India to UK: Complete Moving Guide for 2026

The UK stays high on most Indian professionals' shortlists, especially in tech and finance. Skilled Worker visa, shared history, the largest Indian diaspora in Europe. Post-Brexit the rules shifted. Here is what matters in 2026.

The Skilled Worker visa

The Skilled Worker visa replaced Tier 2 after Brexit. What you need:

• ✅ Job offer — From a licensed UK sponsor
• ✅ Salary threshold — £38,700/year minimum (or going rate for your job)
• ✅ English proficiency — B1 level (IELTS 4.0 minimum per band)
• ✅ Certificate of Sponsorship — Employer provides this

Costs: application fee £719-1,500 plus Immigration Health Surcharge £1,035/year plus skills charge (paid by employer). Expensive but predictable.

UK tech salaries

London vs the rest of the UK

London pays the most. It also bites hardest on cost. A few alternatives to weigh:

The NHS: free, with caveats

NHS care is free at point of use. A few things to know:

• ⏱️ Long wait times — Weeks for GP appointments, months for specialists
• 💊 Prescriptions cost — £9.90 per item in England (free in Scotland)
• 🦷 Dental is hard to get — NHS dentists have years-long waitlists
• 💰 Private as backup — Many employers offer BUPA/Vitality

Path to settlement (ILR)

You can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) after 5 years on Skilled Worker visa:

• ✅ 5 years continuous residence (max 180 days outside UK per year)
• ✅ Pass Life in the UK test
• ✅ Meet English requirement (usually already met)
• ✅ Still earning £38,700+ at time of application
• 💷 ILR fee: £2,885

Adjusting to British life

British culture shares some similarities with India (colonial history), but has key differences:

• 🌦️ Weather obsession — Talking about weather is a national pastime; always carry an umbrella
• 🍵 Tea culture — "Fancy a cuppa?" means let's have tea; it's a social ritual
• 📏 Queuing — The British queue for everything; cutting is a serious offense
• 🤐 Understatement — "Not bad" means excellent; "interesting" might mean terrible
• 🍺 Pub culture — Pubs are social hubs, not just for drinking; great for networking
• 💬 Sarcasm — Dry humor and sarcasm are common; don't take everything literally
• 🙏 Please and Thank You — Used constantly; perceived as very polite culture
• 🎭 Reserve vs warmth — Initial reserve opens up; British become loyal friends

Useful resources