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WHAT IS TIER 1 (GENERAL)?
Tier 1 (General) is gradually replacing the HSMP as the main route for highly skilled migrants wishing to come to the UK to look for work and self-employment opportunities.
It is currently open to all those wishing to switch within the UK, and those wishing to extend their current leave under the HSMP.
The scheme will be opened to candidates applying from India from 1st April 2008, with applications from other countries being taken from Summer 2008.
HOW DO I SCORE POINTS?
There are now 6 scoring categories:
- Age (max. 20 points)
- Qualifications (max.50 points)
- Previous Earnings (max.45 points)
- UK Experience (max. 5 points)
Candidates must score a total of 75 points in the 4 above categories.
- English Language Requirement (10 points)
- Maintenance (10 points)
Candidates must score the full 10 points for each of these 2 categories.
Age:
Those under 32 will score varying amounts of points depending on their age, up to a maximum of 20 points for those aged 27 and under. Anyone aged 32 or over will gain zero points in this category in an initial application. There are concessions for those aged up to 34 for extension applications.
Qualifications:
Here, you can score points based on your degree level qualifications, or in some cases vocational or professional level qualifications, provided that they are considered equivalent to UK levels of qualification. You can score 30 points for a Bachelors degree, 35 for a Masters degree or 50 points for a PhD.
Previous Earnings:
This is generally the most important category in which to score points. You can make up for your age or lower level of qualification if you earn a relatively high salary in the country you have been working in over the previous 12 months. This is what is most important, the country you have been working in, not your nationality. You can earn anything from 5 to 45 points depending on which salary bracket you fall into. A series of uplift ratios are used to bring overseas salaries in line with their UK equivalents. The amount of uplift allocated depends on the country you have been working in.
UK Experience:
You can gain 5 points in this category if your previous earnings were earned in the UK OR if you have studied and graduated at Bachelor degree level or higher in full time education in the UK, or at a UK based overseas educational institution for at least 1 year, within the last 5 years.
English Language Requirement:
There are 3 ways to meet this requirement. Either you must be a national of a majority English speaking country, or you must have passed a qualifying English test at the required level. Alternatively you must have a degree equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree or above taught entirely in English.
Maintenance:
This new requirement has been added to the Tier 1 application process to ensure that migrants coming to the UK to do highly skilled work are able to support themselves without recourse to public funds.
If you are in the UK applying you need to be able to show a balance of at least £800 in your bank account for at least 3 months prior to the application.
For those wishing to include dependants there are additional requirements:
If the main applicant has been in the UK for less than 12 months at the time of application they must show an additional £1600 in the bank to support each dependant. E.g. If they have a wife and 2 children they will need a total of £5600. (£800 for main applicant plus £1600 x3)
If the main applicant has been in the UK for more than 12 months at the time of application they must show an additional £533 per dependant.
For those applying from outside the UK the maintenance requirements are: £2800 for the main applicant, plus £1600 for the first dependant, then £800 for every subsequent dependant.
WHAT NEXT?
If you think you might qualify for the new Tier 1 (General) please download an assessment form here and return to workpermit@etci.co.uk for a free evaluation of your chances of success.
To view ETCi’s fees for Tier 1 (General) services please click here.
