The Highly skilled Tier Category was introduced in April 2011. This is a new category which has efficiently replaced the general Tier 1 visa which was commonly known as a Highly Skilled Migrant Program. Since the last week of December 2010, the Border Agency of the United Kingdom has stopped taking any Tier 1 applications from overseas.
Through this new category of Highly Skilled Visa, the investors, entrepreneurs and some people from the category of exceptional talent would be allowed to enter the United Kingdom. The new immigration systems of tire one are focused on valuable people including top scientists, sportspersons, businessmen and artists that can add value to the country.
This new type of visa category is in effect from April 2011, and now only a limited number of investors, businessmen and skilled individuals can enter the UK.
Recommended Immigration Changes by the Government of the United Kingdom
The UK government has clarified the long-awaited and prospected changes in the immigration system of the country. According to the United Kingdom Border Agency, the changes that occurred in April 2011 consisted of a lasting immigration cap on the skilled immigration, a new category of exceptional talent visa and unique criteria for skilled and talented workers having a job offer along with transfers (intra-company). Also, some significant changes are also expected in the rules related to the sponsoring of non-EU workers.
With the introduction of new Exceptional Talent Visa in April 2011, General Tier 1 skilled immigration visa was thought to come to an end. The United Kingdom Border Agency has confirmed that the visa category of Exceptional Talent has an annual limit of 1000 visas. Besides, the annual limit of the Tier 2 visa is decided to be 20,700 visas.
The UKBA further clarified and announced that the total Tier 2 visas would be distributed into total twelve monthly quotas of 1500 different places. Moreover, once the sponsorship certificate is issued to the employer, the same one has to be consigned to the potential employer in the duration of three months.
According to the new rules, the employers will have to apply for the sponsorship certificate from the Border Agency of the United Kingdom for a particular post. Presently, the annual sponsorship certificates allocation is being practiced.
All of the non-EU workers can qualify for the Tier 2 visa, if they have been employed at some graduate level job in the United Kingdom, and they fulfill the specific employment and salary requirements. Besides, they should be capable of speaking good English (at least of intermediate level).
Some changes are also made in the Tier 2 visa route of intracompany transfer. For instance, all the applicants who are applying under this visa category must have any of the occupations that are present on the list of graduation occupation. Additionally, the applicants who wish to stay in the United Kingdom for more than one year, they must be working at a place that pays them at least £40,000 per annum. All such workers who are earning more than £40,000 a year can get a visa that allows a stay of three years, and it can also be extended for another two years.
Remember that there is no cap on the exact number of workers who can get to enter the United Kingdom via intracompany transfer route of Tier 2 visa.