UK border rules 2025: Indian students and professionals brace for major changes

Indian nationals, who make up a large part of the UK’s international students and skilled workers, are likely to be especially affected.

The UK government recently rolled out major amends to its immigration policies through a new Immigration White Paper. These changes are aimed at tightening border controls and reduce the number of people moving to the UK.

Indian nationals, who make up a large part of the UK’s international students and skilled workers, are likely to be especially affected.

One of the biggest changes is that the time required to apply for permanent residency will double from five years to ten years. Thus, many skilled Indian professionals might have to wait longer to settle in the UK permanently.

The new rules also require all adult dependents, including spouses and parents, to prove their English language skills for the first time. This could give rise to challenges for families if some members cannot meet the language requirement.

Indian students will face changes too.

The post-study Graduate Route visa, which lets graduates stay and work in the UK without sponsorship, will be shortened from two years to 18 months. The UK government said this is because only 30 percent of visa holders were working in professional jobs, with many others in lower-skilled roles or unemployed.

Another important change is the planned end of the Health and Care Worker visa, a visa used by many Indian and South Asian professionals.

In 2023, Indian workers made up nearly 22 percent of all UK work visas, but this number fell sharply in 2024 as rules became stricter, as per an Indian Express report.

Indian migration to the UK has grown a lot in recent years.

Student numbers rose from about 10,400 in 2015 to almost 140,000 in 2022, states the Indian Express report.

Indians were the top group receiving UK study visas in 2022 and 2023, and second only to Chinese students in 2024, it has been learnt from the report.

The latest restrictions also limit family members joining students, further making it difficult for families to stay together.