Tier 2 replaces the UK Work Permits scheme . Tier 2 was implemented on 27 November 2008 and offers an entry route into the United Kingdom for skilled workers who are citizens of countries outside of the European Economic Area (EEA). In all cases people applying for entry under this scheme MUST be in possession of a JOB OFFER and fulfill other requirements as detailed for the different categories.
To qualify a job must require a skill level of S/NVQ level 3 or above as indicated in the codes of practice relevant to the sector and to the job
If you do not have a job offer and can be categorised as highly skilled then Tier 1 (General) for Highly Skilled Migrants may offer an appropriate route of entry to the UK
Summary of Applicant Requirements
In order to gain entry into the UK under the terms of Tier 2, an applicant must :
Have an offer of employment from a Licensed Sponsor and a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from that employer
Satisfy the Maintenance Requirement for his or herself and each dependent
Satisfy the English Language Requirement
Gain 70 points or more in a Points Test which reflects the above and other factors such as academic qualifications and prospective earnings
General Rules applicable to all applicants wanting to travel to the UK under Tier 2
After a continous period of residency in the UK for five years, the applicant will be eligible to apply for settlement as a permanent resident (also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain).
Before a person can apply for entry into the UK under the terms of Tier 2, he or she must be in possession of a valid Certificate of Sponsorship. This is issued by the employer making the job offer to the applicant.
The Certificate of Sponsorship is not an actual certificate or paper document but is a virtual document in the form of a database record. Each Certificate of Sponsorship has a unique reference number and contains information about the job for which it has been issued and the applicant's personal details.
Tier 2 Points Test
For possible entry to the UK as a skilled worker under the terms of Tier 2 (general category) it is necessary to score a minimum total of 70 points as detailed below:
1. You must meet the Maintenance Requirements for which you are awarded 10 points
To gain entry into the UK under all categories of Tier 2 it is necessary to fulfill the Maintenance Requirement.This is intended to demonstrate an applicant's ability to support his or herself during the first month of residency in the UK.
To qualify at this stage, a migrant must fulfill one of the following 2 conditions:
He or she must be able to show personal savings equivalent to £800 at the time the application is made *
He or she must have written confirmation from their sponsor that the sponsor will maintain and accommodate them until the end of the first month of their work in the United Kingdom.
If the applicant intends to bring his or her immediate family with them to the UK then there are additional requirements: For each dependant one of the following 2 conditions must also be satisfied:
The dependent or the applicant must be able to show personal savings equivalent to £533 at the time the application is made *
The applicant must have written confirmation from his or her sponsor that the sponsor will, if necessary, maintain and accommodate his or her dependents during their first month in the United Kingdom.
2. You must meet the English Language Requirement for which you also get 10 points
An applicant can demonstrate the necessary competence in English in one of three ways.
By being a national of a majority English-speaking country
By successfully completing a degree equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree taught in English
By passing an acceptable English language test
The remaining points are awarded for various 'Attributes' (sponsorship, academic qualifications and prospective earnings) You need to score a minimum of a further 50 points from a possible total of 85
3. Sponsorship
You will need to be in possession of a job offer and a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from your prospective employer. THIS IS WHERE OUR SITE COMES IN!
If the job is on the Shortage Occupation List then you get 50 points
If the job is not on the Shortage Occupation List then you score 30 points and need to obtain 20 more from the remaining 2 categories below
4.Academic Qualifications
You can score up to 15 points for your qualifications
15 points: PhD
10 points: Bachelors or Masters degree
5 points: GCE A level or equivalent
5. Prospective Earnings
You can score a maximum of 20 points for the (annualised) earnings specified in your Certificate of Sponsorship:
20 points: GBP 24,000 +
15 points: GBP 22,000 to 23,999
10 points: GBP 20,000 to 21,999
5 points: GBP 17,000 to 19,999
