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UK Immigration :: HSMP Visa :: (Highly Skilled Migration Programme)
The Highly Skilled Migrant Programme is a points based system now in its second year. There are 6 areas where points can be gained and you must get a minimum of 65 points to be considered.
HSMP applications are made up of 2 equally important parts:
1. Assessing a correct amount of points.
2. Ensuring that the supporting documents are provided and say the right things. This requires in depth knowledge of what the Home Office actually needs to see from an application and, more importantly, how to phrase it.
The major changes since it was introduced are as follows : -
Points requirement has gone down to 65 points from 75 points.
Two schemes introduced depending on whether or not you are over 28 years of age.
It is easier to come under HSMP if you are under 28 years of age.
You gain ten more points if you have a spouse/partner with a bachelors degree or equivalent, or graduate level work experience.
The points based scheme allows you to qualify for HSMP based on your qualifications, work experience, and achievements in a particular field.
This programme allows you the flexibility to be an employee or be self-employed. There are other Western Countries that have skilled migration based on a points test such as Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. The other Countries will normally grant you permanent residence after a processing time of a years or longer. The UK HSMP visa is granted within a few months and will normally lead to permanent residence at the end of four years.
This programme is designed to allow individuals with personal skills and experience to come to the United Kingdom to seek and take work. It is a new way of allowing individuals to migrate to the United Kingdom. It aims to provide an individual migration route for highly skilled persons who have the skills and experience required by the United Kingdom to compete in the global economy.
To make a successful application you will need to provide evidence that you score 65 points or more in the areas described below and demonstrate you will be able to continue your chosen career in the United Kingdom. You will also need to show that you can support yourself and your family without using public funds during your stay.
You need to score 65 points or
more to qualify as a highly skilled
migrant.
Self-employed General Practitioners qualified
to practice in the UK may also apply under the Highly Skilled
Migrant Programme.
There is a points-based immigration
scheme. Points are scored in following areas. Points are awarded on the basis of a number of factors:
- Young Person Assessment
- Qualifications
- Work Experience
- Past Earnings
- Achievements
- Partners Achievements
- Priority application - Currently only for doctors allowed to practice as General Practitioners in the UK
- Other
HSMP Requirements
- Your
Points Score
1. Young Person Assessment - Maximum 5 Points
If you are still under 28 years of age when you submit your HSMP application
you will gain five additional points called Young Person Assessment. The UK
Government has accepted that the previous system made it too difficult for
younger applicants to meet the requirements for the Highly Skilled Migrant
Programme. The additional five points under this scoring area is one of the
measures introduced on 31 October 2003 to make it easier for young people to
qualify under HSMP. It is felt that there is a benefit in increasing the number
of young skilled people under this programme as younger people will have a
longer working life ahead of them.
| Under 28 years of age |
5 points |
| 28 years of age or over |
0 points |
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2. Qualifications - (Maximum 30 Points)
| PhD |
30 points |
| Masters Degree (eg MA, MSc or MBA) |
25 points |
| A Bachelors Degree (eg BA, BSc) |
15 points |
Vocational and Professional Qualifications -
Based on Equivalency to
above UK Qualifications |
|
You will gain points based on degree level qualication, or vocational and
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 (eg BSc, or MSc and MBA). If you
wish to score points based on vocational or 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.
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3. Relevant work experience - (Maximum 50 Points)
|
If you are 28 years of age or over |
5 years experience in a ‘graduate level’ job - you don’t have to have been a graduate at
the time, but the job must be one that would usually
require a graduate. |
25 points |
| PhD and three years of graduate level work experience |
25 points |
At least 5 years work experience in a graduate level job including
senior or
specialist level work experience for two years - This is likely
to mean a high level
management position in a small or large company or a
specialist position requiring
a very high level of technical or artistic
expertise |
35 points |
At least 10 years work experience in a graduate level job including
senior or specialist
level work experience for 5 years |
50 points |
| If you are under 28 years of age |
| 2 years work experience in a ‘graduate level’ job - you don’t have to
have been a graduate at the time, but the job must be one that would
usually require a graduate |
25 points |
| 4 years work experience in a graduate level job |
35 points |
| 4 years work experience in a graduate level job including senior or
specialist level work experience for 1 year |
50 points |
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4. Earning power - (Maximum 50 points).
Your points score will depend on the points
allocated for a particular salary level in a particular geographical area of the
World. 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:
Country Code
A Including Germany, France, Singapore, USA, Canada, Australia, Bermuda,
Israel, Japan, South Korea
28 years of age or over
- £40,000 per annum = 25 Points
- £100,000 per annum = 35 Points
- £250,000 per annum = 50 Points
Under 28 years of age
- £27,000 per annum = 25 Points
- £40,000 per annum = 35 Points
- £60,000 per annum = 50 Points
Country Code
B Including Poland, Brazil, South Africa, Libya, Hungary, Chile, Mexico,
Estonia, Turkey
28 years of age or over
- £17,500 per annum = 25 Points
- £43,750 per annum = 35 Points
- £109,375 per annum = 50 Points
Under 28 years of age
- £11,800 per annum = 25 Points
- £17,500 per annum = 35 Points
- £26,250 per annum = 50 Points
Country Code
C Including Jamaica, Russia, Iran, Morocco, Peru, Tunisia, Thailand,
Algeria, Romania
28 years of age or over
- £12,500 per annum = 25 Points
- £31,250 per annum = 35 Points
- £78,125 per annum = 50 Points
Under 28 years of age
- £8,450 per annum = 25 Points
- £12,500 per annum = 35 Points
- £18,750 per annum = 50 Points
Country Code
D Including China, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Sudan, Ukraine, Zimbabwe,
Kenya, Bangladesh
28 years of age or over
- £7,500 per annum = 25 Points
- £18,750 per annum = 35 Points
- £46,875 per annum = 50 Points
Under 28 years of age
- £5,000 per annum = 25 Points
- £7,500 per annum = 35 Points
- £11,250 per annum = 50 Points
Country Code
E Including Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda
28 years of age or over
- £3,500 per annum = 25 Points
- £8,750 per annum = 35 Points
- £21,875 per annum = 50 Points
Under 28 years of age
- £2,350 per annum = 25 Points
- £3,500per annum = 35 Points
- £5,250 per annum = 50 Points
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5. Achievement(s) in your chosen field - Maximum 15 points for “Significant Achievement” or Maximum 25 points for “Outstanding Achievement”
You should show three examples of the following to show significant
achievement or outstanding achievement:
- Industry Prize
- Published Work
- Peer group reviews
- Academic References
- Industry Reference
- Ownership of intellectual property rights
- Published testimonials/profile
- Scholarship/research awards
- Press Articles
Examples of Significant
achievements (15 points) - this category is less onerous than “Outstanding
Achievement”, but is still highly restrictive and is limited to those with
national-level achievements, or those who are known internationally but have not
quite reached the very top of their profession.
- Someone who has built a significant business. This could be an
entrepreneur who has started a business, and now employs a considerable number
of staff, and has many offices and/or shops.
- A top IT professional who has published works in his/her field and is
considered an authority in this area.
- An economist who has held high level positions in both the private and
public sector. This could be someone whose advice is frequently requested by
Governments and International Organisations.
- An academic who is considered to be near the top of his/her field. Someone
who may have headed a research team and published articles internationally may
come under this category.
- A violinist who is considered as being in the top of his/her field in her
home Country. This would be someone who would be welcome in any Orchestra
around the World because of his/her ability as a violinist.
- A successful film producer who has produced a number of very popular
films. However, he/she has never received a top film award.
Examples of Outstanding
achievements (25 points) - this is a category which applies only to very
small numbers of internationally recognised individuals, and include people who
have achieved the following:
- Receipt of a Nobel Prize
- Receipt of an Oscar, BAFTA, or Palm D’Or
- Receipt of a significant international prize such as the Booker prize
- Winning an Olympic medal
- Achievement of a major sporting world record
- Running a large publicly quoted company
- Election to the premiership (or, in some circumstances, cabinet or supreme
court) of any democratic country or international organisation such as the UN,
World Bank, IMF, Commonwealth
- Establishing a significant company - to prove that a privately held
company is significant may require evidence beyond that included in publicly
filed accounts
- Designing an internationally recognised building (such as the Sydney opera
house, petronus towers, Guggenheim museum in Bilbao)
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6. Partner's Achievements
- Educated at least to bachelors degree level (BA, BSc, BBA, etc) - 10
Points
- Vocational or professional qualification equivalent to a bachelors degree
- 10 Points
- Current or previous graduate level work experience (qualifications
unnecessary) - 10 Points
- None of the above - 0 Points.
In addition you will need to show the following:
Married Persons: You will need to provide a marriage certificate and three
items of correspondence from the list below over the last two years. If you are
unable to provide three documents addressed to both of you it is permitted to
show one or two items addressed to one of you, and one item addressed to the
other.
Unmarried Partners:
You will need to show four items of correspondence from the list below which
show that you have been living together for at least two years. If you are
unable to provide four documents addressed to both of you it is permitted to
show two or three items addressed to one of you, and one or two items addressed
to the other.
- telephone bills or statements
- gas bills or statements
- electricity bills or statements
- water rates
- council tax
- local social services department
- local health authority
- government department or agency (e.g Inland Revenue,)
- bank or building society
- credit card statements
- insurance certificates complete with address
- mortgage statements or agreement
- tenancy agreement
You should note that your spouse or unmarried partner will have to join you
in the UK if you wish to gain points under this scoring area.
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7. HSMP Priority Application - (Maximum 50 Points)
This is currently limited to doctors who are legally entitled to work as General Medical Practitioners in the UK.
You will need to show the following to meet this requirement:
- Full GMC (General Medical Council) Registration
and one of the following:
- A vocational training certificate issued by the UK or another EEA member
state. This would have to be validated by the General Medical Council.
or
- A certificate of acquired right issued by the UK or another EEA member
State. This would have to be validated by the General Medical Council.
or
- A certificate of equivalent experience issued by the Joint Committee on
Postgraduate Training for General Practice.
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8. Other Requirements - To gain enough points under this category you will need to meet the following requirements.
- You are Proficient in English or can show evidence that English will not
be needed for your work in the UK.
- 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.
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9. Your Points Score - You can estimate your points by adding together your points score. Remember you need a minimum of 65
points to qualify.
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The kind of evidence and documentation needed with your application
The amount and type of evidence required to support your application will depend on your previous experience and your future plans. The evidence you submit should support any statements you make. Therefore if you say you have a PhD they expect to see evidence of this. (e.g. Your PhD certificate) You should submit original documentation as evidence (with certified translations if necessary). It should be from a clear source and relevant to your application. (Be selective, submitting a large amount of irrelevant or poor quality documentation will slow down the consideration of your application)
The HSMP application form will help guide you as to the minimum level of documentation and evidence required:
- Academic Certificates
- Academic References
- Employer references
- Evidence of ownership of business
- Wage slips
- Income tax returns
- Audited company accounts demonstrating personal income
- Copy of C.V. with supporting testimonials
- Published work
- Press articles
- Scholarship/Research awards
- Industry Awards/prizes
- Ownership of intellectual property rights
- Research output
Suitable evidence for demonstrating you will be able to continue your work successfully in the United Kingdom could include:
- English Language qualifications (This can include other qualifications such as a degree which have been taught in English)
- Membership of appropriate professional organisation (i.e. Member of the Bar)
- Relevant professional qualifications, with evidence of recognition of these in the United Kingdom.
- Potential employment offers/contracts/arranged interviews
Suitable evidence for demonstrating that you will be able to support yourself and your family could include:
- UK bank statements in your name
- Overseas bank statements (with confirmation of transferability to UK if appropriate)
- Personal assets in UK and Overseas generating an income disposable in the United Kingdom
- A firm job offer
- Confirmed job interviews or acceptance onto Employment agency books
- Prospective contracts of employment or accepted freelance bids
- Breakdown of projected expenditure and income in first 12 months in United Kingdom
- Evidence of appropriate accommodation
The application form ask you to complete will ask a number of questions about your plans in the United Kingdom. You will need to submit the type of evidence suggested above to support your replies to those questions.
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Applying for entry clearance
You are strongly advised to submit your application in good time.
Please Note : the applicant’s valid passport and relevant documents must accompany the application. Official documents must be the originals or official copies bearing the seal or stamp of the issuing authority. Birth certificates must show parentage. Marriage certificates must be the civil certificate issued by the registrar and bear the raised seal or stamp of the issuing authority.
:: ADVICE FOR APPLICANTS ::
It is your responsibility to satisfy the Entry Clearance Officer that you meet all the criteria of the category under which you are applying. Therefore, it is in your interest to ensure that you are fully prepared before submitting an application. An Entry Clearance officer will base their decision to issue or refuse on the documents you submit.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE APPLICATION PROCESSING FEE IS NON-REFUNDABLE IRRESPECTIVE OF THE OUTCOME OF YOUR APPLICATION.
What you will need to do to make an application for entry clearance
You must supply the entry clearance officer with : -
- A Fully Completed Application Form
- A Genuine HSMP Criteria Approval Issued by the HSMP Team of Work Permits UK
- Separate Forms for any dependants travelling with you who are not included in your passport
- Your valid passport or travel document
- Two passport sized photographs
- The Appropriate visa fee
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DEPENDANTS
The spouse and children under 18 of someone who is admitted to the United Kingdom in the HSMP may be admitted to the United Kingdom with them if they have a valid visa for this purpose.
You should submit
Spouse :-
(a) Marriage Certificate
(b) Application form
(c) Fee (see below)
(d) 2 photographs
(e) Valid passport
Children :-
a) Valid Passport/s
b) Application form
c) 2 photographs
d) the birth certificates naming both parents;
e) Fee (see below)
f) the custody order providing for full legal custody of any accompanying children of a previous marriage.
Extensions :- Leave to remain under the HSMP is granted initially for one year and an application for extension must be made before this expires. The key criterion is to show that the applicant has become economically active during the past year and therefore, for most individuals who have indeed obtained work at the expected level and thereby supported themselves and their families, extending should not be a problem. Extensions will normally be granted for three years.
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Indefinite leave to remain :- As with many other employment-based categories, individuals who have spent four continuous years in the UK under the HSMP will usually become eligible for indefinite leave to remain (“ILR”), subject to meeting all the relevant criteria. For those who had leave to remain in another category which leads to ILR before switching to HSMP, the time spent in the two categories can be combined.
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Accompanying family members :- Family members may accompany those coming under the HSMP to the UK but will almost always require entry clearances. These must be issued in the home country (or other country of lawful residence), before they travel to the UK and, where the person coming under the HSMP is also obtaining an entry clearance is also obtaining one, can be applied for at the same time. In some countries this can be issued on a same day basis (assuming the applicants or someone acting on their behalf can attend at the relevant Consulate) but, in other countries it may be necessary to wait longer. In some cases, interviews or medicals may be required. It is important to find out what the requirements will be early on to avoid delays. Family members arriving without entry clearances may be refused entry by the Immigration Officer and face a long journey home again. It is also a mistake to assume that the family can arrive and then make a side trip to France to get an entry clearance there!
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