The UK Government has announced the go-live date for Tiers 2 and 5 of the new Australian-style points based system (PBS).

These tiers, which cover skilled and temporary workers, will come into effect on 27 November – sweeping aside around 30 previous schemes, including the old work permit system.

The introduction of the points system is part of the biggest shake-up to the UK immigration system for 45 years. It will reinforce the UK’s position as a destination of choice for foreign workers, while tightening control against those who seek to abuse the system.

Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said:

“The UK is a fantastic place to work and we want the UK to stay open and attractive to skilled workers. At the same time we are determined to deliver a system of border security which is among the most secure in the world.

“The new Australian-style points system will allow us to attract those people who have the skills we need. It is also flexible, allowing us to raise or lower the bar according to the needs of the labour market and the country as a whole.”

To qualify under Tier 2, skilled foreign nationals will have to earn a certain number of points before being allowed to work in Britain. These points are awarded only if a person can prove they will be doing skilled work, speak a good standard of English, and have a recognised qualification. Points will also be awarded for prospective earnings. Employers in Britain will need a licence from the UK Border Agency to offer jobs to skilled workers.

The new system is fairer for applicants – allowing them to calculate how many points they will be awarded, and therefore if they are likely to be issued a visa, before making their application. Tier 2 is also simpler because it replaces a two stage application process with a single application.

Before they can employ a foreign worker, British-based companies will have to prove they cannot fill skilled posts with a UK resident worker and must show that the job vacancy has been advertised in the UK, unless it is on the shortage occupation list. Would-be migrants will need a job offer before they apply for a visa.

The Home Office will also introduce a new Business Visitor Visa for visa nationals on the 27th November to cater for business activities falling outside the points system. It will allow travel to the UK for people undertaking specific business activity – including attending meetings or conferences, arranging deals, undertaking fact finding missions, and conducting site visits.

Tier 5 of the points system covers those travelling to the UK for temporary or unpaid work, including certain sports people, entertainers and charity workers. To ensure entertainers continue to contribute to British cultural life, those coming to the UK for certain major arts festivals – such as the Edinburgh Fringe – will be assessed outside of the points system under a new entertainer visitor visa.

The Points Based System is just one part of the huge shake-up to the immigration system, which includes locking those travelling to the UK into one identity through the introduction of fingerprinting for all visa applicants, a new hi-tech system for counting people in and out of the country and the rollout of ID cards for all foreign nationals.

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The statement of intent for Tier 2 of the PBS can be found at: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/managingourborders/pbsdocs/

2.  The statement of intent for Tier 5 of the PBS can be found at: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/managingourborders/pbsdocs/

3. The Statement of Intent for the Business, Entertainer and Special visa can be found at: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/managingborders/managingmigration/businessandspecialvisitors/

4. In March 2006 the Government published a Command Paper setting out the new PBS, ‘A points-based system: Making Migration work for Britain’. The new system consolidates the many complex routes into just five tiers. It is designed to facilitate entry to the UK of all those wanting to come to work, train and study. A Statement of Intent for Tier 1 of the PBS was published in December 2007. The Command Paper and Statement of Intent can be found at http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/managingourborders/pbsdocs/

5. Tier 2 is the second of five tiers of the PBS due to be rolled out over the next 12 months. It will be introduced on 27 November, along with Tier 5, for temporary workers such as musicians, actors and sportsmen. Tier 1, for highly skilled migrants, was introduced in February this year and Tier 4, which covers students, will follow in 2009.

6. Tier 3, which covers low skilled routes, will only be used if specific shortages are identified that cannot be filled from the UK’s domestic or European labour force.  Tier 3 is suspended.

Press Contact: Leonid Kudryavtsev
Press and Public Affairs Section
British Embassy Tashkent
67, Gulyamov Street,
Tashkent 100000
Uzbekistan
Tel.: 1201500
Fax: 1201520
E-mail: Leonid.Kudryavtsev@fco.gov.uk

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