“ The global trading environment is currently an unstable one, with greater fragmentation and increased levels of protectionism. In light of recent trade wars and US tariff related disruption, new partnerships that encourage free and open trade should be celebrated.”
EMMA ROWLAND, TRADE POLICY ADVISER AT THE INSTITUTE OF DIRECTORS
and jewellery arriving in the UK from India; and on whisky, gin, aerospace, electricals, medical devices, some foodstuffs and cars going the other way. One major – and mildly
controversial – concession made by the British was to free intra-company transfers coming from India, along with other Indian business professionals arriving on temporary visas, from having to make national insurance contributions in the UK for up to three years, as long as they were still making social security payments in India.
GREATER BUSINESS MOBILITY Some opposition MPs maintained that such a concession would lead to a surge in immigration and undercut British workers. But the government emphasised that the FTA preserved the UK’s existing points-based immigration system. And Douglas Alexander, Minister of State at the Department for Business and Trade, pointed out that the deal only covered business mobility as it was about travel for specific and temporary business purposes. The government in London
estimates that the effects of the deal will boost trade between the two countries, which totalled £42.6 billion last year, by an additional £25.5 billion a year by 2040. According to The Times of India,
the FTA not only marks a significant milestone in bilateral relations, but
48
also greatly enhances professional mobility between the two nations. “This agreement will facilitate the movement of various professionals, including contractual service suppliers, business visitors, investors, intra-corporate transferees, and independent professionals,” the newspaper commented. It added that the deal would make
it simpler for Indian professionals to work in the UK by introducing rules that streamlined employment laws and visa procedures. “Under business mobility options, the UK has increased the range of occupations for which highly qualified Indian experts can apply. However, to utilise these expanded routes, professionals must prove they have the necessary experience and qualifications for those specific roles, as the UK will require them to meet strict standards before allowing them to work in the country.” HR professionals in the UK
believe the trade deal offers businesses the
opportunity to
address skills shortages and cut costs, but only if recruitment strategies and auxiliary risks are properly managed. “Employers need to be
wary of, and manage, wider discrimination risks such as how different nationalities are treated in terms of job opportunities and recruitment processes, plus, how certain nationalities might be treated by colleagues during employment because of perceived
SECTORS VOICE CONCERNS Yet not all sectors in the UK economy are happy with the deal, notably the pharmaceutical industry, which does not believe it offers sufficient support to businesses beyond the reduction in medical devices tariffs. The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) is particularly concerned that the FTA does not address areas such as intellectual property (IP)
preferential treatment,” said Rob Smedley, employment director at law firm Freeths, which specialises in business legal services in HR Magazine. Ashley Stothard, immigration
executive at the firm, added that, if HR management is executed effectively, the FTA offers businesses an opportunity to address skills shortages, especially in sectors such as IT, engineering and healthcare. “These sectors often struggle to
source workers from the resident labour market and so often look overseas. The trade deal means that UK businesses can look first to India, and benefit from the cost savings in national insurance contributions,” he said, adding that HR professionals would need to review their organisations’ recruitment strategy. “They should ensure that they’re up-to-date with immigration law and sponsor compliance, and prepare for an increase in overseas recruitment.”
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