The New UK Points-Based System Opens

At the end of last year, the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Act 2019-21 became law. The language in the act itself mostly centred on separating UK and European Union laws. However, it also paved the way for the newly introduced points-based immigration system that was launched by the government this month.

Who will benefit from the new rules?

Changes have now been made to the immigration rules and immediately it seems that high skilled workers are the winners in the new arrangement. The alterations are intended to help those with valuable trades come into the country.

The applications system is now open for the new Skilled Worker Tier 2 visa and visas will only be given to applicants who meet a certain points threshold. Points are given if evidence of an employment offer at an acceptable skill level can be provided, if a certain standard of English language proficiency is met and if a potential salary threshold will be met.

What are the government’s aims?

The government’s intention is to try and transform immigration to the UK away from the migration of low skilled labour that we have seen in recent years and instead aim to tempt the crème de la crème of different sectors to come and live and work here.

The Home Secretary, the Rt Hon Priti Patel MP, has conveyed her feeling that the new points-based system is both straightforward and accommodating, allowing businesses to employ those with desirable skills from abroad. Interestingly, the cap on skilled worker visas has also been removed. 

Concurrently, the government is also hopeful that the redesigned immigration system will persuade companies to prioritise enriching the skillsets of domestic workers. It will not be possible for businesses to sponsor visas for workers who intend to pay the minimum wage or even near to it.

Other immigration avenues

Further visas have also been set up for truly exceptional applicants. These include the Global Talent visa, which allows some people to enter the country without a job offer if they are endorsed by one of the professional organisations listed by the Home Office, such as The Royal Society for Science and Medicine. 

An Innovator visa is also available for those with relevant experience in their industry and proof of at least £500k of funding behind them. The Start-Up visa is granted in a similar vein and is a route for those looking to set up an innovative business for the first time.

There is also an Intra-company Transfer route that allows organisations with branches in multiple countries to bring people into the UK for a time-limited period. In order to utilise this visa, the job being done must be of a graduate-level and it has a higher minimum salary threshold than the standard Skilled Worker Tier 2 visa.

Lastly, there are also separate visas available for the partners and dependents of workers entering the UK.

Some more details about the new rules

To meet the eligibility criteria for the new Skilled Worker Tier 2 visa, the applicant must obtain 70 points, they must also pass some criminal record checks. The bulk of the points, 50 in total, will be derived from the three core criteria of a job offer from an accredited sponsor, the fact that it is a skilled job at A-Level standard or equivalent, and English language proficiency.

The final 20 points are granted through so-called ‘tradeable’ points, which are based on the type of work someone will be doing and the actual salary level offered, among other things. The normal base salary level for the Skilled Worker Tier 2 visa is £25,600 per annum. However, this can be lower if their profession is on the Shortage Occupation List or if they have a PhD. It is also worth noting that only 60 points are required for Intra-Company Transfer applications.

What will the new visas cost?

Applying for an online visa will cost somewhere between £610 and £1,408 depending on which one is applied for. A health surcharge will now also be payable which costs £624 a year. You will also have to provide biometric information when you apply for a visa.