POINTS BASED IMMIGRATION SYSTEM - UK
Table of Contents
UK Immigration Lawyers - Points Based Skilled Immigration
Advice
Our UK Immigration Lawyers are experienced, ethical, and members of the Law
Society of England and Wales. They can assist clients in our offices in Brisbane, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, London, UK and
Lisbon, Portugal. In addition, our United Kingdom qualified
Lawyers can advise clients worldwide, with a fast and efficient Consultation by
telephone or skype where they advise you about:
- Visa eligibility
- Information about the visa process
- Advice regarding format of Job Offer by approved Sponsor
- Advice regarding supporting documents including: Qualification certificates,
Work references, Salary and Job Offer
- Advice regarding minimum Salary requirements
- Assistance in completion of UK Points Based Immigration Application
forms
- Advice regarding an application for Criminal Record Certificates
- Assistance in booking an appointment at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application
Services (UKVCAS) service point to provide your biometric information (your
fingerprints and a photo)
- Visa Processing time guidance
- Information about the UK Government fee, Skills Surcharge, Immigration Health
surcharge and Lawyers fees for complete visa application assistance
In 2023, Contact VisaConnect's UK Immigration Lawyers for advice
and assistance with your Points Based System Immigration application for UK
Settlement (Permanent Residence)!
Routes to apply for Points Based Immigration System
1. Skilled Worker Route - Applicant has a job offer from a
Home Office licensed sponsor, at the appropriate salary level.
2. Global Talent Route - This Route has opened to EU
citizens on the same basis as non-EU citizens. This means the most highly skilled,
who can achieve the required level of points, will be able to enter the UK without
a job offer if they are endorsed under the Global Talent Visa by a recognised UK
body, as approved by the Home Office.
3. Graduate Route - The Graduate Visa will be available to
international students who have completed a degree in the UK from summer 2021. This
will enable international students to remain in the UK and work at any skill level
for two years after they have completed their studies or three years if they have
completed a Phd. It will be an unsponsored route.
4. Intra-Company Transfer - The ICT route allows
multinational organisations to facilitate temporary moves into the UK for key
business personnel through their subsidiary branches, subject to compliance with
ICT sponsorship requirements.
5. Start-up and Innovator - These routes are designed to
attract entrepreneurial talent and innovative, scalable business ideas to the
UK.
6. Health and Care Visa - The Health and Care Visa is part
of the Skilled Worker route. It allows applicants to come to the UK to work if they
are working in eligible health occupations, with a job offer from the
NHS.
7. Creative route - This route is for applicants in the
creative industry, with a Job offer, who are entering the United Kingdom for
short-term contracts or engagements for up to 12
months.
8. Sporting routes - International sportspeople must have a
confirmed job offer and their employment sponsored by a UK employer licenced by the
Home Office. Note that a new International Sportsperson visa route for professional athletes
coming to work in the United Kingdom will launch on 11 October 2021. Obtaining immigration permission under the route is still a two-stage process: 1. Obtain a governing body
endorsement (GBE) from the governing body for the relevant sport; and 2. Apply for entry clearance or permission to stay under the International Sportsperson visa route.
9. Seasonal Workers Pilot - The Seasonal Workers Pilot is
currently running until the end of 2021 enabling the recruitment of a limited
number of temporary workers for specific roles in the horticultural
sector.
10. Youth Mobility Scheme - The UK has arrangements in place
with eight countries and territories to enable around 20,000 young people to come
to the UK to work and travel each year. Applicants must be 18 to 30 years old and
can stay up to two years.
Eligibility - Skilled Worker Route - Points Based Immigration System
The new Points Based Immigration System system was introduced on
1 January 2021, and now EU and non-EU citizens will be treated equally. The
UK Home Office will reduce overall levels of migration and give high priority to
those with the highest skills and the greatest talents: scientists, engineers,
academics and other highly-skilled workers.
The Skilled Worker Visa has replaced the Tier 2 (General) work
visa. To be eligible to apply for the Points Based Immigration System, as a Skilled
Worker, you must score a total of
70 points in the Points test. Note that a
number of the Points test characteristics are tradeable (not mandatory). See the
Points Based System Characteristics and Points score below:
Points Characteristics and Score
CHARACTERISTICS |
TRADEABLE |
POINTS |
Offer of Job by approved sponsor |
No |
20 |
Job at appropriate skill level |
No |
20 |
Speaks English at required level |
No |
10 |
Salary of £20,480 (minimum)
& £23,039 |
Yes |
0 |
Salary of £23,040 & £25,599 |
Yes |
10 |
Salary of £25,600 or above |
Yes |
20 |
Job in a shortage occupation (as designated by the MAC) |
Yes |
20 |
Education qualification: PhD in subject relevant to the job |
Yes |
10 |
Education qualification: PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job |
Yes |
20 |
Salary and Skills Threshold
The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC)
recommendation on salary thresholds, including to lower the general salary
threshold from £30,000 to £25,600. Note the following:
- Salary 'Going Rate' - Applicants will still be required to be paid the
higher of the specific salary threshold for their occupation, known as the
going rate, and the general salary threshold
- Trade Characteristics - Applicants will be able to
trade characteristics such as their
specific job offer and qualifications against a lower salary
- New Entrants - Requirements for new entrants will be fixed at 30%
lower than the rate for experienced workers in any occupation and only use the
base salary (and not the allowances or pension contributions) to determine
whether the salary threshold is met
- No Regional Salary Thresholds - In accordance with the
MAC's recommendations, the Home Office will not introduce
regional salary thresholds or different arrangements for different parts of the
UK
- No Cap and No Labour Testing - The Home Office will suspend the cap on
the number of people who can apply under the skilled worker route and remove the
resident labour market test
Office Address and Telephone - VisaConnect UK
Contact VisaConnect's Consultants at our London, UK office below:
VisaConnect Immigration Consultants UK
Kemp House
152 City Road
London
EC1V 2NX
UK
Telephone: (+44) 207 193 2327