Beyond the Five Tier System

Since December, 2020, United Kingdom’s points-based visa system (previously Five tier visa system) is now the main UK immigration route for migrants to come to the UK to work, study or set-up in business.

The new UK visa points system is similar to the previous tiered points-based immigration system. In order to be eligible, you must pass a points-based assessment. Points are allocated for skills, receiving a certain salary, pass the English language requirement, and meet the financial requirement. You must reach a points score above a minimum threshold if your application is to be successful. The minimum number of points required varies for each UK visa category.

• Tier 1 – Entrpreneurs and Investors who will contribute to economic growth in the UK.
  Work Visa – Skilled workers with a job offer to fill gaps in the UK labour force.
  Student visa – Students are divided into two categories: adult and child student
• Tier 5 – Mobility and temporary workers, which covers those permitted to work in the UK for a limited period to satisfy, primarily non-economic objectives. This category contains six sub-tiers of temporary worker including creative and sporting, charity, religious workers, and the youth mobility scheme which enables about 55,000 young people every year to work in the UK on working holidays.

Tier 5 is a temporary migration schemes and migrants who fall under these tiers will not be able to switch to a different tier from within the UK. Tiers 1, work visa, and student visa applicants will be eligible to switch to another classification within the UK if they can meet the requirements of that Tier. Tiers 1 and work visas can potentially lead to settlement if the permanent residence requirements are met at the time of application.