "express themselves in the language(s) of the host country".
The UK and Indian governments are also promising to work "constructively" on reducing illegal migration between them, including mounting a stronger "fight" against the use of forged documents.
"This landmark agreement with our close partners in the government of India will provide new opportunities to thousands of young people in the UK and India seeking to live, work and experience each other's cultures. This agreement will also ensure that the British government can remove those with no right to be in the UK more easily and crack down on those abusing our system”, UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Indian counterpart Narendra Modi held a virtual meeting on Tuesday to discuss a "roadmap" for cooperation over the next decade on health, climate, trade, education, science and technology, and defence.
