UK immigration policy for Indians witnesses a change

Filed in archive Europe on March 19, 2010

© Neil T

Indians planning to move to UK need to read this. Some major changes have been announced by the British government to its immigration policy for both skilled and highly skilled professionals under the Tier 1 and Tier 2 categories. Some changes will make things easier for Indians whereas for others the journey will get tougher.

Earlier under the Tier 1 category, the minimum previous earning required qualification was £20,000 which has now been raised to £25,000 and for the Tier 2 category, the minimum prospective earnings has been raised from £17,000 to £20,000. The increase in requirements is surely expected to dent relocation plans of Indians to UK.

Some other changes incorporated in the policy includes reintroduction of points for bachelor degrees with previous earnings of at least £35,000, allowing people with no formal qualification but having income of at least £150,000 and enabling medical and dental school graduates to work as doctors or dentists in training and then switching to Tier 1 on conclusion of their foundation programme. The tougher part of the change is that the initial grant of leave under Tier 1 has been reduced to two years from three years with a three year extension for highly skilled employed.

Under the Tier 2 category, post graduation degree holders will be eligible for 15 points for their degree which represents an increase over the earlier 10 points.

These changes in immigration policy will come into effect from April 6.