If you are a foreign national subject to immigration control who wishes to work or study in the United Kingdom, you must first apply for a UK visa. The United Kingdom’s immigration authorities use a five-tiered points-based system, with each tier containing a number of subcategories for different types of work or study visa applications.
The Labour government launched the first point-based immigration system for the United Kingdom in February 2008, modelled after the Australian system. It replaced an intricate scheme in which 80 different types of visas were granted. Since the United Kingdom is a member of the European Union, the points-based system only applies to those entering from outside the EU. However, after BREXIT, such a system may be implemented in all European Union member states, although this is currently unknown.
What is the Points Based System (PBS)?
The main UK immigration route for migrants from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) to come to the United Kingdom to work, study, invest or train is the points-based visa system, which divides applicants into five “tiers.”
To qualify for a visa at any of the five tiers, you must pass a points-based evaluation. Each tier has different conditions, entitlements and entry requirements for those wishing to live and work in the United Kingdom and each tier requires you to allocate a sufficient number of points in order to gain entry clearance or leave to remain in the United Kingdom. Points are awarded based on characteristics such as age, qualifications, earnings, language and financial resources, with a different number of points required for each of the five tiers.
In most cases, your ability to finance your initial stay in the United Kingdom and your command of the English language will be crucial factors.
The system ensures that no one who could endanger the health of others in the United Kingdom is admitted. In addition, those unable to support themselves or their dependents in the United Kingdom for medical reasons and those requiring major medical treatment will not be granted any of the points-based system visas (unless explicitly granted).
Points Required for Each Tier
The candidate must assign the necessary points, which vary depending on the type of visa for which they are applying, based on the tier. The required points may vary in the following ways:
The five-tier visa system consists of the following:
- Age: Depending on age, one can assign between 5 and 20 points. The system gives younger applicants more points than their older counterparts.
- English Language: Each candidate must earn 10 points for English language proficiency. Nationals of countries where English is an official language are automatically awarded ten points, whereas nationals of other nations must first demonstrate their English proficiency by passing a test.
- Requirements: Some tiers evaluate education level with 30 to 50 points and others with 5 to 15 points
- Earnings/Maintenance: Depending on the tier earnings or maintenance, candidates’ financial means are scored between 15 and 45 points on a scale of 5 to 20 points.
- UK experience: Some tiers may award a candidate five points for experience gained in the United Kingdom.
- Certificate of Sponsorship: CoS is assessed with 30 to 50 points.
The five-tier visa system includes the following components:
Tier 1 Visas
For highly skilled individuals, entrepreneurs, investors, and postgraduate students from outside the European Union and European Economic Area who would contribute to the UK’s productivity and economic growth. The applicant is eligible to apply without a job offer but must pass a points-based evaluation. This tier contains three primary routes.
- Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur – This route would allow recent graduates to establish a business in the United Kingdom.
- Tier 1 Entrepreneur – This route would permit the immigrant to establish a business in the United Kingdom.
- Tier 1 Investor – This route is for those who wish to invest at least £2,000,000 in the United Kingdom.
- Tier 1 Exceptional Talent – This route is for those who have been deemed to possess exceptional talent in their field.
In some instances, the visa holder is permitted to bring their spouse or children to the United Kingdom but must provide evidence of sufficient funds to support them. They will then be eligible to apply for a family visa.
The maximum length of stay is 3 years and 4 months. The length of stay may be extended for an additional two years.
Points allocated for a Visa in the Tier 1 category
As outlined in the tables below, Tier 1 applicants must score at least 95 points, including at least 75 points for primary attributes.
The applicant can earn up to 25 additional points if they meet each of the following conditions:
According to the English Language Criterium, foreigners from countries where English is not a primary language are required to demonstrate their English language proficiency by passing a test. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is one of the most popular and widely accessible Accepted English Language Tests for migrants to the United Kingdom. Applicants must score at least 6.5 on each of the four components.
Nationals of these nations automatically receive 10 points for English proficiency.
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Australia
- The Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Canada
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Jamaica
- New Zealand
- St Kitts & Nevis
- St Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad & Tobago
- America, The United States
Tier 2
This category is for “skilled workers,” professional athletes, and members of the clergy from outside the EEA who have a job offer to fill labour shortages in the United Kingdom. It includes skilled workers transferred to the United Kingdom by an international corporation, skilled workers for whom a demonstrated shortage exists in the United Kingdom, ministers of religion, and athletes. This level has four primary routes.
- Tier 2 General Visa – This route applies to migrants who have a job offer in the United Kingdom for a medium to the highly-skilled position.
- Tier 2 Intra-Company Transfer Visa – This route allows foreign companies to transfer medium or highly-skilled employees to the same UK-based company or organisation.
- Tier 2 Ministers of Religion Visa – This path would qualify migrants who have a pastoral role and wish to work in the community of their religion in the United Kingdom.
- Tier 2 Sportsperson Visa – This route applies to sports employees and highly qualified coaches who wish to work in the United Kingdom.
Points allocated for a Visa in the Tier 2 category
To apply for entry under Tier 2, at least 70 points, including 10 for maintenance and 10 for English, are required from the following tables:
Tier 3
This category was created for low-skilled workers who fill temporary labour shortages in the United Kingdom. After the system was implemented, however, the British government determined that there was no longer a need for unskilled immigration from outside the EU. This has been eliminated by the coalition.
Tier 4
This category is for children ages over 16 from outside the EEA who wish to study at a school, college, or university in the United Kingdom. Before applying, candidates must have a place at an ability to register UK educational institution. This level has two primary paths.
- Tier 4 Child Student Visa – This applies to children aged between the ages of 4 and 16 who wish to continue their education at an independent school in the United Kingdom.
- Tier 4 General Student Visa – to pursue post-16 education in the United Kingdom.
Points allocated for a Visa in the Tier 4 category
In Tier 4, students must earn a total of 40 points, which includes:
- 30 points for a full-time place on a course at level 3 or above on the National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) framework with an approved education provider. Full-time status requires a minimum of 15 classroom hours per week.
- 10 points for maintenance.
Tier 5
This category contains six sub-categories of temporary employees, including creative and sporting, charity and religious workers, as well as the youth mobility scheme, which allows approximately 55,000 young people to work in the United Kingdom each year during their working holidays. Visas are granted to young people in countries with reciprocal agreements with the United Kingdom.
- Youth Mobility Scheme – Participating Countries with young migrants who, while working temporarily in the UK, will become acquainted with its cultural diversity.
- Tier 5 Temporary Workers Visa – International agreements, sports and creativity, religious workers, charity workers and government-approved)
Tiers 3 and 5 are temporary routes and migrants who have benefited from them cannot switch out of them once they have entered the United Kingdom. Those in Tiers 1, 2, and 4 are permitted to switch tiers if they meet the requirements of the tier they wish to switch into. Dependants are permitted in Tiers 1, 2, 4 and 5.
However, dependents will not be permitted to work if they are accompanying a student (tier 4) or temporary worker (tier 5) who has been granted leave to remain in the UK for less than 12 months.
Points allocated for a Visa in the Tier 5 category
Under Tier 5, temporary workers are required to allocate 40 points, which include:
- 30 points for a Sponsorship Certificate from an overarching sponsoring body and
- 10 points for maintenance
Participants in the youth mobility scheme must earn 50 points, which include:
- Thirty points for nationality
- 10 points for age (between the ages of 18 and 30) and
- Ten points are awarded for the ability to support oneself financially.
| Age | Points |
|---|---|
| Under 28 years | 20 |
| 28 or 29 | 10 |
| 30 or 31 | 5 |
| 32 | 0 |
| Qualifications | Points |
|---|---|
| PhD | 50 |
| Master’s degree | 35 |
| Bachelor’s degree | 30 |
| Earnings | Points |
|---|---|
| less than £20,000 | 0 |
| £20,000-£22,999 | 15 |
| £23,000-£25,999 | 20 |
| £26,000-£28,999 | 25 |
| £29,000-£31,999 | 30 |
| £32,000-£34,999 | 35 |
| £35,000-£39,999 | 40 |
| £40,000+ | 45 |
| Points | Reason |
|---|---|
| 5 points | If £16,000 or more of the applicant’s previous earnings for which points are claimed were earned in the UK, |
| or the applicant has completed full time study in the UK for at least one full academic year, | |
| or has been awarded a qualification at bachelor’s degree level or above. | |
| 10 points | For English language proficiency |
| 10 points | For available funds (maintenance) who are overseas and have £2,800 in available funds |
| or to applicants who are in the UK and have £800 in available funds. |
| Qualifications | Points |
|---|---|
| PhD | 15 |
| Bachelor’s or Master’s | 10 |
| NVQ3 | 5 |
| No Qualification | 0 |
| Prospective Earnings | Points |
|---|---|
| £17,000-£19,999 | 5 |
| £20,000-£21,999 | 10 |
| £22,000-£23,999 | 15 |
| £24,000 + | 20 |
| Certificate of Sponsorship | Points |
|---|---|
| Offer of job in shortage Occupation | 50 |
| Offer of job that passes Resident Labor Market Test | 30 |
| Intra Company Transfer | 30 |
| Other | Points |
|---|---|
| Maintenance requirement | 10 |
| Competence in English | 10 |
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