British Indians have helped Britain’s economy prosper since World War II: report

LONDON: A white paper released by the Aston India Center shows how Indian immigrants to Britain since World War II have repeatedly helped transform the British economy.The paper, “Indian Diaspora Immigration to Britain”, which has been called “one of the most important immigration stories in modern Britain”, explores four waves of immigration from post-war reconstruction in the 1940s to the post-Brexit influx of 2019, showing how Indian immigration has enhanced Britain’s ability to rebuild, adapt and thrive.The report recommends that the UK adopt a smarter immigration strategy, align visa pathways with employer needs, engage in mutual recognition of qualifications with India, and recommend that industry regulators in the UK and India work together to verify workers’ qualifications and hold joint assessment clinics with employers to speed up recruitment and ensure the best talent is hired.The report, authored by Professors Sangeeta Khorana and Professor Pawan Budhwar, co-directors of Aston University’s Aston India Centre, and Manish Tiwari, chairman of Here&Now365, shows how Indian immigrants have helped fill labor shortages since the 1940s. Until the 1970s, most Commonwealth citizens did not require a visa to move to the UK, and after World War II, the UK experienced many labor shortages, which Indians came to fill, attracted by wage differentials and domestic political unrest.In 1972, a large number of Indians holding British passports were deported from Uganda to the United Kingdom. More people are arriving on family reunion visas in places such as Leicester and Birmingham and setting up businesses.In the 1990s, attracted by the strong economy, Indians flocked to the UK to work in the service industry, especially IT, as well as transport, manufacturing and hospitality.Brexit in 2016 resulted in a loss of EU workers in the UK. This, combined with policy liberalization, resulted in an influx of Indians as students, healthcare workers and skilled workers. The coronavirus pandemic has also triggered a severe labor shortage in the UK. Indians are now the largest group on the skilled worker route, with Indian immigrants accounting for around 16% of NHS professionals and 13% of the skilled workforce.Since 2019, highly skilled Indian immigrants and entrepreneurs, experts in artificial intelligence, fintech, life sciences, advanced manufacturing and digital have built businesses and driven technological innovation not only in London but also elsewhere. British Indians are now Britain’s richest ethnic group by median net worth and have broadened Britain’s culinary traditions, music, film, literature and festivals. The report says British Indians are increasingly participating in public life, from local councils to serving as prime minister, which contributes to social cohesion.“The white paper provides an evidence-based analysis of the contribution of the Indian diaspora to the UK’s economic, cultural and social capital. It emphasizes that the Indian diaspora is not a burden and is making a significant contribution,” Boudwal told TOI.