Huge Indian response to British skill hunt

The Home Office that launched Highly Skilled Migrants Programme to fill UK's skill gap, has got 4,798 applications from India and 2,840 from Pakistan.

Applicants from India and Pakistan have responded overwhelmingly to a British  Government drive to recruit highly-skilled workers from abroad.

The Home Office, which launched the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme to fill the UK's skill gap, has received 4,798 applications from India and 2,840 from Pakistan.

Of these, 1,569 Indian applications have been accepted and 639 from Pakistan. The most successful candidates are from the US, with 1,094 of the 1,448 applications being accepted.

Under the scheme applicants do not need a specific job offer in the UK to apply for a work permit. Instead, it is point-based and points are scored in five main areas including educational qualifications, work experience, past earnings, your achievement in your chosen field and the spouse or unmarried partner's achievements.