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| Migrants with desirable professional skills. |
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| Skilled workers with an offer of employment. |
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| Temporary, low skilled workers. |
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| Youth mobility schemes/ temporary workers. |
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From Spring 2008, immigration to the UK will undergo a complete process of reform, replacing much of the current system of UK visas and UK work permits with a five tier points-based immigration service.
The new system will replace specialist routes to living and working in the UK such as the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, or HSMP, and will supersede the UK work permit visa system, streamlining and rationalizing the wide variety of immigration visa services available at present. |
| The tier system will simplify the process of applying for a UK visa, restructuring more than 80 types of visa for immigration currently in use into a more straightforward, transparent system. |
• Tier 1 visa Migrants with desirable professional skills.
• Tier 2 visa Skilled workers with an offer of employment.
• Tier 3 visa Temporary, low skilled workers.
• Tier 4 visa Students.
• Tier 5 visa Youth mobility schemes/ temporary workers.
Tiers 1 and 2 of the system will offer potential routes to settlement in Britain and may lead to the opportunity to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK (ILR), often known as permanent residency. Although details are yet to be finalized, it is estimated that the option of permanent residence would be available after two years for applicants in the first tier and after five years for applicants in the second. Beyond this, subject to meeting the appropriate requirements, an applicant may be able to undergo British Naturalization as a UK citizen.
In tiers 2-5 applicants will need to obtain a certificate of sponsorship from the relevant sponsoring body. For tier 2 visas this would be a sponsoring British company, for tier 3 visas the operator of a specific worker scheme, for tier 4 visas the educational institution and for tier 5 visas the home Government of the candidate. |
| Implementation of the tier visa system will begin in April 2008 followed by a stage by stage roll out. The new system will focus British immigration services towards attracting those candidates best equipped to contribute professional skills and experience to the British economy, to reduce the opportunities to abuse the system, and to delegate some responsibility for applicants to their sponsors. |
The new system will not apply to temporary immigration solutions such as a UK visit visa, often known as a travel visa or tourist visa. UK visitor visas for tourists, due to their short term nature and the restrictions they place upon employment will continue to operate separately from the new tier immigration system and holders will not be able to switch into any of the five new tiers.
In addition, spouse immigration and dependent immigration will remain largely distinct from tier visas. The first two tiers of the system, along with the fourth tier in some circumstances, permit family immigration for an applicant’s husband, wife, civil partner, unmarried partner and/or dependent children, in a manner similar to the current dependency visa. However, the existing categories of the marriage visa, unmarried partner visa or De Facto Visa and fiance visa will continue to be available outside the new framework. |
As a UK immigration consultancy Global Visas can assist you with your relocation to the UK, whichever tier is right for you. The new system has yet to be implemented and in the meantime, our immigration consultants can provide a complete service for the range of existing UK visas and working permits available.
We can guide you at every stage from immigration lawyer advice on your initial application through to on arrival services designed to help you adjust to living and working in Britain. |
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