Immigration to UK

Introduction

The Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) has undergone three major changes since being introduced on 28 January 2002. The first change on 28 January 2003 meant that far more people could come under HSMP. The latest change of 7 November 2006 has left the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme as one of the most accessible skilled immigration programmes of any "Western Country" in the World. You will find further details of the changes in our.
Points are awarded on the basis of a number of factors:

1. Age Assessment

2. Qualifications

3. Earning Power

4. UK Experience

5. English Language Ability

6. Other Requirements

7. Your Points Score

1. Age Assessment - 20 points (maximum)

The British Government feels that it is preferable to give points in a "young person assessment". Because of their age, they will remain in the workforce for longer. Also, younger people will not be able to gain as many points compared to older people under the past earning category.

27 years of age or under	20 points
28 or 29 years of age	10 points
30 or 31 years of age years of age	5 points
32 years of age or over	0 points

2. Qualifications - You will gain points for one of the following

(Maximum 50 points):

PhD	50 points
Masters Degree (e.g. MA, M.Sc or MBA)	35 points
A Bachelors Degree (e.g. BA, B.Sc)	30 points
Vocational and Professional Qualifications - Based on Equivalency to above UK Qualifications

You will gain points based on degree level qualification, or professional level qualifications. Unfortunately, there are no extra points for a 4 year Bachelors degree rather than a three-year degree, or for having more than one degree at any given level (e.g. B.Sc and B.eng, or M.Sc and MBA). If you wish to score points based on professional qualifications you will need to show the equivalency of this to the relevant British Qualification. This will need to be validated with the National Academic Recognition Information Centre Database.
If you have attended one of 50 eligible MBA programmes and graduated since 2 December 2004, you may be eligible under the MBA provision of the HSMP.

Brief Summary of MBA Provision

If you are a graduate on an MBA course you will be able to remain in the UK for up to 12 months to take up employment on the completion of your MBA from 12 April 2005.
The 2004 UK Budget announced a new provision for graduates who have attended 50 of the top business schools to work in the UK for up to 12 months on completion of their MBAs. They may apply for a three-year extension. After that, they may apply for unlimited leave to remain (permanent residence).
This provision forms part of the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP), and was launched on 12 April 2005.

HSMP

The Highly skilled Migrant programme is designed to attract highly skilled people to the UK to seek and take work.

The MBA provision (Masters in Business Administration)

There is a lack of high quality management, and the aim is to address this weakness in the UK economy by attracting highly qualified and talented managers to the UK. The Masters in Business Administration is one of the most respected and recognised management qualifications.

People who may qualify

Individuals who graduate from one of the eligible MBA programmes at the time it is on the list will be eligible to apply for the MBA provision.
It is important to note that you must graduate from an MBA programme when it is on the list. This means that those who have graduated from an MBA programme before 2 December 2004, when the list was released, are not eligible. However, if you have graduated from a top MBA, you may qualify under the regular HSMP, Those who have not yet graduated may submit an official letter from their tutor.

Conditions

• You will need to have graduated from an eligible business school while it is on the list of eligible schools.

• You must have graduated with an MBA degree (those who studied at an eligible school, but studied different coursework, are not eligible).

• You will be awarded the minimum number of points necessary to qualify under HSMP.

• You will still need to meet the remaining requirements of the programme, such as:

• You will be able to continue your chosen career in the UK.

• You should know what field you intend to work in in the UK

• You will also have to show that you intend to make the UK your main home, and that you can support yourself and any dependants without public funds.

Requirements of the HSMP

The list of 50 eligible business school programmes

The Treasury published the list of the 50 eligible programmes with the Pre-Budget Report on 2 December. The Treasury will review and re-publish this list every year.
The 50 eligible programmes have been determined by looking at the following criteria as they are thought to best reflect the potential economic productive contribution of graduates:

• Post-graduation Salaries, as the most effective measure of productivity

• Employment, essential if productive potential is to be realised.

Contact us to see whether you are eligible for the programme.

The list of institutions

The list of institutions will contain 10 UK institutions and 40 institutions from the rest of the world.
The quota of 10 UK institutions has been included because students already studying in the UK have 'already shown a commitment to this country and have begun to integrate in the UK, making it easier for them to continue their career here.'
The government is yet to sort out the details of the provision, and they will be published here when they are.
The list has been put together through an assessment of economic impacts only, by observing the effects of employment and income factors, and is correct as of December 2004:

• Harvard Business School (USA)

• Columbia Business School (USA)

• University of Pennsylvania: Wharton (USA)

• IMD (SWI)

• University of Chicago (USA)

• Dartmouth College: Tuck (USA)

• Stanford University (USA)

• Insead (FR/Sing)

• University of Oxford: Said (UK)

• MIT: Sloan (USA)

• Ashridge (UK)

• Northwestern: Kellogg (USA)

• London Business School (UK)

• New York University: Stern (US)

• University of Strathclyde (UK)

• IESE Business School (SP)

• Yale School of Management (USA)

• Warwick Business School (UK)

• City University: Cass (UK)

• Rotterdam School of Management (Neth)

• UC Berkeley: Haas (USA)

• University of Cambridge: Judge (UK)

• Georgetown University: McDonough (USA)

• Instituto de Empresa (SP)

• Cornell University: Johnson (USA)

• University of Michigan (USA)

• Duke University: Fuqua (USA)

• University of Virginia: Darden (USA)

• Carnegie Mellon University (USA)

• SDA Bocconi (IT)

• Emory University: Goizueta (USA)

• UCLA: Anderson (USA)

• Manchester Business School (UK)

• Cranfield School of Management (UK)

• University of Toronto: Rotman (CAN)

• University College Dublin: Smurfit (IRE)

• University of Southern California: Marshall (USA)

• University of Rochester: Simon (USA)

• Vanderbilt University: Owen (USA)

• Rice University: Jones (USA)

• University of North Carolina: Kenan-Flagler (USA)

• Babson College: Olin (USA)

• Melbourne Business School (AUS)

• Ceibs (CHN)

• Australian Graduate School of Management (AUS)

• Universiteit Nyenrode (NTH)

• University of Western Ontario: Ivey (CAN)

• Boston University School of Management (USA)

• University of Maryland: Smith (USA)

• Bradford School of Management/Nimbas (UK/NTH/GER)

3. Earning power - Your points score will depend on the points allocated for a particular salary level in a particular geographical area of the World

(Maximum 45 points).

There is a general expectation that highly skilled people usually earn more than average. However, earnings are related to local income levels as well as an individual's skills, so the income level required to achieve a given number of points is linked to the country where you live. Please note that what matters is where you are living, not your nationality - an Indian national on an H1B should have the same earning power as a US national of similar ability, and should not be judged by the earning power of an Indian national still in India. You will find the number of points for each salary level for your part of the World below:

Category D Countries

Earnings Requirement:

£3,000 per annum	5 Points
£3,400 per annum	10 Points
£3,800 per annum	15 Points
£4,300 per annum	20 Points
£4,900 per annum	25 Points
£5,500 per annum	30 Points
£6,000 per annum	35 Points
£6,600 per annum	40 Points
£7,500 per annum	45 Points

4. UK Experience - 5 Points (Maximum)

You can gain five points under the following circumstances:
You gain points under the past earnings category and your earnings were in the UK.
or
You have studied and graduated at Bachelors degree or higher in full time education in the UK or at a UK based overseas educational institution for at least one academic year.

5. English Language Ability

You need to have a bachelor’s degree that was taught in English (not a Masters degree or PhD).
or
You need to possess an International English Language Testing System qualification at least at Band 6 less than two years old.

6. Other Requirements - As well as gaining enough points under this category you will need to meet the following requirements.

• You can continue to work in your chosen field in the UK. If necessary, you will need to show relevant qualifications and professional membership to work in certain occupations in the UK.

• You can support yourself without recourse to public funds - this can be demonstrated on the basis of either savings or earning potential

• You intend to make the UK your main home

• You have either never been made bankrupt or are considered to be a discharged bankrupt.

• You have never been convicted of any criminal offences.

7. Your Points Score - You can estimate your points by adding together your points score for section 1 to 5 above. You need a minimum of 75 points to qualify

Qualifying Criteria	Maximum Points	Your Score
Young Person Assessment	20
Qualifications	50
UK Qualification or UK Work Experience	5
Earning Power	45
Total	120