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UK Border Agency to look at accelerating rollout of identity cards for foreign nationals  The Home Secretary has asked the UK Border Agency to review its successful rollout of compulsory identity cards for foreign nationals, to see how it can be accelerated. With 50,000 identity cards for foreign nationals already issued to people who are legally living and working in the United Kingdom, the UK Border Agency is helping to tackle illegal working while supporting legitimate workers and businesses to play by the rules. Under current plans, within three years all foreign nationals from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) will need to have an identity card if they are coming to the United Kingdom for more than six months or extending their stay here. The Government has also announced plans to speed up the rollout of identity cards for British citizens. In addition to residents of Greater Manchester, who will be able to apply for an identity card before the end of this year, residents in locations across the North West will be entitled to apply from early in 2010. The UK Border Agency has already issued 50,000 identity cards for foreign nationals Additionally, the Government has decided to make identity cards voluntary for airside workers. Under an 18-month evaluation scheme at Manchester Airport and London City Airport, airside workers will be encouraged to obtain an identity card free of charge, making it quicker and simpler for background checks to be carried out to verify their identity as part of the airside pass-issuing process. Obtaining an identity card will also improve the movement of reference checks between employers and airports, creating greater flexibility for employers and staff. An independent Identity Commissioner will be appointed in the near future to oversee the National Identity Service, but compulsory identity cards for foreign nationals will continue to be overseen by the Information Commissioner and the Chief Inspector of the UK Border Agency.

Children's Society report on the Alternatives to Detention pilot project   The Government has responded to a report by the Children's Society on the Alternatives to Detention pilot project in Kent, which was run by the UK Border Agency and the charity Migrant Helpline between October 2007 and August 2008. Under the project, refused asylum seekers with children were given housing and supported to leave the country voluntarily. The aim was to reduce the need for detention and enforced returns of families who the courts have decided do not require international protection. The project received £1 million in funding from the Home Office, but it resulted in the removal of only one family. Phil Woolas, Border and Immigration Minister, said: 'The Children's Society and other lobby groups have pleaded with the UK Border Agency to pilot alternatives to the detention of children. This is exactly what we are doing. 'Only one family who participated in the Kent pilot returned home - despite the fact that they were free to come and go and had access to all services they required. 'The lessons we learnt have been used to design a new pilot currently running in Glasgow. This demonstrates our commitment to keep exploring alternatives to detention which increase voluntary returns and provide value for money to the taxpayer. 'This is a complex issue with no one-size-fits-all remedy, which is why these pilots are so crucial.' Although the pilot was not as successful as hoped, the UK Border Agency has already conducted an evaluation which has highlighted areas where similar projects could be improved in future. These improvements include: reviewing the eligibility criteria for families to take part in the project;making sure that the project workers liaise more closely with UK Border Agency staff; andinvolving qualified social workers in the project.

Amnesty for illegal migrants - UK Border Agency response  The UK Border Agency has responded to a new report published by the London School of Economics, which claims that an amnesty for illegal migrants would benefit the United Kingdom economy by £3 billion. A UK Border Agency spokesperson said: An amnesty would undermine the asylum system as a whole. UK Border Agency spokesperson 'The policy on an amnesty for illegal immigrants remains unchanged and is very clear - there will be no amnesty, those here illegally should go home. 'We have a proud tradition of offering sanctuary to those who truly need our help, but to grant an amnesty would create a significant pull factor to the UK and would undermine the asylum system as a whole.'

Agreement to lift the suspension on visits by Chernobyl-affected children  The Government has today announced an agreement with the Government of Belarus which has seen the resumption of visits for children affected by the Chernobyl incident to the United Kingdom on charity-sponsored respite visits. The agreement will enable the highly worthwhile work by UK charities in this area to continue. In the years to come many more children will be able to visit the United Kingdom to receive the benefits of a temporary period of rest and recuperation. Borders and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said: 'The UK Government has always been a strong supporter of respite care visits by those children from Belarus affected by the Chernobyl incident. 'We're pleased we've been able to reach an agreement with Belarus that allows these visits to resume, and remain in place for at least the next five years. 'This agreement will enable UK charities to continue their worthwhile work, and for many more children to visit the UK for a temporary period of rest and recuperation.' The agreement, which came into force on 22 May, allows for the immediate resumption of visits by Belarusian children under the age of 14. It will remain in force for the next five years and will be automatically extended by five year periods thereafter. Chernobyl-affected children have been travelling on respite holidays to the west since the early 1990s on free visas (all visas were free at this time for ex-USSR countries). In 1995 charging for visas was introduced in the region, with an exemption for Belarusian children affected by the Chernobyl disaster. Bringing the children to the United Kingdom for recuperative visits is a large scale charity activity (there are approximately 47 charities registered to undertake this activity).

Two found guilty of human trafficking offences  A Mauritian-born couple have been found guilty of four counts of human trafficking and three counts of employing illegal workers. Shamila and Anbanaden Chellapermal of Queens Gate, London were accused of trafficking three women and a man into the United Kingdom last year. Yesterday, following a three-week trial, a jury returned a unanimous verdict against them. During the trial, the court heard that officers from Sussex police received information in June 2008 that a Mauritian woman working at a care home in Worthing was being exploited. This prompted an investigation by the joint UK Border Agency South East Region and Sussex Police immigration crime team. Officers found that three women and a man had been recruited in Mauritius by an employment agency promising work abroad. They had each been given an invitational letter to show to immigration officers in case they were asked about their reasons for coming to the United Kingdom - one letter said that the purpose of the visit was to visit the Chelsea Flower show, and another referred to Christmas shopping and sightseeing. All four had been brought into the United Kingdom via Heathrow airport, where they had been met by either Mr or Mrs Chellapermal. Mr Chellapermal had driven two of the women to Glen Eden care home on Richmond Road, and Mrs Chellapermal had placed the other woman and the man on a train to Worthing, where a taxi had picked them up and taken them to the Carleton House care home on Lawrence Road. All the victims were working between 70 and 90 hours a week for only £450 per month. They did not receive pay slips or national insurance numbers, were not allowed to leave the addresses unescorted, and were prevented from seeing doctors or attending hospital for treatment. They received very little time off, often working 12-hour shifts, seven days a week. One of the female victims had been told, by Mrs Chellapermal, that she needed a French passport to work in the United Kingdom. Mrs Chellapermal had charged her £2,200 for it, deducting £100 per month from her wages. Mr and Mrs Chellapermal were charged in July 2008. Following their conviction yesterday, Detective Inspector Andy Cummins of the joint UK Border Agency and Sussex Police immigration crime team said: 'Human trafficking is an appalling crime where people are treated as commodities and traded for profit. It is a modern form of slavery. The joint immigration crime team's overall aim is to make the UK a hostile environment for trafficking and protect victims and potential victims from this abhorrent crime. 'In this case, the Chellapermals have not only knowingly and willingly exploited these people but have blatantly flouted the immigration laws of the UK. 'The UK Border Agency and Sussex Police will not tolerate this type of abuse and will work closely to prosecute those responsible.' Roxy Boyce of the Care Quality Commission, which regulates care services for adults in England, said the residents of the care homes had been assessed and transferred to other homes. At present, both homes are empty. John Dixon, West Sussex County Council executive director for adults and children, said the prosecution had 'demonstrated exemplary partnership working between the agencies involved'. Sentencing of Mr and Mrs Chellapermal is expected on 17 July 2009 at the Inner London Crown Court. Mauritius is a 'non-visa' nation. This means that Mauritian nationals who want to visit the United Kingdom do not need to go to the British Embassy in Mauritius and apply for a travel visa. When they arrive at a United Kingdom airport, if they can satisfy the immigration officer on entry that their visit is for holiday or visiting friends or family, they will be given six months' entry clearance with no entitlement to work or to claim public funds.

Quality of immigration checks under the new points-based system: UK Border Agency response  The UK Border Agency has responded to claims in the media that the United Kingdom's new points-based system for visa applications has weakened security, particularly with regard to applications for student visas, by replacing face-to-face interviews with a 'tick-box' system. A UK Border Agency spokesperson said: 'The UK's border is stronger than ever. Fingerprint visas mean we can check everyone who wants to come to the UK against immigration and crime databases. These checks are a crucial part of securing the border, and they have already detected at least 5,000 false identities. 'Fingerprint visas make up one part of the UK's triple ring of security, alongside hi-tech watch-list checks at the border and identity cards for foreign nationals, and work alongside the tough new rules of the points-based system to protect the UK's border.' In addition to the system of fingerprint visas, the UK Border Agency's Risk and Liaison Overseas Network provides additional checks and supports all high-risk posts in making the right visa decisions. The United Kingdom's points-based system for visa applications was extended to students on 31 March 2009, introducing robust new controls. Any foreign student applying to study in the United Kingdom must now show that they have a place at an education provider with a sponsor licence , and education providers cannot get a sponsor licence from the UK Border Agency unless they are inspected or audited (by the appropriate statutory body) or hold valid accreditation with an approved accreditation body.

HSMP Judicial Review - PR 4 Years!!  The UK Border Agency has put arrangements in place for migrants covered by the judgment of 6 April 2009 in the judicial review brought by the HSMP Forum Ltd. The judgment relates to the 'continuous residence' requirement for migrants who want to settle (or be given 'indefinite leave to remain ') in the United Kingdom. It covers migrants who were sent a Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) approval letter on the basis of applications made before 3 April 2006, and who obtained entry clearance or permission to stay in the United Kingdom (also called 'leave to remain') on the basis of that letter. The arrangements are set out in a policy document and in the HSMP Forum judicial review (settlement in the United Kingdom).International Work Permits can arrange the 4 year Indefinite Leave to Remain on the same day in Croydon.

Immigration and asylum statistics  A series of immigration statistics covering migration from Eastern Europe, asylum applications, removals and voluntary departures were published by the Home Office today. Work applications from the eight accession countries have fallen to their lowest level since they joined the European Union (EU) in 2004, according to the latest Accession Monitoring Report. In the first three months of 2009 there were 23,000 applications from workers in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia and the Czech Republic -down from 48,755 in the same period in 2008. The decrease is mainly explained by a drop in Polish applicants, which fell to 12,000 in the first quarter of 2009 from 32,000 in the same period in 2008. The statistics also show that the majority of workers coming from the A8 countries in the twelve months to March 2009 are young - 78 per cent were aged between 18 and 34 -and only eight per cent stated they had dependants living with them in the United Kingdom when they registered. In the same year 84 per cent of those registered were working for more than 35 hours per week. Although applications for jobseekers allowance from A8 nationals rose in Q1 2009, of the 5,561 individuals who made applications, only 1,671 were put forward for further consideration. The Bulgarian and Romanian Accession Statistics show that applications from these two countries have also fallen to the lowest level since they joined the EU in 2007. There were 610 applications for accession worker cards and 6,205 applications for registration certificates in the first quarter of 2009. Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said: 'Today's figures show that immigration levels are balancing as more Eastern Europeans are now leaving the United Kingdom to return home. This suggests that increasing prosperity in post Soviet Eastern Europe in the long term can only be beneficial for the United Kingdom. 'In addition there are now, according to independent research, around 1.5 million British people working in other countries in the European Union. Nevertheless, the Government will continue to do everything it can to ensure that migration works for everyone.' The Control of Immigration Statistics show that between January and March this year 15,840 people who had no right to be here were removed from the country or departed voluntarily. In the same period in 2008 16,760 people were removed or departed voluntarily. These statistics also show that the United Kingdom continues to receive fewer asylum applications per head of the population than many of its European counterparts. Applications for asylum have increased from 6,595 in the first quarter of 2008 to 8,380 in the same period this year, mainly driven by Zimbabwean applications. The number of initial decisions made on asylum applications was up 16 per cent from 4,435 in the first three months of 2008 to 5,145 in the same period this year. Mr Woolas said: 'Our border has never been stronger. Last year we prevented over 28,000 individual attempts to cross the Channel illegally and the number of illegals found in Kent fell by nearly 90 per cent. 'We are making the United Kingdom a more hostile place for illegal immigrants through our tough civil penalties regime which has seen fines worth a potential £18 million issued to businesses that have employed people with no right to work. 'Our ability to return those who have no right to be here depends on detaining them and successfully repatriating them. That is why we continue to work closely with the police, build new removal detention centres and secure further agreements with key countries to take their nationals back.' Asylum intake has remained broadly at the same level over the past four years and it is less than a third of the level when it peaked in 2002. At the end of December the Home Office met its target to conclude 60 per cent of new asylum cases within six months.

HSMP Arrangements Migrants covered by the judgment fall into a number of groups, depending on their circumstances. We currently have arrangements in place for: Migrants who currently hold HSMP leave and have either applied for an extension of stay or will need to do so in the future You fall into this group if you currently hold HSMP leave and have either applied for an extension of stay or will need to do so in the future. The requirements for an extension of stay will be those that were in place before 7 November 2006. Migrants who were refused an extension of stay and are in the process of making an appeal You fall into this group if you have been refused an extension of stay under the HSMP arrangements in place after 5 December 2006 and have an appeal or judicial review outstanding against that refusal. We will withdraw the decision that led to the appeal or judicial review claim and will reconsider your case and decide whether you meet the HSMP extension of stay requirements in place before 7 November 2006. Migrants who were refused an extension of stay and switched to a different immigration category You fall into this group if you have been refused an extension of leave under the HSMP arrangements in place after 5 December 2006 and subsequently switched to another immigration category in which you currently hold valid leave. You can ask us to review your original refusal under the arrangements that were in place before 7 November 2006. Migrants who did not apply for an extension of stay and switched into another immigration category You fall into this group if you did not apply for an extension of stay under the HSMP arrangements in place after 5 December 2006 and switched your leave into another immigration category. You can apply for Tier 1 (General) even if you have switched into an immigration category that is not normally permitted to switch back into Tier 1 (General). If you do not meet the requirements for Tier 1 (General) , we will consider your application under the HSMP extension of stay requirements in place before 7 November 2006.

Illegal immigrants travel via Greece Newsflash  The UK Border Agency has responded to a newspaper article about illiegal immigrants travelling from Greece to the United Kingdom via the Republic of Ireland, which was published today. A UK Border Agency spokesperson said: 'We are working closely with the Republic of Ireland to tackle illegal immigration and through the use of the latest hi-tech border technology, joint sea and port operations and the continued exchange of intelligence. 'Together we intend to continue strengthening our common travel area, and already we're both introducing electronic border systems to allow us to count people in and out of the country, and check people against watch-lists. 'We welcome the ongoing activities that our French colleagues are undertaking to fight against the trafficking of illegal immigrants. 'The United Kingdom policy is to not sign up to the Schengen Agreement. Free movement is only rightly available to legal entrants. Weakening our controls will only play into the hands of the traffickers who profit from human misery and suffering. 'We have made it clear that those trying to cheat our system will not be tolerated, which is why last year UK Border Agency staff worked tirelessly at our French and Belgium controls - stopping more than 28,000 attempts to cross the Channel illegally.'

New Sites for Biometric Enrolment  To help the increasing number of foreign nationals who have to enrol their biometric information (fingerprints and photograph) when they apply to extend their stay in the United Kingdom, the UK Border Agency is setting up new biometric enrolment facilities around the country. Since November 2008, UKBA have been issuing compulsory identity cards to foreign nationals from outside the European Economic Area who extend their stay here as partners or students. In March 2009, UKBA expanded the scheme to more categories of applicant. UKBA are working with the Identity and Passport Service to set up biometric enrolment facilities for foreign nationals in four of its interview offices in June. The four offices are in: Elephant and Castle, LondonBirminghamDerbyBrighton Also in June, they will open a new UK Border Agency public enquiry office with enrolment capability in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This will replace the interim biometric enrolment solution in Armagh, Northern Ireland, which has been operating in partnership with IPS since last year. UKBA will continue to offer the biometric enrolment service at our UK Border Agency offices in Sheffield, Liverpool, Solihull, Cardiff, Glasgow and Croydon. Lunar House in Croydon is the United Kingdom's largest centre for biometric enrolment, and this month they increased the number of its enrolment booths from 10 to 15. Enrolment will continue to be by appointment only at all offices. By recording and checking fingerprints and digital photographs against existing records before deciding whether to grant permission to stay, UKBA can strengthen our border and reduce abuse of the system. The identity card issued to successful applicants helps to prove their right to live, work or study here, and helps employers, educational establishments and public service providers understand migrants' entitlements.

British Mothers - Proposed Changes  A person who has a British mother currently has a right to register as a British citizen under section 4C of the British Nationality Act 1981 if: he or she was born between 7 February 1961 and 1 January 1983; andhe or she would have become a British citizen if women had been able to pass on citizenship in the same way as men at that time. The government has proposed changes to the law to allow people born before the 1961 date to British mothers to be registered as British citizens. These proposals are set out in the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill which is currently being debated in Parliament. If successful, this Bill will extend the provisions of section 4C of the British Nationality Act 1981 to those born before 1961. Information about the progress of the Bill can be found on the Parliament website. Further information about registration under section 4C can be found in Guide UKM which you can download from the right side of this page.

Home Office name promoters of hate  Individuals banned from the United Kingdom for stirring-up hatred have been named and shamed for the first time, the Home Secretary announced today. The list covers people excluded from the United Kingdom for fostering extremism or hatred between October 2008 and March 2009. It follows the Home Secretary's introduction of new measures against such individuals last year, including creating a presumption in favour of exclusion in respect of all those who have engaged in spreading hate. The Home Secretary Jacqui Smith also announced today that the government is now able to ban European nationals and their family members if they constitute a threat to public policy or public security. In the period from 28 October 2008 to 31 March 2009 the Home Secretary excluded a total of 22 individuals from coming to the United Kingdom. It is not considered to be in the public interest to disclose the names of six of these individuals. The remaining 16 individuals are: Abdullah Qadri Al Ahdal Preacher. Considered to be engaging in unacceptable behaviour by seeking to foment, justify or glorify terrorist violence in furtherance of particular beliefs and fostering hatred which might lead to inter-community violence. Yunis Al Astal Preacher. Considered to be engaging in unacceptable behaviour by seeking to foment, justify or glorify terrorist violence in furtherance of particular beliefs and to provoke others to terrorist acts. Stephen Donald Black Set up Stormfront, a racist website. Considered to be engaging in unacceptable behaviour by promoting serious criminal activity and fostering hatred, which might lead to inter-community violence in the United Kingdom. Wadgy Abd El Hamied Mohamed Ghoneim A prolific speaker and writer. Considered to be engaging in unacceptable behaviour by seeking to foment, justify or glory terrorist violence in furtherance of particular beliefs and to provoke others to commit terrorist acts. Eric Gliebe Has made web-radio broadcasts in which he vilifies certain ethnic groups and encourages the download and distribution of provocative racist leaflets and posters. Considered to be engaging in unacceptable behaviour by justifying terrorist violence, provoking others to commit serious crime and fostering racial hatred. Mike Guzovsky Leader of a violent group and actively involved with military training camps. Considered to be engaging in unacceptable behaviour by seeking to foment, justify or glorify terrorist violence in furtherance of particular beliefs and to provoke others to terrorist acts. Safwat Hijazi Television preacher. Considered to be engaging in unacceptable behaviour by glorifying terrorist violence. Nasr Javed Considered to be engaging in unacceptable behaviour by seeking to foment, justify or glorify terrorist violence in furtherance of particular beliefs. Abdul Ali Musa Considered to be engaging in unacceptable behaviour by fomenting and glorifying terrorist violence in furtherance of his particular beliefs and seeking to provoke others to terrorist acts. Fred Waldron Phelps Snr and Shirley Phelps-Roper Pastor and leading spokesperson of Westboro Baptist Church. Considered to be engaging in unacceptable behaviour by fostering hatred which might lead to inter-community violence in the United Kingdom. Samir Al Quntar Spent three decades in prison for killing four soldiers and a four-year-old girl. Considered to be engaging in unacceptable behaviour by seeking to foment, justify or glorify terrorist violence in furtherance of particular beliefs and to provoke others to terrorist acts. Artur Ryno and Pavel Skachevsky Leaders of a violent gang that beat migrants and posted films of their attacks on the internet. Considered to be engaging in unacceptable behaviour by fomenting serious criminal activity and seeking to provoke others to serious criminal acts. Amir Siddique Preacher. Considered to be engaging in unacceptable behaviour by fomenting terrorist violence in furtherance of particular beliefs. Michael Alan Weiner (also known as Michael Savage) Controversial daily radio host. Considered to be engaging in unacceptable behaviour by seeking to provoke others to serious criminal acts and fostering hatred which might lead to inter-community violence. The tougher exclusions policy follows the Prime Minister's commitment in the National Security Strategy to take "stronger action against those we suspect of stirring up tensions" and the Home Secretary's decision to introduce a presumption in favour of exclusion for extremists promoting hatred or violence. Under the new policy we are preventing more promoters of hate from coming to the United Kingdom than ever before, with more than five being excluded a month as opposed to two a month under the previous policy. The Home Secretary said: "Coming to the UK is a privilege and I refuse to extend that privilege to individuals who abuse our standards and values to undermine our way of life. Therefore, I will not hesitate to name and shame those who foster extremist views as I want them to know that they are not welcome here. "The government opposes extremism in all its forms and I am determined to stop those who want to spread extremism, hatred and violent messages in our communities from coming to our country. This is the driving force behind tighter rules on exclusions for unacceptable behaviour".

Swine Flu Advice Due to the changing situation in relation to swine flu globally the UK Border Agency recommends that visitors seeking health or travel advice should visit the following websites: For health advice visit the Department of Health For travel advice visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office   In Mexico the Visa office is closed temporarily on local advice to avoid public gatherings. UK Border Agency staff in Mexico are focussing their efforts on Consular emergencies work for UK nationals in the country. For specific advice on visas please contact us. Travellers arriving through UK Ports will see advice posters and leaflets from the Health Protection Agency.

Yarl's Wood report - UK Border Agency response  The UK Border Agency has responded to a report on the Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre by Sir Al Aynsley-Green, the children's commissioner for England, which was published today. Responding to the report's findings, Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said: "We only detain those who refuse to comply with the decision of the independent courts and then do not leave Britain voluntarily. The report overlooks this vital point. "If people refuse to go home then detention becomes a necessity. We don't want to split up families, so we hold children with their parents, and while they are in our care we treat them with sensitivity and compassion. "This inspection took place over a year ago and since then we have made even further progress, with Yarl's Wood removal centre praised on numerous occasions for its children's facilities - in fact Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons praised us for the 'significant progress' we have made. We now have full-time independent social workers, and a range of trained experts to monitor welfare 24 hours a day."

New Guidance for Gurkhas wishing to settle in the UK The UK Border Agency has announced new criteria which it will use to consider applications from former members of the Brigade of Gurkhas to settle in the United Kingdom.   Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said: "This guidance honours the service, commitment and gallantry of those who served with the Gurkhas brigade. "Where there are strong reasons, there has been scope for Gurkhas who retired prior to July 1997 to apply to settle in the UK. In fact, because of rules brought in by the Government, we have already welcomed around 6,000 Gurkhas and family members to Britain. "Now, another 10,000 Gurkhas and family members will be able to benefit from our revised guidance. "We will work with the Ministry of Defence to actively inform those who might be eligible in Nepal of these changes "I intend to initiate a review of the impact of the guidance in 12 months time."

HSMP Forum Judicial Review  This news item follows on from the news item published on 14 April 2009. Home Office News:-   The Court Order, dated 8 April 2009, in relation to the above judgment gives the UK Border Agency 42 days to implement that judgment. Work is underway to put the necessary remedies in place. This is not a simple matter and it is right and proper that we take the time available to make sure that correct policy and procedures are in place for all those affected. We appreciate that those affected will be keen to formalise their position in relation to the judgment but ask you not to submit an application based on the outcome of the judicial review, until policy and procedures are published on this website. There will be some people whose leave is due to expire before (or shortly after) the policy and procedures are published on the website. Those people will need to submit an in-time application. If this is the case you can submit an application for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) and this will be held until policy and guidance is published. It would help if you can make sure you attach a note to your application identifying yourself as being affected by the ILR judgment handed down on 6 April 2009. Policy and procedures for all those affected by the judgment will be published on or by 20 May 2009.

Current Business at the Home Office  On 14 April the Home Office announced police forces across England and Wales are to receive a £5.5 million cash boost from assets seized from criminals. Criminal assets confiscated by police forces and other asset recovery agencies between October and December 2008 totalled £31.8 million, half of which is to be shared between police, prosecutors, courts and other agencies. Since the Proceeds of Crime Act came into effect in 2003, £530.5 million has been seized. An incentive scheme introduced in 2006 allows the police and recovery agencies to retain half of all cash they seize from criminals. The Prime Minister and Home Secretary met with Chief Constables at Downing Street on 8 April, to mark a 'new era' of neighbourhood-based policing and the first anniversary of Neighbourhood Policing teams (of which there are now 3,600) being rolled out to every city, town and village in the country. They also discussed the next stage of the government's ambitious police reform programme, including the delivery of local Policing Pledges introduced last year as a clear commitment from the police to the public. Both Neighbourhood Policing teams and the Policing Pledge are part of a programme that in the last 12 months has seen the government:- cut red tape; - scrap all but one single national target for the police;- launch online local crime maps so people can see what is happening to crime in their area and what is being done about it; and- introduce tough new community punishments, with offenders wearing uniforms and doing hard work in the community - Community Payback - with local people having the chance to vote on what they should do as part of the Justice Seen, Justice Done campaign. On 7 April, the Home Secretary announced free burglary prevention advice and a crack down on repeat burglars as part of a new package of support to help the public protect themselves from burglary and help keep crime down. The package includes free advice packs for people concerned about becoming victims of burglary and practical advice on what they can do to prevent it. There are also discount vouchers for home security products at B&Q and Focus DIY outlets. 7 April was also a national day for action as police forces and crime and disorder reduction partnerships across the country focused their efforts to tackle burglary. Activity will include arrest operations and community work such as street briefings, safety roadshows and practical work fitting security devices at the homes of vulnerable people. On 26 March, the people of Birmingham took part in the largest ever public consultation on tackling violence against women and girls with the Home Secretary, as she made her first visit to the roadshow bus in the city centre. The new consultation - Together We Can End Violence Against Women And Girls - launched last month, sets out action the government has taken to tackle all forms of violence against women and girls and looks at what more can be done to challenge the attitudes that may uphold it in order to help women and girls feel safe. It includes a review into police powers for dealing with serial perpetrators of domestic violence and a review of the sexualisation of teenage girls. The visit coincided with a Ministry of Justice announcement of 18 new specialist domestic violence courts across the country - taking the total up to 122. A scheme that sees police, schools and parents in Sandwell (West Midlands) working together to identify and address incidents of anti-social behaviour committed by young people after school was seen first hand by Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker on a visit to the area on 24 March. After School Police Patrols are being rolled out across the country to deal with peaks of criminal or anti-social behaviour and involve police targeting trouble spots at school closing time, including bus routes and shopping parades. Feedback from the local community has been positive with people reporting they feel more confident on the streets at school closing time. The minister also addressed a Youth Crime Action Plan regional event bringing together practitioners from across children and youth services, education, community safety and housing. He also visited a Tackling Knives Action Programme event where he met with the Prime Minister's knife envoy, Richard Taylor. From March to May 2009 the It Doesn't Have to Happen (IDHTH) anti-knife crime campaign is partnering with the Football Foundation's Kickz programme to reach disadvantaged young people through football. Hosted by Premier and Football league clubs, there will be 9 regional competitions and two tournament finals. The tournament is estimated to reach in excess of 1,300 young people aged between 10 and 16. During the Easter Holidays there were IDHTH advertisements in cinemas, on screen and in foyers, which aimed to reach the core audience of 10-16 year olds. IDHTH adverts are also currently live on targeted youth websites, encouraging young people to click through to the IDHTH Bebo page. Strong safeguards to protect children and vulnerable adults were set out in greater detail by the government on 19 March, ahead of the launch of the vetting and barring scheme (VBS) later this year. The scheme, which is at the heart of the government's strategy to increase the protection of vulnerable members of our society, begins on 12 October, when the increased safeguards will start coming into effect. The UK already has one of the most advanced systems in the world for checking those who work in positions of trust with children and vulnerable adults. The launch of CONTEST the Counter Terrorism Strategy continues with more regional events in Edinburgh on 5 May, Leeds on 12 May and Cardiff on 15 June. The events give stakeholders a chance to discuss how they are implementing the strategy locally and a chance to put questions to an expert panel. The afternoon covers the Crowded Places consultation. If you would like to attend please email Contest@frameworksevents.co.uk. The UK Border Agency published the Refugee Strategy last month at the Refugee Council conference where minister Phil Woolas gave a keynote address. Entitled Moving on together: Government's recommitment to supporting refugees, the strategy explains how the Agency, other government departments and the Refugee Council are working together to help refugees achieve their full potential in the United Kingdom. On 1 April, the Home Secretary announced new measures to fight human trafficking. The Council of Europe Convention Against Trafficking in Human Beings, creates minimum legal rights for victims and strengthens the United Kingdom's ability to catch the criminals that exploit victims of trafficking. The Visa regime for South African nationals came into effect on 3 March. South African passport holders who can demonstrate that they have previously travelled to the UK using their current passport will be exempt until the middle of 2009. From then on, all South African passport holders will require a visa. Over 5000 South African visit applications have been processed within target at the Pretoria Visa Section since the regime was announced on 9 February. Visa regimes for Bolivian and Venezuelan nationals will begin on Monday 18 May. Venezuelan nationals holding valid biometric passports containing an electronic chip will be exempt from the visa requirement.

Changes to Indefinite Leave to Remain under HSMP Prior to 3 April 2006 the continuous leave requirement for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) under the highly skilled migrant programme (HSMP) was that migrants should show that they had spent four years' continuous residence in the United Kingdom. The four year qualifying period was increased to five years' qualifying residence on 3 April 2006. The HSMP Forum Ltd brought a Judicial Review against the Home Secretary on the basis that those who entered onto the HSMP before the qualifying period for ILR was increased from four to five years, should be eligible for ILR after four years on the scheme. The judge found in favour of the HSMP Forum on this point. A copy of the judgment can be found on the BAILII website, on the right side of this page. We are currently looking into implementing the court's decision. We will publish our remedies as soon as they are finalised and migrants who believe they may be affected by the judgment should check our website or the Home Office website regularly

Changes to the Certificate of Approval Scheme  With effect from 9 April 2009 the UK Border Agency is suspending the fee for Certificate of Approval applications. This means that individuals making an application for a Certificate of Approval on or after this date will not be required to pay the fee. The fee has been suspended in order to comply with the House of Lords judgment in the case of Baiai v the Secretary of State for the Home Department. The UK Border Agency is carefully considering the implications for those who have already paid a fee and will shortly announce its policy in this respect.

Compensation for pre-April 06 HSMP holders   LONDON: In a major legal victory, nearly 10,000 Indian and other non-European Union professionals will be able to claim compensation or hardship caused by the 2006 changes to immigration rules The court ruled that the changes to the rules, extending the number of years required for indefinite stay in the UK from four to five years under which they originally entered Britain, were unfair. It is the second time in a year that the retrospective changes to the programme for the "brightest and best" migrants, including Indians doctors and other professionals, have been declared unfair and unlawful by the court. In a strongly-worded ruling, Justice Cox declared that the five-year rule imposed by the Home Office on people already in the country was unlawful. "It would be unlawful for the (Home Secretary) to withhold indefinite leave to remain from all those members of the highly skilled migrant programme who were already on the scheme before April 3, 2006, by reference to a qualifying period of five years' continuous residence," she said. The judgment directs British government to honour its original commitments made to participants of Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP), which is no longer in operation. The ruling paves the way for the Indian and other non-EU professionals who entered the UK under the programme to claim compensation for the inconvenience and extra costs endured by having to wait an extra year before settlement. The migrants suffered financial difficulties because of the inability to secure a competitive mortgage without indefinite leave to remain. In October 2008, HSMP Forum, a campaigning body, representing about 50,000 highly skilled migrants, mostly Indians, filed a Judicial Review application challenging the Home Office on changes to the terms of settlement. Amit Kapadia of the Forum said instead of addressing the issue of illegal and burdensome immigration, government has been penalising the legal and desirable section of Highly Skilled Migrants, who are making a valuable contribution to UK economy by offering requisite skills, paying all the taxes and at the same time not availing public funds. Accepting the ruling, a Home Office spokesman said: "This case was about an old set of rules that have been swept away by our new points-based system. We believed we had fully implemented the previous judge's findings relating to the changes we made to the HSMP in 2006. "The High Court took a different view and we accept its findings. We will now carefully consider the judgment before publishing our remedies."

Facial recognition gates at Manchester Airport  The UK Border Agency has responded to claims in the media that the use of new facial recognition gates at Manchester Airport has compromised security. Under a trial currently under way at the airport, the gates are used by passengers who are nationals of the UK and the European Economic Area (EEA). The trial forms part of the Agency's range of measures to strengthen the UK border. A spokesperson for the UK Border Agency said: "We can categorically confirm that the gates are making the same high level of checks on the British and EEA passengers using them as they were when the trials began in August last year. "Facial recognition gates use scanning equipment to compare the faces of UK and EEA passengers to their biometric passports, providing high security with quicker check times at immigration control. "Previous tests show that they system can reliably pick out impostors and even distinguish between identical twins. An immigration officer supervises the whole process and will intervene where necessary." Neither the software nor the machines have been recalibrated or changed since the trial began in August 2008.

6th April: Immigration Fee Changes  Following Parliamentary approval, the new immigration fees announced on 12 February 2009 will be introduced from Monday 6 April 2009 for all those applying to visit, work in or stay in the United Kingdom. Fees for studying in the United Kingdom under the new tier 4 of the points-based system came into force on 31 March 2009. Also on Monday 6 April 2009, the Border Agency are revising a number of our application forms.

New immigration rules and Tier 1 forms published  On 22 February 2009, the Home Secretary announced changes to the operation of Tiers 1 (highly skilled migrants) and Tier 2 (skilled migrants) of the points-based system. The new Rules have now come into effect and any application received on or after 31 March will be considered under the new policy. From today, the Tier 1 (general) and Tier 1 (post study work) application forms have been replaced. Form Current version New version Tier 1 (general) 11/08 03/09 Tier 1 (post study work) 11/08 03/09 In line with paragraph 341 of the Immigration Rules, the previous versions of each of these forms continue to be valid for applications made for 21 days after the 31 March 2009

New immigration applicants to get identity cards Parliament approved regulations allowing the UK Border Agency to expand the identity cards scheme from 31 March to several categories of immigration applicants from outside the European Economic Area (EEA). In November the Border Agency introduced the first identity cards for spouses or partners and students given permission to extend their leave. From 31 March migrants granted an extension in the following categories will also get an identity card: postgraduate doctors and dentists;academic visitors granted leave for more than six months;visitors for private medical treatment;domestic workers in a private household;United Kingdom ancestry;retired persons of independent means;sole representatives;dependants where applicable and when applying at the same time; and those applying for a transfer of conditions For more information and a table listing the categories affected please see identity cards for foreign nationals Those applying for a transfer of conditions into a passport or other document will receive a card if successful, regardless of whether their category has been rolled out, meaning that any foreign national with limited permission to stay might hold a card as evidence of their right to be in the United Kingdom. As the numbers of foreign nationals required to give their biometrics (fingerprints and photograph) increases, the Border Agency are working to increase the number of biometric enrolment centres. There are currently seven offices around the United Kingdom - Croydon, Sheffield, Liverpool, Solihull, Cardiff, Glasgow and Armagh in Northern Ireland. Over the next three years our plans are to provide identity cards to all non EEA nationals extending their permission to stay in the United Kingdom and those coming into the United Kingdom on visas for more than six months. By the end of 2014/15 about 90 per cent of all non EEA nationals will have been issued with a card. ID cards will replace the stamps, stickers and other immigration status documents, enabling those here legally to prove it more easily and giving employers, sponsors and public service providers a simple, more secure way to prove a person's immigration status and eligibility to work, study or access benefits in the United Kingdom.

New Rules for skilled & highly skilled workers  The Immigration Rules covering highly skilled migrant workers will change on 31 March 2009, raising the academic and financial requirements of two categories in Tier 1 of the points-based system . At the same time, the resident labour market test will be strengthened to ensure that skilled jobs are advertised within the United Kingdom before they can be offered to migrant workers. Both changes are in line with the Home Secretary's announcement on 22 February of new measures to "raise the bar" for foreign workers wishing to work in the United Kingdom. Changes to Tier 1 of the points-based system for highly skilled workers Changes for the T1 (General) and T1 (Post-Study Work) categories will come into effect for all applications submitted on or after 31 March 2009. The Tier 1 (General) changes will apply to migrants who are applying for permission to enter the United Kingdom in this category for the first time, or who are applying to switch into the Tier 1 (General) category from another category. Anyone applying for an extension of their permission to stay under Tier 1 (General) will not be affected by the changes. The earnings multiplier for overseas earnings will still apply for initial applications only. There has never been a provision for overseas earnings to be multiplied at extension stage. The changes to the Tier 1 (Post-Study Work) category mean that applicants will not be awarded points for Postgraduate Diplomas or Postgraduate Certificates other than Postgraduate Certificates in Education. The UK Border Agency has published revised guidance for Tier 1 (General) and Tier 1 (Post-Study Work) applications - see the links on the right side of this page. This guidance is for applications sent to us on or after 31 March - if you want to apply on or before 30 March, you should continue to use the current guidance. Changes to the resident labour market test The resident labour market test prevents employers from offering skilled jobs to migrant workers without first advertising them to workers who are already settled here. From 31 March 2009, an employer wishing to sponsor a migrant to do a job under Tier 2 (General) will not pass the test unless the job has been: advertised to settled workers in Jobcentre plus; andadvertised using one other method permitted by the relevant code of practice.

Changes to the UK points-based system  The United Kingdom's points-based system for migrants is being expanded from the end of this month to include adult and child students, while highly skilled workers from outside Europe will have to meet stricter criteria if they want to come here to work. Changes to the Immigration Rules, published on 9 March and coming into effect on 31 March, will introduce the new Tier 4 route for students as well as changing the academic and financial requirements of the Tier 1 (General) category for highly skilled workers. Other, minor amendments to the points-based system will be made at the same time. The change to the Tier 1 (General) category is being made in line with the Home Secretary's announcement on 22 February of new measures to "raise the bar" for foreign workers wishing to work in the United Kingdom - revised guidance for Tier 1 (General) will be published on this website on 18 March.  

Panorama: "Immigration - Time for an Amnesty" 09 Mar 2009, 20:30 on BBC One Next on: Synopsis: Panorama looks at a proposed amnesty for hundreds of thousands of long-standing illegal immigrants, offering them the right to work and full citizenship. London Mayor Boris Johnson is in favour of the idea, and 93 MPs from across the country support it. But it is a big ask with the UK in the grip of a credit crunch, and amid protests calling for British jobs for British workers.  

More points-based applications are available on a same day basis  The UK Border Agency is extending the range of applications that can be made in person at the public enquiry offices. From 6 April 2009, you will be able to use the 'premium service ' at any of the five public enquiry offices if you are applying under the following categories of the points-based system: Highly skilled workers Tier 1 (General) Sponsored skilled workers Tier 2 (General) Tier 2 (Ministers of Religion) Tier 2 (Sportsperson) Tier 2 (Intra-company transfers) Temporary workers Tier 5 (Creative and sporting) Tier 5 (Charity workers) Tier 5 (Religious workers) Tier 5 (Government authorised exchange) Tier 5 (International agreement) The Home Office will begin taking appointments for these categories from 2 March 2009. (The appointments will be for 6 April onwards.). International Work Permits are registered to take in applications every week and would charge on approval of the visa only. 

Magician removed from the UK  UK Border Agency officers at Liverpool's John Lennon airport were far from spellbound when a Turkish man tried to get past United Kingdom border control without a visa, claiming to be on his way to the Intercontinental Stage Magic Championships in Blackpool. The 35-year-old Turkish man arrived on an evening flight from Gerona, Spain on 18 February, with a number of luggage items including a large magician's box stage prop. However, inspection of the man's passport revealed that he did not hold a valid visa to come to the United Kingdom. A UK Border Agency spokesman said: "Visitors to the UK must play by the rules. If they need a visa to come here and they haven't got one, there's no magic wand they can wave to get in. They will just be sent back. "Nationals of over 100 countries - three-quarters of the world's population - must apply for a six-month visitor visa if they want to come to the UK. Our visa checks now require everyone to be fingerprinted, locking them to one identity, and checked against government watch-lists. They are then screened and counted in and out of the UK using the UK Border Agency's e-Borders system." The man was denied entry and removed from the United Kingdom.

Immigration and asylum statistics released 24 February 2009  Quarterly statistics covering immigration and asylum, and reports of migration from Eastern Europe were published by the Home Office today. Work applications from the eight accession countries have fallen to their lowest level since they joined the European Union (EU) in 2004, according to the latest Accession Monitoring Report. In the three months to December last year, there were 29,000 applications from workers from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia and the Czech Republic - down from 53,000 in the same period in 2007. The decrease is mainly explained by a drop in approved Polish applicants, which fell to 16,000 in the last quarter of 2008 from 36,000 in the same period in 2007. The statistics also show that the majority of workers coming from the A8 countries in 2008 were young - 78 per cent were aged between 18 and 34 - and only 11 per cent stated they had dependants living with them in the United Kingdom when they registered. Of those registered in 2008, 86 per cent were working for more than 35 hours per week. Although applications for jobseekers allowance from A8 nationals rose in the last quarter of 2008, of the 2,540 who made applications only 832 were put forward for further consideration. The Bulgarian and Romanian Accession Statistics show that applications from these two countries have also fallen. There were 920 applications for accession worker cards and 6,990 applications for registration certificates in the last quarter of 2008. For the same period in 2007 the figures were 1,260 and 8,845 respectively. Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said: "The number of Eastern Europeans coming here to work is dramatically falling and research suggests that many of those that came have now gone home. Nevertheless, the Government is doing everything it can to ensure migration is working for the British labour market and the country as a whole. "We have already demonstrated the flexibility of the points system through the suspension of the low-skilled worker tier and our plans to toughen up the existing resident labour market test for employers. This will ensure that during these economic times, when people are losing jobs, people already here have the first crack of the whip at getting work." The control of immigration statistics for the last quarter of 2008 show that asylum applications have fallen by two per cent - down from 6,870 between October and December 2007 to 6,735 in the same period for 2008. The number of initial decisions to refuse or grant asylum was three per cent up, with 4,720 decisions being made in the last quarter of 2008 compared to 4,570 in the same period in 2007. Between October and December 2008 16,525 people were removed or departed voluntarily from the United Kingdom. This includes 2,570 failed asylum seekers and their dependants and 13,950 non asylum cases. This is a two per cent fall from the same period the previous year. A yearly comparison shows that overall removals and voluntary departures are five per cent up - increasing from 63,365 in 2007 to 66,275 in 2008. There was a fall of 15 per cent to 11,640 for those leaving who had claimed asylum (including dependants) but an increase of ten per cent to 54,635 for non-asylum cases in 2008. Mr Woolas said: "We are coming down hard on those who seek to abuse the system. Our tough new force at the border last year stopped over 28,000 individual attempts to cross the Channel illegally, while our asylum caseworkers are on track to conclude 90 per cent of new asylum cases within six months by 2011. "Our ability to return those who have no right to be here depends on detaining them and successfully repatriating them. That is why we will continue to work closely with the police, increase our detention capacity by 420 beds this year, and secure further agreements with key countries to take their nationals back." Today's control of immigration statistics also confirm that the UK Border Agency met its target to remove more than 5,000 foreign national prisoners in 2008. For the first time the quarterly control of immigration statistics includes a figure for the number of foreign prisoners removed - showing that 5,395 criminals were sent home last year. Mr Woolas said: "By exceeding the tough target of removing 5,000 foreign lawbreakers from the UK last year we have made it clear that Britain will not tolerate those that come here and break our rules. "There is no place in Britain for those that continue to abuse our trust. We now consider for deportation all non-EEA foreign nationals who go to prison for serious drug and gun offences no matter what the length of sentence." The control of immigration statistics also confirm that the UK Border Agency has met a key milestone in concluding 60 per cent of new asylum cases within six months by the end of 2008.

Migrant Workers to face tougher entry requirements Measures to raise the bar for foreign workers wishing to enter the United Kingdom, and to give domestic workers a greater chance of applying first for United Kingdom jobs, were unveiled by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith today. Jacqui Smith pledged to use the flexibility built into the points-based system (PBS) to respond to changing economic circumstances - helping British workers through the hard times of the recession. The Government has already suspended tier 3 of the PBS to ensure no foreign national from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) can come to the United Kingdom and work in a low-skilled job. Jacqui Smith announced three significant changes to support British workers and to be more selective about the migrants coming to the United Kingdom from outside the EEA. From 1 April the Government will: strengthen the resident labour market test for tier 2 skilled jobs so that employers must advertise jobs to resident workers through JobCentre Plus before they can bring in a worker from outside Europe;use each shortage occupation list to trigger skills reviews that focus on up-skilling resident workers for these occupations, which will make the United Kingdom less dependent on migration for the future; andtighten new criteria against which highly skilled migrants seeking entry to the United Kingdom are judged, by raising the qualifications and salary required for tier 1 of the PBS to a Master's degree and a minimum salary of £20,000. The Home Secretary has also asked the independent Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), chaired by Professor David Metcalf, to report on: whether there is an economic case for restricting tier 2 (skilled workers) to shortage occupations only;his assessment of the economic contribution made by the dependants of PBS migrants and their role in the labour market; andwhat further changes there should be to the criteria for tier 1 in 2010/11, given the changing economic circumstances. Jacqui Smith said: "All workers now coming to the UK from outside Europe have to meet the requirements of the Australian-style points system, which allows us to raise or lower the bar on who can come here. "We have always said it is important to be selective about who comes here to work, and we have already put a stop to low-skilled labour entering the UK from outside Europe. "Just as in a growth period we needed migrants to support growth, it is right in a downturn to be more selective about the skill levels of those migrants, and to do more to put British workers first. "These measures are not about narrow protectionism - a flexible immigration system, rather than an arbitrary cap, is better for British business and the British economy. We recognise that migration continues to play an important role in the UK, at the same time as we are giving greater support to domestic workers so that we can all come through the recession stronger. "Given the economic circumstances and the action we are taking to be more selective, I expect the number of migrants coming to the UK from outside the EEA to fall during the next financial year. Today I am also asking the independent Migration Advisory Committee, led by David Metcalf, to consider further changes to the way in which foreign workers are currently able to enter the UK to work. "By being more selective, as well as through tough enforcement measures to tackle illegal immigration, I have tasked the UK Border Agency with delivering this reduction. I have also set out 10 further immigration milestones for the UK Border Agency to meet this year." The 10 milestones in the UK Border Agency delivery plan are: March - open a new immigration removal centre to help remove immigration offenders;April - use our points system to ensure migration matches the country's needs in hard times;April - start charging migrants to create a multimillion pound fund to reduce the impacts of migration on local services;April - introduce new technology to help detect drugs and other illegal goods;May - be tougher on European criminals, removing European nationals who cause harm to our communities;July - start tough new visa controls, which will cover five countries;August - have completed delivery of new facial recognition technology in 10 terminals, giving British passengers a faster, secure route through the border;November - issue 75,000 compulsory identity cards to foreign nationals;December - hit target to screen 120 million passengers entering and leaving the UK against security watch-lists, and introduce a new high-tech security centre; andDecember - deport a record number of foreign prisoners. These 10 pledges will build on the work already undertaken by the UK Border Agency to strengthen the country's immigration controls. These measures build on existing actions to deliver border security that protects Britain, including: fingerprint visas that lock people to one identity - with 3.5 million sets of fingerprints taken since their rollout, identifying 5,200 case of identity swaps;a high-tech electronic borders system which checks people against watch-lists and will cover even more passenger journeys by the end of this year;customs checks which, since April 2008, saw technology at ports contribute to the seizure of over £260 million worth of illegal drugs; andID cards for foreign nationals. By November this year 75,000 ID cards will have been issued to foreign nationals, locking them to one identity. For passengers legitimately travelling through United Kingdom ports, new facial recognition technology is being introduced which balances high security with quicker times at immigration control. For illegal immigrants not playing by the rules, the UK Border Agency will open, in just a few weeks' time, a new immigration removal centre with capacity to hold more than 420 people near Gatwick in south-east England, helping deliver the Government's pledge to remove even more foreign national prisoners this year than ever before. In 2008 more than 5,000 foreign national prisoners were removed from the United Kingdom. The Government also pledged to come down harder on criminals from Europe by reducing the threshold for consideration of their cases for deportation from 24 months in jail to just 12 when they have committed drugs, violent or sexual offences, putting them in line with non-EEA nationals. Plans will also be introduced to target and deport low-level persistent foreign offenders who cause harm in the communities but who have not been given a prison sentence - for example, those on community service but who over a period have continued to re-offend.

Proposed fee for visas and sponsor licences 2009/10  The Government has today announced its proposed fee levels for all visa, immigration and nationality applications and services in 2009/10. The revenue from these fees will enable the UK Border Agency to continue providing a world-class immigration service while reducing the burden on United Kingdom taxpayers. The Government is currently delivering the biggest shake-up of the immigration system for 45 years, including: fingerprint checks before people come to the United Kingdom;a strong new force at the border;counting people in and out of the United Kingdom; andintroducing identity cards for foreign nationals. These important improvements cost money to deliver, and the Government's policy is that United Kingdom taxpayers should not bear the full cost of them. In 2009/10 the UK Border Agency plans to spend over £2.2 billion on securing our border and managing the immigration system. Approximately 30% of this spending will be recovered through fees from applications and the services we offer. This will allow the UK to continue reaping the benefits of migration while also preventing abuse of the system. Fees for visa, immigration and nationality services are reviewed regularly, with changes made when necessary. In setting the fees for 2009/10, the Government has continued to take into account the United Kingdom's international competitiveness at a challenging time for the global economy.

New Licence for Education Providers Key dates Date Activity 2 February 2009 All education providers must have applied to become licensed sponsors if they want to bring in non-EEA students from the end of March 2009 End of March 2009 All students must apply under tier 4 and pass a points-based assessment Autumn 2009 Sponsors begin using  the sponsorship management system to issue confirmations of acceptance for studies for students applying from inside the United Kingdom in two stages: switching from another tier or route, to extend their stay; extending their current student visa. February 2010 Sponsorship management system is fully implemented for the issue of confirmation of acceptance for studies to students applying from both inside and outside the United Kingdom The sponsor licence Education providers who want to be able to sponsor students should apply as soon as possible. Students begin applying under tier 4 when applications open at the end of March, and education providers must apply for a licence no later than 2 February 2009 to allow us time to process the application and issue a licence by the end of March. Applications will still be accepted after this date, but we cannot guarantee that a licence will be issued by the time tier 4 applications open. Education providers cannot bring students to the United Kingdom without a licence after the end of March. To get a sponsor licence, you must: be able to show that you are  inspected, audited or accredited by one of the UK Border Agency's approved bodies;allocate a number of key roles to staff using the sponsorship management system;be able to comply with your sponsorship duties;have the appropriate HR systems in place to be able to monitor your students' attendance, when the reporting functionality in the sponsorship management system is rolled out for education providers later in 2009. You will be given an A or B rating and added to the tier 4 register of sponsors. Find out more about ratings in  Sponsorship duties Your sponsorship duties include duties like: maintaining any appropriate accreditation;keeping copies of all students' passports;keeping up-to-date  contact details for students;reporting any unauthorised absences to us or if the student fails to enrol on their course or telling us if a student stops their studies. You will use the sponsorship management system to fulfil your reporting duties when the reporting functionality goes live later in 2009. The visa letter or confirmation of acceptance for studies To bring non-EU students to the United Kingdom from March 2009, you must issue students with a visa letter. This is only if you are giving the student an unconditional offer. If they apply successfully, the student's visa will then be linked to your institution. Find draft visa letter for general students.. From autumn 2009, sponsors will start issuing confirmation of acceptance for studies (which is a unique reference number) instead of visa letters, using the sponsorship management system. Each confirmation of acceptance for studies will cost £10. Students can have as many visa letters or confirmation of acceptance for studies from institutions they have applied to, but can use only one visa letter (or confirmation of acceptance for studies) to apply. Students will be awarded 30 points for a visa letter or confirmation of acceptance for studies, and must score 10 points for maintenance (fees and living expenses) to pass the points-based assessment, and be able to apply. The sponsorship management system Education providers can currently use the sponsorship management system to update their contact details. In the autumn of 2009, education providers will start using the sponsorship management system to issue confirmation of acceptance for studies and report student activity, before full implementation in February 2010. We are working with key stakeholders on the phased approach.  Key benefits of the new system the sponsor licence ensures all colleges are genuine and eliminates bogus institutions;sponsors are responsible for assessing whether a student meets the academic requirements for the course;the student's visa is linked to the institution;depending on what has been studied, if students want to stay on in the United Kingdom once they have successfully got their qualification, they may be eligible to switch into the post-study worker category of tier 1.

New Citizenship Requirements The Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill will lay down a radical new approach to British citizenship that will require all migrants to speak English and obey the law if they want to gain citizenship and stay permanently in Britain - while speeding up the path to citizenship for those who contribute to the community by being active citizens. Under the new system, full access to benefits and social housing will be reserved for citizens and permanent residents - which means if you are not a citizen full access to benefits will not be allowed. Foreign nationals who commit serious offences already face automatic consideration for deportation - our earned citizenship proposals go further. Anyone sent to prison will face removal, and even those committing minor offences will normally need to wait until their conviction is spent before they can become citizens. These measures will work alongside the powerful new points-based system to ensure that only those people the country needs can come - and stay - here. This system will allow the Government to manage immigration which in turn will help contribute to future population projections and control. Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said: "We are clear that newcomers should speak English, work hard, and earn the right to stay here - and only get British citizenship once they have proved their commitment to the country. "Migration only works if it brings benefits, and these measures will ensure that only those migrants that make a positive impact on their local community will be able to stay in the UK." The Bill will strengthen Britain's security by giving frontline staff of the UK Border Agency combined customs and immigration powers, making it easier than ever to crack down on illegal immigration and the smuggling of drugs and weapons. The UK's border will be further strengthened by enabling routine border controls on air and sea routes for people travelling between the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom. The power to control people travelling within the Common Travel Area (CTA) will ensure that the UKBA has the tools it needs to protect the border and will pave the way for the high-tech e-Borders programme - to check travellers against watch-lists - on air and sea routes between the UK and the Republic of Ireland. These new measures mean that the UK Border Agency will be able to: request identification for passengers travelling by air and sea between Britain and the Republic of Ireland; andconduct intelligence-led operations to check those entering via the land border in Northern Ireland and those arriving from the Crown dependencies. The Home Office has made it clear that there are no plans to introduce fixed controls on the land border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland or on routes from the Crown dependencies to the UK. The Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Bill will also ensure a firm and fair immigration system by introducing: a duty on the UK Border Agency to safeguard the welfare of children in its work;new rules to give automatic British nationality to a child born in the UK where at least one parent is a foreign or Commonwealth member of the British armed forces; anda remedy to fix the current situation whereby a father could pass on his British nationality to a child born abroad before 1961 while a mother could not. These changes are part of the biggest shake-up to the immigration system for a generation, along with the new Australian-style points-based system, a high-tech system for counting people in and out of the country and the introduction of ID cards for foreign nationals.

PBS A Success According to Home Office The successful delivery of the tough new Australian-style points system was highlighted today as it was announced that 4,875 businesses have registered as sponsors. The new system ensures only those skilled migrant workers the country needs can come here and no more. It introduces tough criteria that mean employers must prove a resident worker doesn't want the job before offering it to a foreign worker and it is flexible, meaning we can raise or lower the bar according to the needs of the labour market and the country as a whole Before a British business can bring in a foreign worker, they must apply to the UK Border Agency to become a registered sponsor. If the Agency is satisfied that they are reputable and willing to take responsibility for any foreign workers they employ, they will be given a sponsor licence, so far 4,875 businesses have passed the test. Under the system for skilled and temporary workers Tiers 2 and 5 would-be migrants need a job offer before they even apply for a visa, unless the job is on the shortage occupation list. Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said: "The points system is one of the most radical changes we've made to the immigration system in a generation and today's figures show that is being delivered successfully. "It is crucial that only those foreign workers we need come here and this new system will ensure that - we already know that there would have been a 12 per cent reduction in the numbers coming here through the equivalent work permit had the system been in place last year." To get in under Tier 2 skilled foreign workers must have: English language skills;prospective earnings of more than £24,000, or slightly less if they have a decent qualification - or an offer of a job on the shortage list; andenough money to support themselves for the first month of their stay. For any employer who breaks the rules and employs foreign nationals who have no right to work in the United Kingdom, the outcome is clear ? huge fines are already being handed out by the UK Border Agency. This year's much tougher enforcement campaign has already issued over 1,000 fines worth around £10 million.

Tier 1: 7 Day Maintenance requirement amended International Work Permits is pleased to announce that the requirement to produce the maintenance requirement evidence has been reviewed, and applicants applying under Tier 1 can use statements as old as a month.Contact us for a FREE assessment.

Update for educational institutions sponsoring international students The implementation of the student tier (tier 4) of the points-based system will begin in March 2009. Under the points-based system, educational institutions will have to be licensed by us to sponsor students. 19 December 2008  We have already begun issuing licences for sponsors under tier 4 and would encourage all potential sponsors who have not yet applied for their licence to do so as soon as possible. See How to apply for a licence for more information. Access to the sponsorship management system The sponsorship management system - available for use for tier 4 sponsors from Autumn 2009 - will allow institutions to manage their migrants and issue confirmation of acceptance of studies online. Some newly licensed Tier 4 sponsors have asked why they have been sent a user ID and password for the Sponsorship Management System (SMS) even though the system does not go-live for Tier 4 until Autumn 2009. This is to allow sponsors to familiarise themselves with the system and to perform administrative tasks such as maintaining their contact details. The system will not allow tier 4 sponsors to issue a confirmation of acceptance for studies until the system is fully activated later in 2009. In the interim - between March and the autumn - tier 4 sponsors will need to issue a confirmation letter to all students. Details of the implementation of the policy are available from the implementation plan.

Maintenance Requirements for skilled workers From 27 November skilled workers wishing to enter the UK should apply under Tier 2 of the new five-tier points based system rather than the old work permit scheme which it has now replaced.Migrants applying under this scheme must meet the maintenance requirement or their application will be refused.To qualify at this stage, a migrant must be able to show personal savings equivalent to £800 at the time the application is made. An official bank statement from a recognized bank will suffice. Alternatively the applicant must be able to show written confirmation from their A-rated sponsor that the sponsor will maintain and accommodate them until the end of the first month of their work in the United Kingdom.From the end of March 2009 the savings option will change to a requirement for an applicant to demonstrate an amount of £800 at all times during the preceding 3 month period.The maintenance provision has now been extended to include a migrant's immediate family. Dependants must prove that they or the migrant, hold £533 for each dependant at the time of the application or that the migrant has written confirmation from his A-rated sponsor that the sponsor will maintain and accommodate the migrant's dependants, if necessary, during their first month in the United Kingdom.Again the financial provision will change at the end of march next year when bank statements will have to show an amount of £533 continuously throughout the previous 3 months.If you have any questions, please call us on 0207 866 8170

UK Removals at a 6 year high! Quarterly control of immigration and quarterly accession monitoring statistics published today. More people were removed from the country between July and September this year than in any other third quarter since 2002, the Home Office announced today. In the three months to September this year 17, 525 people were removed - a nine per cent increase on the same period the previous year and the highest number of removals in any third quarter for six years. This included a 14 per cent increase in non asylum removals - a group that includes foreign national prisoners - with removals increasing from 12,680 in the third quarter of 2007 to 14,405 in the same period this year. This is further evidence that the Home Office is succeeding in its commitment to remove anyone who has no right to be here - with a focus on targeting the most harmful first. Last year the UK Border Agency removed over 4,200 foreign prisoners and today's figures suggest it is well on track to meet its tough target to remove 5,000 before the end of 2008. In the first six months of this year over 2,500 foreign prisoners were removed - a 23 per cent increase on the same period last year. Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said: "The huge shake-up we have made to the immigration system is paying off. Our borders are tougher than ever before, asylum applications remain low, and we are removing record numbers of foreign law breakers. "Last year someone was removed every eight minutes - including more than 4,200 foreign national prisoners. Today's figures show that we are well on track to kick out even more this year." To speed up the removal process further still, the Government announced earlier this year that the capacity of the immigration detention estate will be increased by 60 per cent, with an additional 1,300 to 1,500 spaces for immigration offenders within two years. A dramatic drop in the number of Eastern Europeans registering to work in the United Kingdom was recorded by other statistics published by the Home Office today. The Accession Monitoring Report shows that the number of applications from A8 nationals looking for work fell from 59,000 between July and September 2007 to 38,000 in the same period this year - a drop of 36 per cent. Applications are now at their lowest level since the eight accession countries joined the European Union (EU) in 2004. Applications for accession worker cards and registration certificates from Bulgaria and Romania - the A2 nations - have also fallen to record lows. There were 6,515 applications from these two nations between July and September this year - a drop of 31 per cent from the same period last year when there were 9,470. Mr Woolas said: "Today's figures show a dramatic drop in the number of Poles coming here to work this year - suggesting that regeneration in Poland is encouraging people to stay in their home country. On top of this our new points system means only those from outside Europe with the skills we need will be able to work or study here and no more. "Had the points system been in place last year there would have been a 12 per cent reduction in the number of people coming here to work through the equivalent work permit route." Border security is tougher than ever - nearly 16,000 individual attempts to enter the United Kingdom illegally were prevented between April and October this year - a sixty per cent increase from the same period last year. In 2007 asylum applications were at their lowest level since 1993 and they remain low, with 6,620 applications in this quarter. A performance document published today confirms that the United Kingdom ranked 11th in Europe in terms of asylum seekers per head. It also showed that last year failed asylum seeker removals did not exceed the number of anticipated unfounded asylum claims - this reflects the Government's focus on targeting the most harmful people first. The UK Border Agency's success in this is illustrated by the fact that last year they removed nearly 50,000 non asylum seekers and lawbreakers - the highest level since 2002. These figures are released as the Home Office carries out the biggest shake-up of the immigration system in a generation, including the introduction of: a tough new Australian-style points system to allow only the workers Britain needs to come here;the fingerprinting of every visa applicant from across the globe - so far more than 3.1 million sets of fingerprints have been taken, detecting over 4,400 cases of identity swaps; andcivil penalties targeting those employing illegal workers - since February over 1,000 fines worth nearly £10 million pounds have been issued. Later this month the Government will introduce compulsory ID cards for all foreign nationals. These will lock people to one identity and - in time - help businesses who employ foreign workers to crack down on illegal working.If you have any questions, please call us on 0207 866 8170

Jobs available to foreign workers to be reduced The number of jobs available to foreign workers through the shortage occupation route will be reduced, the Government announced today. The shortage occupation list sets out those jobs for which there are not enough resident workers, and will be used as part of the skilled worker tier (Tier 2) of the Australian-style points system, which will be launched on 27 November. Tier 2 of the points system will ensure that British jobseekers get the first shot at jobs and only those foreign workers we need will be able to come to the United Kingdom. Recent Government work to ensure British workers are skilled and competitive means that many of the previous gaps in the labour market have been filled. As a result, today's list is tighter than ever before and will see a reduction of more than 200,000 positions in occupations with shortages that need be filled by migrant workers. The number of positions available to migrants has been reduced from one million to just under 800,000, ensuring that only those foreign workers we need - and no more - can come here. Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said: "The Australian-style points system is flexible, allowing us to raise or lower the bar according to the needs of business and taking population trends into account. "Had the points system been in place last year there would have been 12 per cent fewer people coming in to work through the equivalent work permit route. On top of this, the strict new shortage list means 200,000 fewer jobs are available via the shortage occupation route." Under Tier 2 companies must pass the Resident Labour Market test by proving they cannot fill the post with a resident worker before they can bring in someone from outside the EEA. If the job is on the shortage list the company will not need to pass the test. The Government publishes today's shortage occupation list following advice from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). Their recommended list has been adopted in full - with the addition of social workers, who will remain on the list while further evidence is considered by the MAC. Further Education Minister Sion Simon said: "This Government is making an unprecedented investment in skills and training to ensure that United Kingdom residents do not lose out to overseas workers or see jobs go abroad because of a lack of skills. "We have recently made a number of funding deals with employers, worth £630 million over three years, to give them greater access to flexible, bespoke training aimed at tackling skills shortages in their sectors. "The deals cover sectors such as catering, hospitality and construction." To get in under Tier 2 skilled foreign workers must have: English language skills;prospective earnings of more than £24,000, or slightly less if they have a decent qualification - or an offer of a job on the shortage list;enough money to support themselves for the first month of their stay. Employers will need to get a sponsor licence to enable them to bring migrant workers into the country from outside the European Economic Area. They will be checked out by the UK Border Agency and will sign up to certain duties. This means that Government will share the responsibility for migrant workers with those who benefit from them. The Home Office last week helped businesses to prepare for the changes by publishing detailed guidance on Tiers 2 and 5 (skilled workers and temporary workers respectively) of the system. The tough points system is just one part of the biggest shake up to immigration and border security in 45 years, along with the fingerprinting of anyone travelling to the UK on a visa and compulsory ID cards for foreign nationals.

Marriage Visa age to increase The age at which someone can apply for a marriage visa will increase from 18 to 21 from the end of this month, the Government announced today. From 27 November both parties in a marriage will have to be 21 before a marriage visa can be issued. Raising the age is just one part of the Government's work to crackdown on forced marriage and on those who attempt to abuse the marriage visa route. Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said: "It is important that we protect vulnerable young people and this measure will help avoid exploitation". The changes being made to the marriage visa route are part of a package of measures being brought in today to deliver the biggest shake-up to immigration and border security in 45 years. Also today, the Home Office helped businesses to prepare for the go-live of Tiers 2 and 5 of the points system on 27 November by publishing detailed guidance on the two tiers. Under these tiers - which cover skilled and temporary workers - employers will be held accountable for the workers they bring into the country, with a new sponsorship scheme holding businesses responsible for those they employ. Mr Woolas said: "The points system means only the migrants with the skills Britain needs can come - and no more. It is also flexible, allowing us to raise or lower the bar according to the needs of business and taking population trends into account. "Had the system been in place last year there would have been 12 per cent fewer people coming in to work through the equivalent work permit route." Tier 2 of the points system will ensure that British jobseekers get the first shot at jobs and only those foreign workers we need will be able to come to the UK. Under this tier companies must pass the Resident Labour Market test by proving they cannot fill the post with a resident worker before they can bring in someone from outside the European Economic Area (EEA).

Points Based System Goes Live!!! Today Phil Woolas, Minister of State for borders and immigration, announced the go live date for tiers 2 and 5 of the points-based system. Tier 2, relating to skilled workers, replaces the current work permit scheme. Tier 5 covers temporary workers entering the United Kingdom for a short period. From 27 November 2008 employers wishing to bring non-European Economic Area migrants to the United Kingdom under tiers 2 and 5 will need to be a licensed sponsor. Sponsors will be responsible for issuing certificates of sponsorship to migrants and ensuring that their sponsor obligations are fulfilled. Migrants can then use the certificate of sponsorship to apply for entry clearance. If you have not yet applied for a sponsor's licence and wish to bring in migrants under tiers 2 and 5 you need to apply for your licence as soon as possible. If you are a potential or registered sponsor, you can find full details of the points-based system in the sponsorship under the points-based system section of this website.

New Work Permit Changes Announced About the changes This page explains what you need to do if you have existing leave to enter or remain under a category which will be abolished when Tiers 2 and 5 of the points-based system are introduced. If the leave you have is in a category that currently lead to settlement, this page also explains how you will be able to continue towards that aim. If you are already in the United Kingdom, you will be able to complete your period of leave, providing you continue to meet the terms of your leave. If you have already been granted entry clearance abroad, but have not yet entered the United Kingdom you will still be able to enter the United Kingdom and complete your period of leave. If you have been granted a period of leave of over six months, you will be able to leave and re-enter during your period of leave. However, if you have been granted less than six months leave, you will not be able to re-enter under one of the abolished categories and you will need to apply again under the full requirements of the points-based system. Applications for work permits posted after Tiers 2 and 5 of the points-based system are introduced will not be accepted (unless you are a Bulgarian or Romanian national). Couriered applications and those sent electronically must be received on the day before Tiers 2 and 5 of the points-based system are introduced. If you already have a work permit you should continue to apply for leave to enter or remain under the immigration rules relating to work permits, which will remain in force after Tier 2 and Tier 5 are launched. For further information, you should see the guidance. If you are currently on a multiple entry work permit, you cannot apply under the transitional arrangements. If you want to continue working in the United Kingdom after your current leave expires, you must return to your normal country of residence and make a fresh application. This application will be subject to the full points-based system criteria. There are no transitional arrangements for the following categories, as no extensions are allowed and they do not lead to settlement: The Working Holiday Maker schemeThe Japan Youth Exchange schemeGap year entrants working in United Kingdom schools concession The following table explains the transitional arrangements for all other categories which will be abolished when Tiers 2 and 5 of the points-based system are introduced: What is my current category? Which transitional arrangement should I use? Which type of sponsor licence will my employer require? Will I be able to make an application to extend my leave after Tiers 2 and 5 of the Points Based System are introduced? Which application form do I use? Work permit holder -business and commercial (except senior care workers) A Tier 2 Yes Tier 2 Representative of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation A Tier 2 Yes Tier 2 Member of airport-based operational ground staff of an overseas owned airline A Tier 2 Yes Tier 2 Jewish Agency Employee A Tier 2 Yes Tier 2 Minister of Religion B Tier 2 Yes Tier 2 Missionary B Tier 2 Yes Tier 2 Work permit holder - sports and entertainments (sportsperson) C Tier 2 Yes Tier 2 Work permit holder - business and commercial (senior care workers) D Tier 2 Yes Tier 2 Visiting Religious worker E None No FLR(O) Religious worker in a non -pastoral role E None No FLR(O) International Association for the Exchange of Students of Technical Experience (IAESTE) E None No FLR(O) International Fire Fighter Fellowship Programme E None No FLR(O) EU Leonardo da Vinci Programme E None No FLR(O) China Graduate Work Experience programme E None No FLR(O) Voluntary worker E None No FLR(O) Exchange teacher or language assistant E None No FLR(O) Research assistant to a Member of Parliament E None No FLR(O) Au Pair placement E None No FLR(O) British Universities North America Club (BUNAC) student E None No FLR(O) Member of a religious order F None No FLR(O) Rudolf Steiner concession F None No FLR(O) Private servant in a diplomatic household F None No FLR(O) Overseas Government Employee F None No FLR(O) Work permit holder - Medical Training Initiative (MTI) G None No WP1X (your employer) and FLR(IED) (you) Work permit holder - Training and Work Experience Scheme (TWES) G None No WP1X (your employer) and FLR(IED) (you) Work permit holder - General Agreement in Trade in Services (GATS) G None No WP1X (your employer) and FLR(IED) (you) Work permit holder - sports and entertainments (entertainer) H Tier 2 Yes Tier 2

Business visitors face strict new rules Tough new rules to safeguard the visitor route into the United Kingdom from abuse and keep Britain an attractive place to do business were published by the Government today.Under strict new rules those wishing to come to the United Kingdom on business for up to six months must apply for a dedicated new business visa and prove they will be carrying out the following activities: attending meetings or conferences; arranging deals, negotiating or signing trade agreement or contracts; undertaking fact-finding missions, checking details or goods; and conducting site visits and promotional activities.In June new visa routes for business, tourist and family visitors were announced in a shake-up of Britain's short-term visa system. The Statement of Intent published today sets out in more detail how the new business visa will work.Border and Immigration Minister Phil Woolas said:'Now we are introducing an Australian-style points system for selective migration, it makes sense to tighten visit visas at the same time.These changes will help create a fairer Britain with fair treatment for those who play by the rules, but tough action against those who break the law.We want the United Kingdom to stay open and attractive to both business and visitors. At the same time we are determined to deliver a system of border security which is among the most secure in the world.'Also today, the Home Office set out further detail on two new visitor routes for sportspeople and entertainers, recognising the important contribution these individuals make to British cultural life. These new routes mean that an historical concession which allowed sportspeople and entertainers to come here for a short time without a work permit to take part in certain events will be retained.Under these new routes the following people will now be able to enter the United Kingdom using a dedicated new visa: sportspeople and support staff coming for specific events, such as Wimbledon; amateur sportspeople joining United Kingdom amateur teams for up to six months; professional entertainers coming to the United Kingdom to take part in music competitions; amateur entertainers travelling to the United Kingdom for a specific engagement; professional entertainers coming to take part in a charity show or where they will receive no fee; and professional and amateur entertainers taking part in a 'permit-free festival' such as the Edinburgh Festival.All of the changes set out in the document published today will sit alongside the Points Based System, which replaces around eighty different work permit routes with just five tiers.Those travelling into the United Kingdom are locked 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.

New Work Permit Codes of Practice This page explains the codes of practice that you must use to check the skill level and appropriate rate for the job you want to employ the migrant for, and advice on where to advertise the job. Sponsoring skilled workers Before you can sponsor a skilled migrant, you need to check that the job you are sponsoring them to do meets the conditions of the sponsored skilled worker tier. the job must be skilled at N/SVQ level 3 or above; andthe job must be paid at the appropriate rate or above; andyou must normally have carried out a resident labour market test for the job before sponsoring a migrant. If the job does not meet the conditions of the code of practice, you cannot issue a certificate of sponsorship. See the resident labour market test for more information about the types of application where you do not have to carry out the test. Even if you do not have to carry out the test, you need to check the codes of practice to check that the job is skilled and that it is paid at the appropriate rate. The migrant will still need to score enough points to qualify under the skilled migrant tier. If the job meets the conditions above, this does not necessarily mean that the migrant's application will be approved. back to top What each code includes Each code includes the following: the skilled jobs at National or Scottish Vocational Qualification (NVQ or SVQ) level 3 or above in each occupation that sponsors are allowed to issue a certificate of sponsorship for;the minimum appropriate salary rates, as defined by the 25th percentile of the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) or by an alternative code of practice;the acceptable media and methods for meeting the resident labour market test. back to top How the codes have been developed These codes of practice have been drawn up based on advice from industry experts and the Migration Advisory Committee. They are the official guidance for sponsors and caseworkers. back to top The codes Section A - agriculture, forestry and fishing (PDF 193K opens in a new window) Section B - mining and quarrying (PDF 56K opens in a new window) Section C - manufacturing (PDF 514K opens in a new window) Section D - electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply (PDF 83K opens in a new window) Section E - water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities (PDF 68K opens in a new window) Section F - construction (PDF 307K opens in a new window) Section G - wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (PDF 95K opens in a new window) Section H - transportation and storage (PDF 239K opens in a new window) Section I - accommodation and food service activities (PDF 216K opens in a new window) Section J - information and communication (PDF 175K opens in a new window) Section K - financial and insurance activities (PDF 200K opens in a new window) Section L - real estate activities (PDF 91K opens in a new window) Section M - professional, scientific and technical activities (PDF 450K opens in a new window) Section N - administrative and support service activities (PDF 310K opens in a new window) Section O - public administration and defence, compulsory social security (PDF 260K opens in a new window) Section P - education (PDF 202K opens in a new window) Section Q - human health and social work activities (PDF 517K opens in a new window) Section R - arts, entertainment and recreation (PDF 235K opens in a new window) Section S - other service activities (PDF 316K opens in a new window)

Strict new jobs list for migrant workers   A strict new list of shortage jobs which targets migration better at the needs of British businesses, while reinforcing the selective approach of the new Australian-style points based system, was presented to the Home Office today by independent advisors. The recommended shortage occupation list would bring in a more flexible, larger set of work categories but would see the number of individual positions open to migrants reduced by 30 per cent. The Home Office tasked the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), an independent panel of economists, with overhauling the current shortage occupation list and will now pressure test their recommendations carefully before publishing the final list in October. The MAC's recommended list follows the most comprehensive study of its kind ever conducted anywhere in the world. It reduces the number of jobs open to migrants from one million to 700,000. The list also defines more tightly which positions cannot easily be filled by resident workers. Border and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said: "Our new Australian-style points system is flexible to meet the needs of British business while ensuring that only those we want and no more can come here to work. This tough new shortage occupation list supports that. "This strict list means 30 per cent fewer jobs are available to migrants via the shortage occupation route. "Those that do come will need to work hard, play by the rules and speak English." The final shortage occupation list will be published by the Home Office next month ahead of the skilled worker tier of the points system - known as Tier 2 - coming on-line in November. Tier 2 will ensure that opportunities for British jobseekers are maintained by requiring companies to prove they cannot fill the post with a resident worker before recruiting from outside Europe. To get in under Tier 2 skilled foreign workers must have: a good grasp of English;prospective earnings of more than £24,000 or have a good qualification; andenough money to support themselves for the first month of their stay. The MAC report recommends that sectors should develop training strategies and look beyond migration for new recruits, which directly supports the Government's aim to upskill the British workforce and ensure Britain remains a global leader in skills. Mr Byrne said: "We are grateful for the work the Migration Advisory Committee has carried out. We will be pressure testing their conclusions before publishing our final list in October, so that the points system can come online just as we promised - on time. "Our tough new points system plus our plans for newcomers to earn their citizenship will reduce overall numbers of economic migrants coming to Britain and the numbers awarded permanent settlement. "Crucially, the points system means only the migrants with the skills Britain needs can come - and no more. Unlike made-up quotas, this stops Government cutting business off from the skills it needs when they need them."

Points Based System This year we began the roll-out of our points-based system - the biggest shake-up of our immigration system for 45 years. At the end of November the Border Agency will be launching the skilled worker tier (tier 2) and the temporary worker tier (tier 5). Under the points-based system, employers will need a sponsor licence to bring in skilled or temporary workers from outside the European Economic Area or Switzerland. It is recommended that you make your application for a sponsor licence by 1 October if you want it to be considered in time for the opening of tiers 2 and 5. The section on sponsorship under the points-based system contains all the information you need to make your licence application.Call us and we can start the process for you:-+44(0)207 866 8170 

Employers told to prepare for PBS The UK Border Agency called business to action today through the launch of a new TV advert designed to help prepare them for the introduction of the Government's new route for skilled migrant workers going live in November. Under the Government's new Australian-style Points-Based System businesses wanting to employ skilled foreign workers from outside Europe and sponsor their entry to the UK must apply for a licence. The Agency is committed to supporting industry through the introduction of the rules to ensure legitimate businesses do not fall foul of the new regime and only those with the skills the country needs will be able to work or study here and no more. The advert, which depicts a man being forced to jump over hurdles before being considered for entry to the UK, sends a clear message that those that do not play by the rules will not get in - businesses that want to hire illegal workers face huge fines and being barred from hiring workers from outside the EEA. UK Border Agency Chief Executive Lin Homer said: "The Points-Based System is one of the biggest shake-ups to the immigration system in a generation ensuring only those with the skills we need will be able to work or study here and no more. "Our message to businesses is loud and clear - if you want to employ foreign workers from outside the EEA, you need to apply now for a sponsor licence. Business benefits from migrant labour but must join us in helping crack down on illegal working and ensure a system which is both firm and fair." Earlier this year the Home Office unveiled the criteria which businesses will have to meet to become a sponsor under the Points-Based System. These are that: any business must register with the Agency as a sponsor before they can bring foreign workers from outside the EEA into the UK to work; andas a condition of keeping their licence, sponsors will need to alert us if migrants do not comply with their immigration conditions - for example if they disappear or do not turn up for their job or course. Any sponsor that does not comply with this requirement will risk losing its licence. Most businesses using Tier 2 have been able to register as sponsors since February this year, with all remaining sponsors being able to apply since late July. From November, those who register successfully will be able to sponsor new foreign workers to work in the UK or support those already in the UK who want to stay. To get in under Tier 2 (General) skilled foreign workers must have: enough points through their qualifications and potential earnings;a good grasp of English language; andenough money to support themselves for the first month of their stay. The new Points-Based System is just one part of the biggest shake up to immigration and border security in 45 years, along with fingerprint visas for anyone wanting to come to the UK and compulsory ID cards for foreign nationals.

Strict Guidelines for Students Foreign students hoping to come to the UK to study will have to meet strict new criteria, the Government announced today. The Home Office has published proposals for much tighter rules for foreign students - and the universities and colleges hosting them - under the student tier of its new Points Based System. All colleges and universities that want to recruit foreign students will now need a licence to do so and will have to take greater responsibility for their international students, helping Government crack down on bogus colleges who abuse the system. For the first time education providers face a ban on bringing over international students if they fail to follow strict new rules - including alerting the UK Border Agency (UKBA) if students fail to enrol. Students will also face stringent new criteria if they want to study in the UK, ensuring only those who benefit Britain can come. Before they can study here, foreign students must: be sponsored by a UKBA-licensed education institution;prove that they have the means to support themselves and their families while studying here; andsupply their fingerprints. Stricter rules on work placements for students will also ensure that the UK's labour market is protected. Border and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said: "All those who come to Britain must play by the rules. It is right that foreign students wanting to take advantage of our world-class universities and colleges must meet strict criteria. "By locking people to one identity with ID cards, alongside a tough new sponsorship system, we will know exactly who is coming here to study and crack down on bogus colleges." Visas will only be granted to students who show a proven track record in education and are applying for a course that meets a minimum level of qualification. They must also be able to demonstrate they can financially support themselves and any of their dependants. Students on courses for longer than 12 months will have to show they have sufficient funds to pay their first year of fees, plus £9,600 to cover their first year in the UK. Students wishing to bring their dependants with them will need to show they have a further £535 per month for each person they bring. Each year, international students contribute £2.5 billion to the UK economy in tuition fees alone and an overall estimated contribution of £8.5 billion. In recognition of the many economic and cultural benefits that these students bring to the UK, earlier this year the Government announced a special visa category allowing successful international students who have graduated from a British university to work in the UK for up to two years. Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell said: "I welcome the education sector's involvement in developing a structure that allows international students to benefit from the excellent educational experience the UK offers, while giving them the opportunity to work in the UK for two years following graduation. "However, I will not tolerate the minority of individuals who seek to damage the quality of our education system through bogus colleges. This is why we have introduced tighter checks to the current Register of Education and Training Providers. The new system will toughen this process further and give extra protection from the damage bogus colleges can cause." Under the new system education providers who want to teach foreign nationals must be granted a licence by the UKBA, they can then sponsor students to come to the UK. Without a confirmation of acceptance for studies issued to them by their sponsoring institution a student's visa application will not be considered. It also acts as a pledge from the college or university that they accept responsibility for the student while they are in the UK. Universities and colleges face losing their licence if they fail to: keep copies of all their foreign students' passports;keep and update their students' contact details;alert the UKBA to any students who fail to enrol on their course;report unauthorised absences to the UKBA; andinform the UKBA if any student stops their studies. The sponsorship register for colleges and universities opened for applications this week. Internationalworkpermits.com still assist in student applications, IGS extensions and the Tier 1 (post-study work)

Marriage visa age raised. Marriage visa age raised to prevent forced marriages  The age at which someone can apply for a marriage visa will increase from 18 to 21 as part of a crackdown on forced marriage, the Home Office announced today. Statistics show that 30 per cent of the cases dealt with by the Government's Forced Marriage Unit involved victims aged between 18 and 21. The new steps significantly strengthen the safeguards against forced marriage. The five key proposals announced today are to: raise the age of sponsorship for a marriage visa from 18 to 21;ask foreign spouses to enter into an agreement to learn English before they come to the UK;introduce a power to revoke leave to remain where there is evidence that the marriage route has been abused;require all sponsors to register their intention to marry overseas before they leave the UK; andensure through a code of practice that specialist teams can identify vulnerable people at risk of forced marriage. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "Forced marriage leads to victims suffering years of physical and mental abuse and - in extreme cases - unlawful imprisonment and rape. It has no place in our society. That is why the Government is determined to do everything it can to stamp it out and to ensure that victims receive the help and support they need. "That is why we are raising the age limit for visas, checking anyone entering into a marriage does so of their own free will, and demanding that those coming to the UK learn English." Any British citizen applying to 'sponsor' someone to come to the UK as their spouse will have to declare their intention before they leave the UK and marry abroad. This will mean that a young person will know in advance that a marriage will take place overseas and who their prospective partner will be. Practical guidance is also being introduced so the UK Border Agency staff can spot any risk of abuse or those who are vulnerable to forced marriage and prevent them from being coerced into marriage. In these cases we will make clear what the rights of victims are and how the marriage visa will be dealt with. Tough new rules will mean that anyone abusing the marriage visa system will be removed from the UK by the UKBA under a new power to revoke people's right to stay in the country. The Government believes that those who stay in the UK must have a good grasp of English to ensure they integrate into British life. Before they come to the UK, spouses will need to sign up to an agreement to learn English. Soon after their arrival, the UKBA will check they are fulfilling their promise. If they are not, their leave could be cancelled. Border and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne: "British citizens have the right to marry whoever they choose. But we want newcomers to succeed in our society and sign up to the standards we have in common. That means freedom, not being forced to marry someone, and it means newcomers quickly acquiring a command of English, with consequences for those who break the rules." New guidelines will help ensure that police, teachers and health workers can recognise the signs of a forced marriage, take action and help victims escape. A consultation published today will ensure the Government gets this advice for workers right. Today we are also publishing the Government's response to the Home Affairs Committee Report on Domestic Violence, Forced Marriage and "Honour"-Based Violence, published on 7 June. The new proposals on marriage visas fulfil a number of recommendations from the Home Affairs Committee, relating to forced marriage This work shows the Government's commitment to preventing forced marriage and supporting its victims.hsmp extension forum ltd  

HSMP Transitional Policy document released 17th July: The Home Office / Border Agency have now implemented the new Highly Skilled Migration Programme (HSMP) transitional arrangements for those looking to extend under HSMP / Tier 1. The HSMP Forum judicial review judgement of the 8 April 2008 has changed how we apply HSMP extensions. You are covered by the judgment if you joined HSMP under the arrangements in place until the programme was suspended on 7 November 2006. You are not covered by the judgement if you joined the HSMP under the arrangements in place from 5 December 2006.Also... applicants on the International Graduates Scheme can now extend for a further year under the new Tier 1 (Post-Study Work) scheme. This and all other work permit / visa applications can be done on a "no visa no fee" basis. Call us for assistance in this or any other immigration matter: 02078668170 hsmp extension forum ltd  

Newcomers must "earn the right" to stay in the UK  Foreign nationals wishing to become British citizens will have to earn the right to stay, the Government announced today. The tough new approach will require all migrants to speak English and obey the law if they want to gain citizenship and stay permanently in Britain, while speeding up the path to citizenship for those who contribute to the community. The reforms are at the centre of a sweeping overhaul of all immigration laws dating back to 1971 and confirm new modern laws reserving full access to benefits and social housing will be reserved for citizens and permanent residents. Foreign nationals who commit serious offences will face automatic consideration for deportation - and even minor offences will delay access to citizenship by up to three years. Public support for the proposals was confirmed by new Home Office polling released today. A Mori poll carried out for the Home Office revealed that: 70 per cent of the public think that newcomers should earn the right to stay in Britain;83 per cent think that immigrants in Britain should be made to learn English; and69 per cent agree that newcomers should be penalised on the path to citizenship if they don't obey Britain's laws. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "In recent months we have listened to people across Britain and the message is clear - they want those who want to make Britain their home to speak English, to work hard, and to earn the right to stay here. "We are making the biggest changes to our immigration system for a generation, and part of that is making sure those who stay in the UK make a positive impact on their local community." The draft Immigration and Citizenship Bill published today replaces ten Acts of Parliament and enshrines into law the Government's biggest ever shake-up of the immigration system. The key measures are: Strong borders 1. new powers for frontline UKBA officers at foreign ports and airports to cancel visas. 2. bringing customs and immigration powers at the border into the 21st century, consolidating and strengthening civil penalties for bringing passengers without the right papers and clandestine entrants to the UK. Selective migration 3. the Bill proposes a clear legal duty on migrants to ensure they have permission to be in the UK, for example under our new points system. 4. the Bill introduces a single, streamlined power of expulsion for those without permission. Earning the right to stay 5. migrants will now have to earn their right to stay in the UK. 6. automatic bans on returns with new powers to exclude offenders and powers to require those who are expelled to repay costs to taxpayers if we allow them to come back. Playing by the rules 7. the Bill gives a new power to require large 'bail bonds' for those awaiting decisions or expulsion, part of a tough menu of conditions for "Immigration bail" as an alternative to detention. 8. confirming tough measures to prevent organised illegal immigration by attacking illegal working with civil penalties for employers who do not make the necessary checks. 9. simplifying our appeals system to cut red-tape; ensuring that the system is properly sensitive to the needs of vulnerable groups: honouring our international obligations to refugees and ensuring the UKBA safeguards and promotes the welfare of children. Managing any local impacts 10. full access to benefits for citizens and permanent residents, with migrants contributing a little extra to the cost of local services. The Home Office confirmed that newcomers will have to pay a little extra before they become citizens to create a fund of tens of millions of pounds a year to help police, schools, councils and local health services to use the money to deal with the short-term pressures of migration in their areas. Border and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said: "Britain is not anti-foreigner, we're a welcoming, tolerant place. But we do expect newcomers to sign up to a deal if they want to stay and build a life in Britain. "The public overwhelmingly supports the idea of newcomers earning their right to stay. Today we show how we'll make these ideas law, hand in hand with our new points system for selective migration, like the one that's worked so well in Australia." These changes are part of the biggest shake-up to the immigration system for a generation, and to make sure these changes stick today's Bill will see the currently complex immigration laws replaced by one simplified piece of legislation. By updating the law, and getting rid of any room for misinterpretation, the UK Border Agency can cut red tape and accelerate the speed of its work.Bristish citizenship uk work permits  

Highly Skilled Migrant Programme Forum judicial review Guidance and application forms will be published in the week beginning 14 July for migrants who currently hold HSMP leave and need to apply for an extension. Guidance and application forms for the other groups covered by the judgment will follow as soon as possible thereafter. If you have an application pending for an extension in Tier 1 (General), your application will be assessed in accordance with the requirements for an extension that were in place before 7 November 2006. You will not need to make a new application. You are covered by the judgment if you joined the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) under the arrangements in place until the programme was suspended on 7 November 2006. You are not covered by the judgment if you joined the HSMP under the arrangements in place from 5 December 2006. International Work Permits would be happy to clarify any doubts you have and to assist in making any applications to the Border and Immigration Agency. 

Switching Your IGS application Newsflash 2008:- The POST STUDY WORK category came into affect in July 2008 and allows the UK to retain the brightest foreign students who have studied in a UK educational establishment. It is part of the new Tier 1 category and will not require a sponsor [unlike business work permits]. Those with student visas in the UK under Post-Study Work are expected to switch into another part of the points system (whether Tier 1 or another Tier) as soon as they are eligible for another visa. If you are currently under the old International Graduates Scheme then you can extend under Post-Study Work [Transitional arrangements]

UK Immigration Changes: 7 July 2008 This page explains how applications to come to work in the United Kingdom will be affected by the new points-based system NOTE: Work categories will close and be replaced with new ones. The tables below tell you: when we expect the current categories to close;under which new category of the points-based system you may be able to apply instead; andwhen we expect to introduce that new category. (In most cases when we close one category and open the new one, we will do it overnight to ensure minimum disruption to applicants.) Some categories are still under review or will not be replaced by the points-based system. Details of these categories are at the bottom of this page. If you are a highly skilled worker, investor, entrepreneur or graduate of a United Kingdom university   Former category for applying to work in the United Kingdom When does the category close? Appropriate new category of the points-based system When can I applyto the new category?    HIGHLY SKILLED WORKERS   Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) 29 June 2008 Highly skilled worker (Tier 1 General) 30 June 2008 Self-employed lawyers 29 June 2008 Highly skilled worker (Tier 1 General) 30 June 2008 Writers, composers and artists 29 June 2008 Highly skilled worker (Tier 1 General) 30 June 2008    INVESTORS   Investors 29 June 2008 Tier 1 Investor 30 June 2008    ENTREPRENEURS   Business persons 29 June 2008 Tier 1 Entrepreneur 30 June 2008 Innovators 29 June 2008 Tier 1 Entrepreneur 30 June 2008    GRADUATES OF UNITED KINGDOM UNIVERSITIES   Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme 29 June 2008 Tier 1 Post-study work 30 June 2008 International Graduates Scheme 29 June 2008 Tier 1 Post-study work 30 June 2008 If you are a sponsored skilled worker with a job offer   Former category for applying to work in the United Kingdom When does the category close? Appropriate new categoryof the points-based system When can I apply tothe new category?    SPONSORED SKILLED WORKERS   Most work permits but not: sports or creative people for less than 12 months (see sponsored temporary workers below);some training and work experience schemes (see sponsored temporary workers below);General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS - see sponsored temporary workers below); andvoluntary workers (see sponsored temporary workers below). November 2008 Sponsored worker (Tier 2 General) November 2008 Overseas qualified nurses and midwives (with a job offer) November 2008 Sponsored worker (Tier 2 General) November 2008 Representatives of overseas media organisations November 2008 Sponsored worker (Tier 2 General) November 2008 airport ground crew November 2008 Sponsored worker (Tier 2 General) November 2008 some seafarers including those working on vessels on one-port voyages November 2008 Sponsored worker (Tier 2 General) November 2008    MINISTERS OF RELIGION   Ministers of religion November 2008 Sponsored worker (Tier 2 Ministers of religion) - for pastoral rolethat includes preaching to a congregation November 2008    SPORTS PEOPLE   elite sports people or coaches at the highest level November 2008 Sponsored worker (Tier 2 Sports people) November 2008

Plans to speed up travel between UK and US 3rd July:- The Home Office today announced plans to speed up travel between the UK and the US for trusted people who move regularly between the two countries. Border and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne MP presented details of the agreement signed with the US Government as he and Economic Secretary to the Treasury Kitty Ussher MP met with City representatives today. The new scheme would benefit trusted travellers who travel frequently between the two countries, underlining the importance of speedy travel between the UK and the US. The agreement sets out the shared determination to develop a swift channel across the two borders for trusted travellers, which uses fingerprint, iris or facial recognition technology to speed-up border controls while maintaining their security. This builds on the success of the UKBA's IRIS scheme for trusted travellers, which enables registered passengers to enter the UK without queuing, following an eye scan. Already over 200,000 people have enrolled and over 1 million crossings have taken place since its launch in March 2006. Border and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said, "Speedy travel between the UK and the US is crucial to large financial organisations. That is why today I was delighted to meet representatives of large City employers, including foreign banks, to announce an agreement made with the US to speed up movement between the US and the UK for trusted people who regularly travel between the two countries." Also today, Liam Byrne and Kitty Ussher agreed to publish further details on how the new Points Based System for those seeking work in the UK will apply to the financial industry. The document, which will be jointly developed by the Corporation of London, HM Treasury and the Home Office and published in September, will set out how the new points system will impact on employers and workers in the City. Economic Secretary Kitty Ussher said: "We know the huge contribution that the talented people who come to work here make to our financial services sector in particular - around a quarter of senior managers in finance and business in London are born abroad. "That is why the Treasury, the Corporation of London and the Home Office will shortly be publishing some practical guidance about how the Points Based System will work for the financial services sector." 

UK's New Post Study Work 30 June 2008 You will need a total of 95 points to be able to apply under the post-study work scheme which has now replaced the International Graduates Scheme. How many points you must score for your attributes You must score a total of at least 75 points for a United Kingdom qualification, studying at a United Kingdom institution, your immigration status during United Kingdom study and/or research and the date of award of qualification, which are known as attributes. The points available are: Attributes Points available United Kingdom qualification 20 Studied at United Kingdom institution 20 Immigration status during United Kingdom study and/or research 20 Date of award of qualification 15 English language 10 Maintenance (funds) 15 How many points you must score for English language You will automatically score 10 points for English language if you score 75 points for your attributes. How many points you must score for maintenance (funds) You must score 10 points for maintenance (funds) or your application will be refused. 

New Rules for short-term visitors 25 June 2008  Tough new sanctions will be imposed on people who fail to ensure family members visiting from abroad play by the rules, the Government announced today. People will have to become licensed to sponsor family members to visit from abroad under proposed changes to the visa system. Sponsors will have a duty to ensure that their visitors leave before their visa runs out. If sponsors fail in their duties, they face a ban on bringing anyone else over, penalties of up to £5,000 or a jail sentence. The new sponsored family visa is just one of the firm but fair changes being made to the short-term visa system which will sit alongside the Government's new Points Based System introduced earlier this year. Further proposals announced today include: introducing two new business visas for sportspeople and entertainers;setting the maximum leave for visitors at six months;introducing an appeal system for those coming in under the family route;a new short-term, low-cost group travel visa to promote British tourism; anda visa for people coming to the UK for one-off cultural events such as the Edinburgh Festival. Border and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said: "Now we are introducing an Australian-style points system for selective migration, it makes sense to tighten visit visas at the same time. "The changes I am announcing today will help create a fairer Britain with fair treatment for those who play by the rules, but tough action against those who break the law. "We want the UK to stay open and attractive for both business and visitors. But at the same time we are determined to deliver a system of border security which is among the most secure in the world." Also today, the Home Office announced plans for two new visitor routes for sportspeople and entertainers, recognising the important contribution these individuals make to British cultural life. Under these new routes the following sportspeople and entertainers will now be able to enter the UK for up to six months: sportspeople and support staff coming for specific events;amateur sportspeople joining UK amateur teams;professional entertainers coming to the UK to take part in music competitions;amateur entertainers travelling to the UK for a specific engagement;professional entertainers coming to take part in a charity show or where they will receive no fee; andprofessional and amateur entertainers taking part in a 'permit-free festival'. Welcoming today's announcement, Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe said: "If we are going to make the UK the world's best cultural and sporting nation by 2012 then we need to make sure that talented sportspeople and entertainers from all over the world come here to take part in the many sporting events, festivals, and shows we have on offer. Their presence makes our country a richer, more inspiring place to live and encourages more tourists to visit. We want next year to be a golden decade of sport, so it's good news that sportsmen and women competing in events here will keep the concessions that they previously enjoyed." The tourism industry already brings £85 billion into the UK each year. To encourage even more tourists a new shorter three-month group visa is being proposed at a possible reduced cost of £44. Today the Home Office also set out its intention to keep the maximum leave for tourists at six months and to introduce a visa that would allow people to come to the UK for big one-off sporting or cultural events. All of the changes outlined in today's document follow a consultation, which ran from December 2007 to March this year. In total 604 responses were received, the majority of which came from individual members of the public. Uniquely, this consultation process included engagement with foreign communities abroad, as well as UK communities at home. Liam Byrne said: "We know that many people have a stake in us getting this policy right. So we didn't just run an old fashioned consultation. I travelled around the UK listening to people, and led my own delegation of community leaders and businessmen to India to review first hand some of the issues in one of our most important overseas markets." All of the changes proposed by the document published today will sit alongside the Points Based System, which replaced around eighty different work permit routes with just five tiers. Those travelling into the UK are locked 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 roll out of ID cards for all foreign nationals.

Highly Skilled Migrant Programme 23 June 2008  On Monday 30 June 2008, Tier 1 of the new points-based system will open globally. On that date, we will complete the roll-out of Tier 1 (General) worldwide and introduce the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur), Tier 1 (Investor) and Tier 1 (Post Study Work) categories. Tier 1 will replace eight existing immigration categories. The categories that will be replaced are: the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) ; business people (persons intending to establish themselves in business); Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme; International Graduates Scheme ; innovators; investors;self-employed lawyers and writers;writers, composers and artists. Any applications submitted under these categories on or after the 30 June 2008 will be returned to the applicant and will be considered as invalid. Anyone currently in the United Kingdom under one of these categories who wishes to extend their stay will need to apply under the appropriate Tier 1 category of the points-based system when their existing permission to stay ends. All Tier 1 applications must be made by post; it is not possible to make your application at a public enquiry office, however internationalworkpermits.com will do this for you Tier 1 of the points-based system covers highly skilled migrants. The tier will consist of four sub-categories: Tier 1 (General);Tier 1 (Investors); Tier 1 (Entrepreneurs);Tier 1 (Post Study Work) . Information about the Tier 1 (General) sub-category is already available from this website. Information about the other sub-categories will be published on 30 June 2008

Tier 1 to replace HSMP The UK government have announced the introduction of a new system for assessing highly skilled migrants wanting to come to the UK to work. Tier 1 of the new Australian style points based system (PBS) will come into effect on 30 June. This system has already been in force for applicants applying from India since 29th February 2008, but will now spread across to all other countries Worldwide.The points system means only those migrants Britain needs can come to the UK. Tier 1 builds upon the success of the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme and is aimed at attracting applicants who have the very highest skills or who wish to establish themselves in business or to invest in the UK. Further tiers relating to students, workers with a job offer and temporary workers will be rolled out over the next 12 months.Applicants will still earn points for their qualifications, previous earnings, competence in English language and ability to support themselves and their dependents.  If in any doubt, call us and we will assist you in your application.  

IGS to be replaced on the 30 June 2008 Today International Work Permits were informed in writing of the current changes to the International Graduates Scheme (IGS) by the Border Agency. On the 30th June applications for IGS, Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme and Writers, Artists and composers will no longer be accepted on a "same day service " at the UK Home Office / Border Agency. These applications will fall under the new Tier 1 'points based system '. Furthermore, the IGS visa will be scrapped and replaced by the new Post study work visa which will be valid for 2 years. As with IGS, you have to apply within 12 months of obtaining your degree results. Applicants who are already on IGS will be able to extend there visas for another 1 year under this scheme. Guidance will be issued at the end of this month and International Work Permits will be able to present such applications to the Border Agency. Call us if in any doubt: 0207 866 8170

Government report on economic migration 12 June 2008 The economic case for migration was reinforced today as the Government published its response to the House of Lords Committee's report on the economic impacts of migration. The Government overwhelmingly agreed with the Committee's recommendations, including the argument that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per head should be the key test against which migration policy is judged. Ministers noted that since 1997 the UK has topped the G7 league table for growth in real GDP per head. In addition, the Government presented evidence showing that immigration has made a positive contribution to the GDP per capita of people born in the UK. The Government underlined its estimate that new migration added 0.5 per cent per annum to trend output growth between mid-2001 and mid-2006, by increasing the growth of the working age population, equivalent to £6bn in 2006 - a figure roughly equivalent to the size of the UK agriculture and fishing industry. The Government and independent research continues to find no significant evidence of negative employment effects from migration. In fact, immigration has contributed to the success of the UK economy by helping to meet labour and skills shortages in the public and private sectors. Migration leads to an improved match between vacancies and available labour, and British workers may learn new skills from working alongside migrant workers. The evidence suggests that migrants on average make a stronger net fiscal contribution than those born in the UK. Government agreed that radical reform was needed but strongly argued the new points system was far more effective than a cap because it covered more than twice as many people. Speaking today Border and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said: "The simple truth is that if we want migration to benefit Britain we have to be very selective. That's why our points system will cover twice as many people as a cap. "The bottom line is that our points system is wider in reach and faster to change than any other alternative. It has worked well in Australia for years and it will work well here. "With powerful controls in place, migration can make Britain richer and that's what we're blunt about with the House of Lords today. The evidence is actually pretty clear. On average migrants are more likely to be in work, earn more and are therefore likely to be paying more tax, and are a lighter burden on public finances than those born in the UK. "Our job now is to make sure migration does even more to profit Britain, economically and culturally. That is why when the points system started we set a zero cap on low skilled migration from outside Europe and made sure newcomers master English. "But we should be candid that rapid change can and has created pressures, which is why Hazel Blears' cross-government plan published today is so welcome and why we propose asking newcomers to pay a little extra to pay for extra help where it is needed."Skilled migration for people applying outside the UK [other than India] can apply for the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme [HSMP] . For people applying within the UK, the Border and Immigration Agency have set up the new Tier 1 general skilled migration . Prospective migrants can also apply for sponsored work permits providing it's a skilled job and one that requires qualifications / experience in that particular field of expertise. Call us if in any doubt: 0207 866 8170

Changes to UK's Shortage Occupation List 9 June 2008  As a result of these changes by the UK Government, work permit applications for electricity generation engineers and high integrity pipe welders will no longer need to be subject to a full resident labour market test.  The electricity generation engineer occupations relate only to the electricity generating industry. They are: mechanical engineer;senior project mechanical engineer;project mechanical engineer;electrical engineer;senior project electrical engineer;project electrical engineer;senior project civil engineer;project civil engineer;system health engineer (nuclear);design engineer (nuclear);work cycle planner (nuclear);shift or team leader;production controller;plant process engineer;network planners;network design engineers;senior project control and instrumentation engineer;project control and instrumentation engineer;senior project control engineer;central control room supervisor;assistant engineer (shift operations);performance engineer;system infrastructure engineer;assistant chemist;reactor physicist;assistant reactor physicist; andassistant physicist. Amendments to occupation titles on the shortage list Amendments: the occupation titles for chartered quantity surveyor and pharmacist on the current shortage list to read: quantity surveyor; andpharmacist (including pre-registration pharmacists). These amendments follow consultation with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the NHS workforce review team.Contact internationalworkpermits.com if in any doubt

Eastern European Migration Falls 21 May 2008  Quarterly asylum, accession monitoring and Bulgarian and Romanian statistics published today. The number of Eastern Europeans applying to work in the UK has dropped to its lowest level since 2005, according to statistics published by the Home Office today. The figures show that in January to March 2008 there were 45,000 applications from nationals of the eight countries that joined the EU in 2004 - down 13 per cent from the same period in the previous year, when there were 52,000. The number of Bulgarians and Romanians applying to work in the UK has also dropped to its lowest level with only 8,205 applications from A2 nationals in the first three months of this year, compared to 10,420 in the same period last year. In other statistics published today, the number of asylum applications, including dependants, fell from 8,140 in the last quarter of 2007 to 7,705 in the first quarter of 2008 - a drop of five per cent. Internationally the UK has now dropped from third to fifth in asylum application levels. Across Europe in 2007 applications for asylum rose 13 per cent while falling in the UK by one per cent. Today's figures confirm the UK Border Agency continues to remove an immigration offender every eight minutes. In the first three months of this year 3,025 failed asylum seekers, including dependants, were removed from the UK, up from 2,965 in the last quarter of 2007. On top of this, Home Office figures show that another 13,740 illegal immigrants, excluding asylum seekers, were removed in the same period - a big increase of 20 per cent on the same period last year. The figures underline the Government's shift to prioritise the expulsion of lawbreakers and illegal immigrants, alongside failed asylum seekers. The Home Office is targeting the removal of a record 5,000 foreign national prisoners in 2008, 110 per cent higher than two years ago. To speed up the removal process further still, the Government yesterday announced that the immigration detention estate would be increased from its current capacity by 60 per cent, with between 1,300 and 1,500 spaces for immigration offenders.Border and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said: "Today's figures show our shake-up of border security is delivering results with asylum applications falling yet again. While in Europe last year asylum applications rose by 13 per cent, in the UK they fell to their lowest point since 1993. "People in Britain welcome legal migrants who work hard and play by the rules. But we will not tolerate law breakers, which is why we will prioritise their expulsion from Britain. We are continuing to remove one person every eight minutes, last year that included a record number of foreign prisoners. "Our deportation numbers are going up and they need to carry on rising. That's why yesterday I announced plans for an increase in capacity of up to 60 per cent in the detention estate, with up to 1,500 extra spaces for immigration offenders." Earlier this year Liam Byrne announced his milestones for 2008, already these sweeping changes are coming in to effect with a tough new Australian style Points Based System (PBS) to allow only the workers Britain needs, the fingerprinting of any visa applicant from across the globe and from November compulsory ID cards for foreign nationals.

Tier 1 (General) news Tier 1 (General) of the points-based system policy guidance 19 May 2008  Normally, when applying to Tier 1 (General) and claiming points for a professional qualification, we require applicants to show that they hold a qualification that is recognised by UKNARIC as being equivalent to a UK degree at either Bachelor, Masters or PHD level. They may also need to show this to claim points for UK Experience for initial applications. However, at this time UKNARIC is unable to verify the full range of professional qualifications. We have therefore put transitional arrangements in place for establishing the level of professional qualifications that are not included on the self-assessment tool . If applicants are unable to find their professional qualification on the self-assessment tool we will instead accept an original letter from the appropriate UK professional body confirming their qualification is equivalent to a UK degree at either Bachelor, Masters or PHD level. This letter must be original, on the official letter-headed paper or stationery of the appropriate UK professional body. It must have been issued by an authorised official of that organisation. The letter from the UK professional body must confirm: The name of the qualification including the country and awarding body;Which UK academic level it is equivalent to; andA named contact within the appropriate UK professional body. For applicants extending their leave under Tier1 from a preceding period of HSMP leave, we do not need a letter of equivalency from a professional body as outlined above if the applicant is claiming points for a professional qualification that we have previously accepted as equivalent to UK degree level or above. Please note that professional qualifications can not be used to claim points under the English Language Proficiency requirement.

Biometric Testing Do you travel to the UK frequently, either on business or for leisure or family purposes? Like many other countries, the UK has introduced the collection of biometric data of all visa applicants. This is a quick and simple process involving a ten finger scan which enables us to keep you safe and identify you as someone that we know and trust. To demonstrate the value the UK places upon travellers who chose to visit the UK regularly, the UK Border Agency is providing the option of a long-term, multiple entry, premium visit visa. The long-term premium visa includes the following benefits: • allows unlimited entries to the UK, for up to six months at any one time, for the validity of the visa• saves you time - you only need to provide your biometric data once during the whole validity of the visa• identifies the holder as a person known and trusted by the UK government• helps to protect customers from identity theft• prevents mistaken identity (i.e. preventing confusing an individual with another person bearing the same or similar name)• protects the holder against any future visa fee increases for the validity of the long-term visa. A long-term premium visa demonstrates our long-term commitment to our valued and trusted customers. In addition, customers can apply to enrol in the automatic iris recognition system at UK ports, which facilitates 'fast track' admission by the use of automatic booths, avoiding queues.

New rules for skilled foreign workers 06 May 2008 Foreign workers hoping to fill skilled vacancies in Britain's labour market will have to meet strict new criteria, the Government announced today. The Home Office today published proposals for much tighter skilled and temporary worker tiers of its new Points Based System (PBS) . The schemes - known as Tier 2 and Tier 5 - sweep aside around 30 different routes to the UK, including the old work permit system . British-based companies will have to prove they cannot fill skilled posts with a resident worker and must show that the job vacancy has been advertised in the UK, unless the job is on the shortage occupation list. Would-be migrants will need a job offer before they even apply for a visa. To qualify, 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 are earning more than £24,000, or have a decent qualification. Employers will need a licence from the UK Border Agency to offer jobs to skilled workers. Alongside today's proposals, Home Office analysis showed if the tighter Tier 2 and 5 rules had been in place last year, close to ten per cent fewer skilled and temporary migrants from outside the EEA would have been allowed into Britain to work in equivalent categories - around 20,000 people. In addition the Home Office confirmed that from this year low skilled workers from outside the EU will be barred.Employers who break the rules and employ illegal workers are already facing much tougher sanctions. Figures released by the Home Office today show that in the first 80 days of the new illegal working regime - introduced at the end of February this year - 137 businesses were issued with Notices of Potential Liability worth almost half a million pounds. Under the old regime there were only 11 successful prosecutions last year. This means that the number facing punishment since the regime began is more than ten times greater than the entire number of prosecutions last year. Civil penalties were introduced to make it easier than ever to fine those employers who give jobs to people with no right to work without carrying out the proper checks.The Government also today revealed its proposals for Tier 5 of the PBS which covers those travelling temporarily to the UK for primarily non-economic reasons, such as sportspeople, entertainers and charity workers. To ensure entertainers continue to contribute to British cultural life, those coming to the UK for permit-free gigs or festivals - such as the Edinburgh Fringe - will be assessed outside of the PBS under visitor visa rules. The Government is due to publish details of the new visitor visa category in the near future. For applicants with a degree qualification, the Home Office still accept Tier 1 hsmp applications .

Ban on Indian trainee doctors unlawful House of Lords Published May 1, 2008 Regina (BAPIO Action Ltd and Another) v Secretary of State for the Home Department and Another Before Lord Bingham of Cornhill, Lord Scott of Foscote, Lord Rodger of Earlsferry, Lord Carswell and Lord Mance Speeches April 30, 2008 Government guidance to National Health Service employers which had the effect of preventing overseas trainee doctors from being offered postgraduate training places in NHS hospitals was unlawful. The House of Lords so held (Lord Scott dissenting) in dismissing an appeal by the Secretary of State for Health against the decision of the Court of Appeal (Lord Justice Sedley, Lord Justice Maurice Kay and Lord Justice Rimer) ([2007] EWCA Civ 1139) allowing an appeal by the first claimant, BAPIO Action Ltd, a company established by the British Association of Physicians of India Origin, against the decision of Mr Justice Stanley Burnton ([2007] EWHC 199 (QB)) that the guidance was lawful. The judge made his order in proceedings for judicial review brought by BAPIO and a second claimant, Dr Imran Yousaf, since deceased, against the Secretary of State for the Home Department and the Secretary of State for Health challenging the guidance, which had been published on the NHS website, as well as Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules 2006 (HC 1016). Both the judge and the Court of Appeal held that (HC 1016) was not unlawful and that was not challenged in the House. Consequently, the Home Secretary no longer took any part in the proceedings. The statement of changes affected those who wished to train in the United Kingdom and then return home, whereas the guidance affected those who wished to train and remain in the UK. Prior to the guidance, international medical graduates could enter to undertake postgraduate medical training in the UK, which involved working in hospitals and receiving training as part of their employment, under the highly skilled migrant programme . That programme facilitated the entry of skilled workers who intended to make the UK their main home and who could support themselves by working. Their leave to enter would be periodically renewed to see if the conditions were still being met, with eligibility for indefinite leave to remain after five years. After a substantial increase in the number of British medical students, the Department of Health became concerned that the continued admittance of international graduates to training positions within the NHS would lead to domestic graduates being unable to obtain such positions and thus unable to complete their medical training in the United Kingdom. It had therefore published its guidance, to the effect that NHS trusts should offer training posts to international graduates only if there were no suitable candidates in the resident labour market. Mr Jonathan M. Swift and Mr Jonathan Moffett for the Secretary of State for Health; Mr Rabinder Singh, QC and Ms Janet Kentridge for BAPIO. LORD BINGHAM said that section 3 of the Immigration Act 1971 required that changes in the practice to be followed in the administration of the Act for regulating entry into, and stay in the United Kingdom of non nationals requiring leave to enter, including any rules about time limits or conditions, were to be made by immigration rules laid before Parliament. The secretary of state had argued that the guidance had been given to NHS employers to influence their conduct in the employment field. It did not purport to alter, nor did it in fact alter the immigration status of anyone. Counsel for BAPIO rejected that approach. The effect of the guidance was to subject those international graduates who had entered, or would enter, under the highly skilled programme to a new requirement, unexpressed in the immigration rules, that they should be employable as junior doctors only if they satisfied the resident labour market test. Effective access to the highly skilled programme would be impeded by inability to meet the new test and consequent inability to obtain employment and support themselves. His Lordship agreed. A new term, formally unauthorised, had been introduced into the permissions of international graduates who had entered under the highly skilled programme . The changes had not been made in the way which the 1971 Act required. LORD MANCE, concurring in the result, said that he disagreed that such a new term had been introduced. International graduates with highly skilled programme status remained free in law to seek and accept NHS employment, and NHS trusts remained free to offer them employment, without committing any offence. However, for those international graduates already in the UK with highly skilled programme status, the guidance would have undermined their legitimate expectations in a very fundamental way. They would have come here intending to make the UK their main home. Prior to the guidance, their leave to stay would have been renewed without difficulty provided the requirements for renewal were met. The introduction of a resident labour market test would have radically undermined that expectation. By issuing the guidance, the Secretary of State for Health, as one emanation of the Crown, had been exercising her prerogative to give informal guidance inconsistently with the legitimate expectations generated by the immigration rules and practice adopted by another emanation of the Crown, the Home Secretary. The inconsistency and its effects were so profound as to render such guidance invalid. His Lordship agreed that the appeal should be dismissed, but did so by a different route to that taken by Lord Bingham.

Poland Launches campaign to lure back migrant workers 1st May Immigration News: For nearly four years, Britain's construction and hospitality industries have flourished thanks to the influx of an estimated one million Polish workers – but now Poland wants them back. The Warsaw government is so worried about a national labour shortage in the professions that it plans to advertise in the UK to encourage expatriate Poles to return to the country that many of them left after it joined the European Union. According to Polish media reports, the adverts will soon appear in English and Polish-language newspapers in this country. They are part of a wider campaign by the newly elected government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who swept to power six months ago with a pledge to encourage migrant workers to return.However, there is mounting evidence that many Poles are already heading back east, particularly because the current weakness of Britain's currency means they are getting fewer zlotys for their pounds.Mr Tusk's administration has produced a brochure that it plans to give away with Polish newspapers and at the many Polish cultural centres across Britain. The Handbook for Re-Emigrants advises Poles how to find accommodation back home and apply for special loans. After Poland joined the EU in May 2004, an estimated two million people – about 10 per cent of the population – left to find work, predominantly in Britain and Ireland. But while the British and Irish economies benefited from the influx of cheap and willing labour, Poland suffered acute staff shortages, particularly in the building and and hospitality trades.Of major concern to Warsaw is the lack of skilled construction workers needed to build new football stadiums before the European championships in 2012, which Poland and the Ukraine will host jointly. The government estimates that up to 200,000 extra workers are needed to complete the multibillion-euro projects earmarked for the event. In the past year, the Polish government has introduced a series of measures aimed at encouraging Poles to return. It has abolished a rule which meant migrant workers were liable to pay taxes both in Britain and at home. Mr Tusk's government also wants to grant a five-year amnesty to those who have failed to pay taxes in Poland while working abroad. His opponents say this proposal is unconstitutional but, if approved, it will no doubt prove attractive to thousands of expats who have put off returning because they fear they will be receive a large tax bill when they arrive. Estimating how many Poles return home each year is difficult because the government does not record the figure. However, many analysts believe that east European immigration to Britain may already have peaked. The numbers of east European migrants approved to work in Britain dropped from 227,875 in 2006 to 206,905 last year – a fall of nearly 10 per cent. This may be because employment prospects in Poland have improved dramatically since it joined the EU. The current unemployment rate is 10 per cent – half what it was four years ago. Currency exchange rates may also have an effect on migration. When Poland entered the EU in 2004, £1 was worth seven zlotys; now it is worth only 4.2 zlotys. Wojiech Pisasrki, a spokesman for the Polish embassy in London, believes there is evidence to suggest that the number of Poles coming to the UK may be the same as the number who are going home. "The process of leaving has already started," he said. "Immigration to Britain is not as attractive a prospect as it was a few years ago."Jacek Winnicki, a Polish lawyer who has settled in London, said he doubted that an advertising campaign would encourage many of his countrymen to return. "Work is just one of many factors behind why people chose to live where they do," he added. "I don't think an advert saying 'come back to Poland' will work, but I do think it will make Poles think and maybe a few will be tempted to leave."

Spouse visa applicants need to provide biometrics April 29th, 2008 Those who wish to remain in the UK with their British spouse or continue to study in the UK will now have to provide their Biometrics due to a pilot scheme being roled out by the Home Office at Lunar House [where International Work Permits get a premium service for certain UK visa applications This pilot scheme requires all Non-European Union nationals, who want to remain in the UK, to attend Lunar House in person where they will be subject to a Biometrics collection process. The Home Office have introduced this as part of their "Securing our Borders" drive as well as part of the managed Migration Programme. They will soon be rolling the scheme out to all people who wish to extend their leave to remain in the UK regardless of the reason. Also later this year plans for a face scanning system for E.U nationals will be launched at major ports. When the scheme is finally rolled out to highly skilled people who remain in the UK under the tier visa schemes; this provision will be even less welcomed.Over the next few months the schemes will be rolled out across the UK for all non UK citizens. Foreigners will be made to make available the most personal of details to the UK Authorities. Whether you are apposed to or not, people need to get used to the idea of Biometrics, as it is fast becoming a factor in all our lives. If in any doubt, contact us and we will try to assist.

Points Based System for those already in the UK April 2008  The UK Government are in the process of introducing the points-based system for coming to the United Kingdom to work, train or study. Meanwhile they will delete many of our existing immigration categories. These changes will impact on migrants who currently have permission to stay in the United Kingdom in categories that are being deleted. Should your category be deleted, as long as you continue to comply with the terms of your permission to stay in the United Kingdom, you will be able to complete the period for which you have been granted permission to stay (known as leave to remain) in that category. Wherever possible, the Home Office will introduce arrangements to minimise the impact of the transition to the points-based system. These arrangements may differ from category to category. Tier 1 of the points-based system was introduced in the UK on 29 February 2008 and extended to India on 1 April 2008. Roll-out will extend globally this summer. At that point (which will not be before 30 June 2008) we will be deleting the following categories: writers, composers and artists;self-employed lawyers;innovators;the International Graduates Scheme ; andthe Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme.

High Court HSMP Verdict 09/04/2008Claims that the Immigration Ministry in the UK have discriminated against Highly Skilled Migrants has eventually been vindicated by the UK High Court, the Immigration Law Practitioners' Association's General Secretary Alison Harvey announced today.Since the introduction of the new points based Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) that came into being in November 2006, those already on the programme have continuously complained about various changes imposed on them, particularly when it came to extensions. This resulted in a Judicial Application being filed by the HSMP Forum Limited because of the fact that this was not the same scheme that some 49 000 migrants and their families had initially registered for. The HSMP came into being in 2002 with the intention of attracting highly skilled migrants to settle in the United Kingdom. However those that were already on the system since 2002 before the 2006 change feel they have suffered due to new laws. Lobbying by Members of Parliament, a petition to the Prime Minister and a meeting held with the Immigration Minister culminated in the HSMP Forum Limited taking the Secretary of State for the Home Department to court for unlawful changes. "The immigration department was obsessed with defending their decision and where not open to any reasoning," said Executive Director of the HSMP Forum, Amit Kapadia voicing his satisfaction in the court result. Since March 2008 those already working in the UK will be submitted under tier 1 of the points based system . Tier 1 visas are part of a five-tier immigration system which will be rolled out in the UK throughout 2008-2009. Tier 1 visas directly replace the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme and will be issued in four categories; General tier 1 visas , Entrepreneur visas, Investor visas and the Post Study Work .We offer Free Assessments of your application for tier 1 or HSMP: - Tier 1 (general) HSM calculator  - HSMP visa application calculator

Tier 1 HSM waived the maintenance This page explains the points we award under Tier 1 (General) - highly skilled worker of the points-based system for the maintenance (funds) you have available. Normally, when applying from within the United Kingdom, you will have to show that you have enough funds, by sending documentation showing you have had savings of at least £800 for at least three months before applying. Because this is a new requirement and it may be difficult to prove this immediately, we have put transitional arrangements in place for applicants and their family members submitting their applications within the United Kingdom up to and including 29 June 2008. Up to 29 June 2008, you do not have to show you have had the funds for at least three months before your application. You must only show you have the required funds at the time you apply. The types of documents you need to send to support your application are detailed below. Until 29 June 2008, they do not need to cover the three-month period, but they must be dated no more than a month before your application. For example, if you apply under Tier 1 (General) on 12 June, a single bank statement with a closing balance of £800 dated between 12 May and 12 June will meet the maintenance requirements. A bank statement dated before 12 May will not be acceptable.

£10,000 fine for employing illegal migrants without checks Employers who hire illegal immigrants can be fined £10,000 per worker from today in cases involving negligence, compared with a previous figure of £5,000. If the employer acts knowingly, the penalty could be an unlimited fine or jail. Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, described the moves, which include a points-based immigration system for people from outside the European Union, as “the biggest changes to British immigration policy in a generation”. Highly skilled migrants who wish to extend their stay will have to have suitable employment. The points-based system, based on a system already in place in Australia, will be tested for highly skilled migrants applying from India in April, and extended to the rest of the world by the summer. The system will then be extended to skilled workers with a job offer, students, and temporary workers. A tier for low-skilled workers is not planned while vacancies can be filled by migrants from Eastern Europe. function pictureGalleryPopup(pubUrl,articleId) { var newWin = window.open(pubUrl+'template/2.0-0/element/pictureGalleryPopup.jsp?id='+articleId+'&&offset=0&&sectionName=Politics','mywindow','menubar=0,resizable=0,width=615,height=655'); } Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, said: “The introduction of our Australian-style points system will ensure that only those with skills the country needs can come to work and study. “Today’s proposals are part of the biggest changes to British immigration policy in a generation, which include a new deal for those migrants seeking citizenship here, a new UK Border Agency to strengthen controls at the border and the introduction of ID cards for foreign nationals.” The system puts in question the scheme under which Commonweatlh citizens with a British grandparent are allowed to settle in this country. The Labour MP Austin Mitchell said that any proposal to scrap “ancestral visas ” would cause anger.

Points Based System Favours Scotland In an interview with BBC Radio Scotland's 'Good Morning Scotland', Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said that Britain's new points based immigration system should allow more flexibility for foreigners who will work in Scotland. Under the new points based system, prospective migrants can score points based on various criteria. The system will be broken into five tiers, with Tier 1 dealing with highly skilled migration and Tier 2 replacing the current UK Work Permit scheme .Phillips said that flexibility could be introduced under a work permit system (presumably Tier 2) which would encourage prospective migrants to choose Scotland as a destination. Immigrants generally choose areas in and around London as their destination when moving to the UK."What I'm suggesting here is a part of the UK -- Scotland -- which, like the rest of Western Europe, suffers from an aging population and needs more [skilled workers], could benefit if we tilt the points system in such a way that potential migrants perhaps get some extra points for coming to Scotland," Phillips said.Scotland currently uses the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland immigration scheme to encourage foreign students of Scottish educational institutions to stay in Scotland on completion of their studies. However, it will soon be replaced by the Tier 1 - Post Study Work sub-category , bringing the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland scheme and the International Graduates Scheme under one system. If you have completed a degree in the last 12 months, call us and we can get this approved for you on a same day service

HSMP Judicial Review On 05 March 2008, a UK High Court was told that changes to the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) in late 2006 were unfair and could possibly result in 44,000 people being forced to leave the UK. Previously, migrants were only required to show proof of economic activity to get an HSMP extension . The HSMP Forum, a non-profit advocacy group for HSMP holders, filed for the judicial review and were represented by Barrister Michael Fordham, QC."The goalposts have been moved for those previously admitted. If they do not have a particular qualification or level of earnings they are required to leave," Fordham said.Robert Jay, QC representing the UK, said that the government acted within its powers and a judicial review should not take place. The judge in the case, Sir George Newman, said he would give his decision at a later date. The HSMP Forum said they were hopeful that a decision would be reached during March, and expect the decision to be in their favor.The HSMP, a points based system that assesses applicants based on criteria such as age, previous earnings, and education, is being phased out in favor of the UK's new five-tier points based system. Migrants already in the UK on an HSMP visa are required to extend their leave to remain under the new Tier 1 rules for General Highly Skilled Migrants. The new rules will go into effect for people outside the UK -- starting in April for applicants from India and summer 2008 for the rest of the world. Contact International Work Permits for confidential advice from registered immigration professionals.

New Points System goes live New points system goes live The biggest shake-up of the immigration system in 45 years got underway today with the introduction of a new points system to ensure only the best can work in Britain, new licenses for businesses who want to employ migrants and big on-the-spot fines for those not obeying the rules and found hiring illegal workers. Britain's Australian-style points system kicks-off with new rules for highly skilled foreign nationals currently working in the UK and who want to extend their stay. The scheme is designed to attract the most talented with the skills the UK needs to remain a global leader in the fields of finance, business, and technological innovation. The Government is also today introducing a licensing system for employers who want to recruit from overseas and bring skilled workers into the UK. No company will be granted a sponsor's licence without being approved in advance by the Border and Immigration Agency. Employers bringing in skilled workers under Tier 2 of the scheme which takes effect this autumn can now start applying for that licence. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "The introduction of our Australian-style points system will ensure that only those with skills the country needs can come. "Migrants benefit this country economically, contributing an estimated £6bn to our national output, as well as socially and culturally and it is right that we have a system which is fair but firm, accessible but controlled. "Today's proposals are part of the biggest changes to British immigration policy in a generation which include a new deal for those migrants seeking citizenship here, a new UK Border Agency to strengthen controls at the border and the introduction of ID cards for foreign nationals." Alongside the Government's plans to ensure Britain has access to the skills and talents it needs, rogue employers from today face civil penalties of up to £10,000 for each illegal worker they employ. Those found to have knowingly hired illegal workers could incur an unlimited fine and be sent to prison. The change comes as BIA stepped up action in 2007 against illegal working by 40 per cent. Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said: "Today sees the start of our points system and the beginning of on-the-spot fines for businesses who employ illegal workers, introduced a day ahead of schedule. "New £10,000 penalties mean instant justice for those firms who try and undercut others by employing illegal immigrants. With the new compulsory identity cards for foreign nationals later in the year, there can be no excuse for not checking the identity of those applying for jobs. "The key to shutting down illegal immigration is to shut down illegal jobs. Last year we stepped up our illegal working operations by 40 per cent. Now our enforcement teams have a host of new powers to shut down dodgy bosses who draw illegal immigrants to Britain." As the measures announced today take effect the Government is also taking steps to target rogue employers through new legislation in the Employment Bill. The Bill proposes tough new penalties for businesses not paying workers the minimum wage and agencies which exploit workers and undercut legitimate business. This year will also see the establishment of a new UK Border Agency to ensure the UK has one of the toughest borders in the world. Further measures include the introduction of a new system to count people in and out of the UK and ID cards to strengthen the UK border and help keep out those who don't have the right to be here.

Extension of HSMP under Tier 1 Tier 1 Extension News:- The United Kingdom is nearing the introduction of its new five-tier points based immigration system which will replace all immigration routes into the country for the purpose of employment, study, and training. However, with a new immigration system comes added confusion on how it will affect those who are already in the UK under older systems that will be retired.Tier 1 for highly skilled migrants will replace the current Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP), the business and investor schemes, as well as the International Graduates Scheme for foreign graduates of UK universities.The new rules for Tier 1 will be implemented on a phased basis. Starting on 29 February, highly skilled migrants already in the UK under the HSMP who wish to extend their leave to remain will be required to qualify under the new Tier 1 rules.In April 2008, Indian nationals applying as highly skilled migrants for the first time will be required to meet the new criteria. The rest of the world will follow sometime during the summer of 2008.With the new Tier 1 rules for General Highly skilled migrants (which will replace the HSMP) removing the MBA provision and making English language requirements more stringent, some individuals may benefit from applying for an HSMP visa before new rules take effect. However, many migrants are concerned about extending their stay in the UK under the new rules when that time comes around.With the Home Office changing the rules in 2006 and applying them retrospectively to those who were already in the UK under HSMP, it's no surprise that people would worry. However, the Tier 1 rules for General Highly Skilled Migrants are not changing significantly from 2006 other than what was described above.For those applying for extension under the new Tier 1 rules, the English language requirement and the need to show enough initial funds to support themselves will be waived. On top of that, extra points for experience working in the UK can be achieved.For HSMP visa holders who cannot score enough points to extend their leave to remain under Tier 1, transitional arrangements will be in place to assist them in transferring to another Tier which in most cases will be Tier 2 for skilled workers.Employers do not have to show that a UK or EU citizen could not be found to fill the job when hiring HSMP visa holders transitioning to a different Tier, such as Tier 2. Also, a new provision will be introduced which will allow time under HSMP to be counted towards settlement after a transition to another tier has taken place.

New Immigration System New Immigration System set to begin this month06 February 2008It has been announced that the new points based immigration system will start to be implemented from the 29th of February 2008. This will be the implementation of tier one that is set to replace the existing HSMP. Therefore from this date those applying for extensions of their HSMP visas will have to do so under tier one. As it stands the expected timeline for the implementation is that by April it will be effective to those wishing to apply for a highly skilled migrant visa from India. It is not expected to be worldwide until the summer months. Commentary on the new system has so far concluded that there is very little difference between the HSMP and a visa under tier one’s General Highly Skilled Migrant subcategory with the exception of the fact that the English language requirement has been raised, albeit slightly, and that the fees for processing the visa have been increased. However with this change the difference is far from slightly moving from £400 to £600 for an approval and £350 to £750 for Further Leave to Remain stamping. +44(0)20 7866 8170  

Changes to UK Visas: Timescale  Timescale for the new tier system:- Tier 1 of the system, which caters for highly skilled migrants such as scientists and entrepreneurs, will be launched in the first quarter of 2008;Tier 2, targeting skilled workers with a job offer and tier 5, for youth mobility and temporary workers, will come on line in the third quarter of 2008; andTier 4, for students, will follow at the beginning of 2009.All HSMP and work permit applications are still valid. Contact so we can assist under the current rules and advise on the changes as and when they happen. +44(0)20 7866 8170  

New Immigration Fees to sweep UK New Fees Ensure Firm But Fair Immigration System30 January 2008New immigration fees, funding sweeping changes to border security over the next 12 months, have today been announced by the Government.The announcement comes just weeks before the introduction of a new points based system (PBS) for managing migration. The system will help ensure only workers with the skills to benefit Britain's economy come to the UK and put in place a licensing system for businesses who want to recruit from overseas. These new measures will help ensure people play by the rules.Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said:"We believe that it is fair that those who benefit most from using our immigration system should help fund it."We welcome the contribution that legal migrants make to the economy and cultural life in the UK and we have ensured that these fees, which will usher in the biggest reforms to the immigration system in a generation, are at levels that will not damage our international competitiveness."We are confident that we are not out of line with other countries’ prices and that the people we want to come here will not be deterred from doing so."Regulations for the following immigration fees have been laid in Parliament:tier 1 of PBS - (general highly skilled workers) in-country applications; tier 2 of PBS - sponsor licence applications for employers; certain entry clearance and transit visas outside the PBS rules; and certificates of entitlement to right of abode in the UK. The fees are part of a challenging programme of reform to the immigration system the Government has committed to over the next 12 months, which include the introduction of on-the-spot fines for employers who don’t make the right right-to-work checks, the introduction of a single border force with police-like powers for frontline staff, and compulsory ID cards for those foreign nationals who want to stay.The Government has already achieved its first milestone by completing the global roll out of fingerprint checks on anyone who applies for a visa to come to the UK.Taken together all these measures make-up the biggest shake-up of the immigration system in its history. They allow the UK to continue to reap the benefits of migration, while also preventing abuse of the system.  

NEW Tiered Immigration System NEWS: In March of 2008 the HSMP is expected to be turned into the UK's new points based system . The new system will have five tiers, with Tier 1 being the new Highly Skilled Migration Visa type. Unfortunately, the MBA Provision will be removed from the new system. If you have earned an MBA from an eligible university and wish to live and work in the UK, it would be best to apply for the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme now. Note: the new HSMP requirements will be more stringent - if you qualify now apply now so as to avoid any potential disappointment! If in any doubt, call us and we will advise you on your best option. 

International Graduate Scheme New IGS (International Graduates Scheme) came into effect on 1 May 2007 The UK's new International Graduates Scheme (IGS) came into effect on 01 May 2007. Non-European Economic Area students who apply for and receive approval may remain in the United Kingdom and work for up to one year after completing their studies. A student accepted under IGS will have very generous opportunities with very few restrictions on work. The government is hoping to attract students to remain in the UK after graduation and also allow them time to obtain a different visa. The new scheme supersedes the previous (SEGS) scheme, which only allowed students who completed courses within specific disciplines related to science and engineering to remain in the UK after graduation. The IGS scheme allows students of any scheme to remain in the UK for a year, with the aim of encouraging students to take up a career in the country. To qualify, a student must obtain a bachelor or Master's degree, or a PhD or other postgraduate certificate or diploma from a recognized higher education institution in the UK. Unlike SEGS, any degree class (grade) is acceptable. The aim of the IGS is to encourage foreign UK students to take up a career in the UK by providing a route into another immigration category, such as the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) . If this is of interest to you, please contact one of our consultants to discuss further on 0207 866 8170 or by completing the contact form on our website. Please note International Work Permits [IWP] can do this on a same day basis . 

30 March 2007 ADVANCED NOTICE OF CHANGES TO THE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING GRADUATE SCHEME AND THE FRESH TALENT: WORKING IN SCOTLAND SCHEME On 1 May we will be replacing the Science and Engineering Graduates Scheme with the new International Graduates Scheme. This will widen the eligibility criteria for those who finish their courses on or after 1 May 2007. Those who have completed a bachelor’s degree in any subject on or after 1 May 2007 will be eligible. We are also removing the requirement for a minimum 2:2 classification for bachelor’s degrees. Further, we are extending the scheme to those with postgraduate certificates and diplomas. Those who have completed qualifications on the old SEGS lists before 1 May 2007, but who have not yet applied under the scheme, will be able to apply under the International Graduate Scheme, but their application will be considered under the same criteria as they would have had to meet under SEGS. We are also making a change to the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme, widening the eligibility criteria to include those who have completed a postgraduate certificate or diploma at

18 January 2007 If you are planning to apply for indefinite leave to remain (or settlement) in the UK , you will need to be aware of the introduction of new rules for applications made on or after 2 April 2007 . They will require applicants to show that they have a sufficient knowledge of language and life in the UK in order to qualify for settlement.

HSMP: NEW SCHEME ANNOUNCED NEWS FLASH - AMENDMENTS TO THE HSMP SCHEME ANNOUNCED NOV 7TH 2006 BY LIAM BYRNE, MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION / NATIONALITY AND CITIZENSHIP: As of the 8th November 2006, all HSMP applications shall we considered under a new enhanced points criteria system. Work Experience, Significant Achievement, Skilled Partner and GP provisions have been withdrawn from the scheme altogether. They have been replaced by more stringent criteria in relation to academic qualifications, previous earnings, age and previous work and study in the UK. This scheme has been suspended henceforth till the 5th December 2006.Please note that this is merely a 27 day suspension of the HSMP scheme and we will continue to assess HSMP applicants under the new criteria from the 8th November 2006. Furthermore, we will assist applicants who have applied under the old rules for both reviews and HSMP extensions aswell as the new applications.

Australia needs skills Australia needs skills:Do you have professional or Trade Skills? Are you under 45 and interested in working and living in Australia? Australia is looking for individuals to join its skilled migration programme. There is particular need for the following skills and experience:- engineers- rail industry professionals- mechanics- metal trades [welder, panel beaters..]- construction and trade [carpenters, plumbers, electricians, bricklayers..]- finance professionals [registered accountants] - Doctors, registered nurses- Qualified chefs with more than 5 years experience We can help make this an effortless migration.

Migrating to Australia Migrating to Australia:Australia continues to appeal as a place to live, with the largest number of migrants and refugee entrants under this Coalition Government settling Down Under in 2004-05. People arrived from more than 200 countries, with the largest influx coming from the United Kingdom. The influx is believed to be due to strong economy and climate.

Training and Work Experience UK Training and Work Experience From the 11 September 2006, a new category to the existing Training and Work Experience Scheme (TWES) within the work permit arrangements: Medical Training Initiatives (MTI) has been introduced. 'Medical Training Initiatives' is the term given for training schemes for individuals who are sponsored by the Royal Colleges and other organisations within the medical field. A key purpose of sponsorship is to train overseas medical professionals, doctors and dentists, in the UK's public health care sector before they return abroad to continue their medical practice with the new skills they have acquired.

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We specialise in the delivery of Immigration and UK Work Permit legal representation, boasting a team of OISC registered consultants with years of experience in this field.
Whether you are an individual applying for a Highly Skilled Migrant Programme [HSMP] visa, Tier 1 (general) or a corporation with Work Permit Service requirements, then we can help. We also specialise in UK marriage visas , partner visas / de facto visas , tier 1 applications, licencing and all the other same day / 24 hour applications at the UK Home Office.

In addition to this we deal with skilled migration to increasingly popular destinations such as Australia and Canada.

Whether you are an employer looking to hire an overseas national [UK Work Permits] or a skilled professional considering furthering your career, we can advise and assist you at all stages of the immigration process aswell as company auditing and the new PBS sponsorship licence (27 November 2008) : Organisation assessed as advisors to assist in PBS by the UK Border Agency .

Our corporate clients range from small start-ups to large international organisations. All levels of representation are entertained and 1000's of applicants have made UK home thanks to us and our no nonsense approach to visas and work permits:-

Still not sure? Check out our:- testimonials

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*Members of the Immigration Law Practitioner's Association [ILPA] & Registered with the Office of the Immigration Service's Commissioner [OISC]  F200500116

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