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London: The UK government on Tuesday tabled tougher new English language test requirements on visa applicants, including from India, in Parliament as part of a wider crackdown on soaring levels of immigration into the country.The new "Secure English Language Test" will be conducted by a Home Office-approved provider, with the results to be verified as part of a subsequent visa application process for all skilled workers from January 8, 2026.An applicant's standard of speaking, listening, reading and writing English must be equivalent to A-Level or Class 12, referred to as level B2, which the Home Office believes will ensure applicants are "better able to integrate into life in the UK"."This country has always welcomed those who come to this country and contribute, but it is unacceptable for migrants to come here without learning our language, unable to contribute to our national life," said UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood."If you come to this country, you must learn our language and play your part," she said.Laid out as part of a written ministerial statement (WMS) in the House of Commons this week, the measures form part of the British government's 'Immigration White Paper' from May, designed to tighten the visa regime.Among the other changes in law, the time for international students to find a graduate-level job after completing their studies under the Graduate Route visa, popular among Indian students, will be cut to 18 months from the current two years from January 1, 2027. However, PhD-level graduates will continue to be eligible for three years of permission as part of an announcement made earlier this year. "This change is informed by data showing that too many graduates are not progressing into graduate-level employment, which the Graduate Route was created to facilitate access to. It is intended to ensure that those who remain in the UK transition into graduate-level jobs and properly contribute to the UK economy," reads the parliamentary statement from Home Office Minister Mike Tapp.Finance requirements for student visas will also be increased for the 2025-2026 academic year, meaning foreign students will have to demonstrate they have sufficient funds to support themselves. The current requirement of having maintenance funds of 1,483 pounds per month will be raised to 1,529 pounds for London and to 1,171 pounds per month (up from 1,136 pounds) for the rest of the UK.The Immigration Skills Charge (ISC), effectively a tax paid by UK employers sponsoring skilled foreign workers and intended to be reinvested in training the domestic workforce, will be raised by 32 per cent. It means small or charitable organisations must pay 480 pounds per person, per year (up from 364 pounds) and medium and large organisations forking out 1,320 pounds (up from 1,000 pounds). "The ISC increase is the first since 2017 and will be used to boost investment in British workers and reduce reliance on overseas recruitment. The parliamentary process to increase the charge will begin later this week," the Home Office said.Other Home Office changes tabled this week cover doubling the number of universities whose graduates can use the High Potential Individual (HPI) route and capping the number of places that are available under this high-skilled visa route at 8,000 per year. The number of people coming to the UK through the HPI route is expected to double from 2,000 to 4,000, giving graduates from the world's best universities the chance to base their careers in the UK, the Home Office said. It said the aim was to double the number of highly skilled people coming to the UK on high-skilled routes, including the top researchers, designers, and creatives working in film and TV, with further changes planned for the Global Talent route next year. "The world's most talented entrepreneurs studying in the UK will also be able to seamlessly establish innovative business ventures in the UK after concluding their studies, while transitioning from a student visa to the Innovator Founder route," the Home Office said.Additionally, it was announced that all nationals of Botswana will now be required to obtain a visa before travelling to the UK, including for short visits. The move is in response to a high number of nationals from the southern African country arriving since 2022 as visitors and subsequently claiming asylum in a "misuse of the UK's immigration system".

Four emerging technologies -- AI, robotics, advanced energy systems and sensor networks -- are poised to reshape global labour markets with the greatest impact expected in seven core sectors employing 80 per cent of workers worldwide, a study said on Tuesday. These technologies will create new opportunities to boost productivity and transform jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, construction, wholesale and retail trade, transport and logistics, business and management, and healthcare sectors, the World Economic Forum said in its 'Jobs of Tomorrow: Technology and the Future of the World's Largest Workforces' report. Unlocking this productivity potential and managing risks will require concerted actions such as mobilising investment capital, accelerating global technology diffusion and ensuring inclusive access, the WEF said. "The path of technology development will be determined by decisions made now and in the coming years," said Till Leopold, Head of Work, Wages, and Job Creation, WEF. "Understanding which technologies will be most transformative and how they will transform seven job families that make up almost 80 per cent of the world's workers is crucial to anticipating their impact and driving towards positive outcomes," Leopold said. While the global debate has focused on desk-based office jobs, the report highlighted how emerging technologies are also driving real-world change beyond such occupations. Drone technology is already enabling efficient urban deliveries in the United Arab Emirates and for transporting critical supplies - such as medical equipment - to rural Ghana. Rooftop renewable energy systems in several African countries are stabilising frontline workers' hours, preventing them from being sent home during power cuts, while creating demand for energy system professionals. Energy generation and storage technologies are also transforming the wholesale and retail trade workforce. In South Africa, Nigeria and India, wholesalers are implementing rooftop solar panels and batteries to avoid outages and reduce diesel use, the WEF noted. This enables jobs to shift towards energy system monitoring, refrigeration management and predictive maintenance, and stabilises hours for frontline staff who used to be sent home during power cuts, it added. In wholesale and retail trade, the report said AI integration into click-and-collect processes is changing the workforce in Africa, India and Latin America, the WEF said. The report also showcased how semi-automated construction equipment is reducing physical strain on workers and improving safety. Additionally, robotics combined with AI data processing could redesign the patient journey and the workforce in the healthcare sector, it said. The study called for tailored collaborative action from employers, governments and technology developers to maximise the benefits of the transformations ahead.

In a stunning debut that defied expectations, LG Electronics India surged 50.4% from its IPO price on its first day of trading on Tuesday, taking its market capitalisation to Rs 1.16 lakh crore, or about $13.13 billion, higher than its South Korean parent LG Electronics Inc, which is valued at around $8–9 billion in Seoul.The listing marked the best performance for a billion-dollar IPO in India since 2021, placing the company ahead of peers Whirlpool, Voltas and Havells.Shares of LG India opened at Rs 1,715 on the BSE and Rs 1,710.10 on the NSE, compared with an issue price of Rs 1,140 per share, giving investors a listing-day gain of more than 50%. The rally lifted the company’s market value beyond all other Indian-listed consumer durable peers, including Whirlpool of India ($1.7 billion), Voltas ($5.8 billion) and Havells India ($10.4 billion).The Rs 11,607-crore initial public offering was entirely an offer for sale by LG Electronics Inc. It drew overwhelming investor demand, with total bids exceeding the issue size 54 times. The qualified institutional buyers’ portion was subscribed to 166 times, while retail investors bid 3.5 times their allotted quota.Ahead of the debut, the shares were commanding a 31% premium in the grey market, reflecting strong investor appetite. The robust listing gave LG India the highest listing-day premium of 50.4% among IPOs exceeding Rs 10,000 crore.The debut comes amid India’s second-busiest quarter on record for IPOs, although recent large issues such as WeWork India and Tata Capital posted muted debuts.India’s record with large listings has been uneven. Coal India’s 2010 IPO, which raised Rs 15,199 crore, remains one of the few success stories, listing nearly 40% higher. In contrast, Reliance Power’s 2008 offering listed 17% lower, while Paytm’s Rs 18,300-crore IPO in 2021 dropped 27% on debut. Even state-backed giants have struggled, with LIC’s Rs 20,557-crore IPO listing 7.8% lower and GIC Re’s Rs 11,257-crore issue debuting with a 4.6% loss.Against this backdrop, LG India’s performance stands out as a rare exception among India’s mega IPOs, combining both scale and strong investor response.Brokerages turn bullish with record buy callsThe IPO triggered a strong show of analyst confidence, with at least eight brokerages issuing buy ratings within hours, reflecting optimism on LG India’s fundamentals and India’s consumer durables sector.Emkay Global Financial Services led with a Rs 2,050 price target, implying an 80% upside. “LG has, over the last three decades, built a formidable franchise, leading in key large appliance categories with premium positioning, leveraging its global R&D strength, brand power, and superior execution,” Emkay analysts wrote, projecting 13% revenue CAGR and 14% EPS CAGR over FY26–28.Nomura initiated coverage with a buy rating and Rs 1,800 target, forecasting post-tax ROE/ROIC of 31%/56% in FY28F and EBITDA margin expansion from 12.8% in FY25 to ~14.1% in FY28F. ICICI Securities highlighted LG’s “commanding market position” and core return on equity exceeding 90% when adjusted for cash and other income.Other brokerages also turned bullish: Prabhudas Lilladher set a target of Rs 1,780, Ambit Capital Rs 1,820, Motilal Oswal Rs 1,800, Antique Stock Broking Rs 1,725, and Equirus Securities Rs 1,705. Analysts noted LG’s premium segment dominance, growth tailwinds from underpenetration, strong return ratios, and increasing strategic relevance to its Korean parent.Also read | LG share price target at Rs 2,050? Korean giant sparks record frenzy with 8 buy calls on Day 1ICICI Securities pointed out that India’s share of the parent’s revenue rose from 3.5% in CY21 to 4.3% in CY24. Emkay added that under LG’s “Global South” strategy, India is expected to contribute one-third of global growth over five years, while Ambit noted exports could rise from 6% to 10% by FY28 as Sri City plant capacity doubles.(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times)

ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company on Tuesday reported 18 per cent growth in consolidated net profit at Rs 296 crore for three months ended September 30, 2025.The company had logged a net profit of Rs 251 crore in July-September 2024-25. Its net premium income rose to Rs 11,843 crore in the quarter under review from Rs 10,754 crore in the year-ago period, ICICI Prudential Life said in a stock exchange filing. Shares of ICICI Prudential Life were trading 0.92 per cent higher at Rs 599 apiece on the BSE.

Infrastructure major KEC International on Tuesday said it has secured a new order worth Rs 1,064 crore for setting up a transmission line in Saudi Arabia. KEC International Ltd, an RPG Group company, has secured a new order of Rs 1,064 crore for design, supply and installation of a 380 kV transmission line in Saudi Arabia, according to a company statement. "The consecutive wins in Saudi Arabia, along with the earlier order wins in the Middle East, have substantially bolstered our international T&D order book. "The Middle East region continues to be a strategic growth driver for us, as reflected in this order and the strong momentum built earlier this year. With this win, our YTD (year-to-date) order intake has surpassed Rs 15,000 crore," Vimal Kejriwal, MD & CEO of KEC International, said. KEC International is a global infrastructure engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) major. It has a presence in verticals of power transmission & distribution, civil, transportation, renewables, oil & gas pipelines and cables & conductors. It has a footprint in 110-plus countries.