More Changes to UK Points Based System

The points based system in the UK for hiring skilled workers from outside the European Economic Area just continues to evolve. The system itself is only about a year old, but it's a year that has been filled with nothing but endless changes. So far procedures have been modified, requirements have been changed, and rules have been amended or taken out all together.

A lot of the changes introduced so far have just been reactive amendments. However, a series of upcoming changes has had a longer and more public period than others. This process actually began last February when the government, in light of the difficult economic environment, asked the Migration Advisory Committee to investigate and address the desirability of changing the criteria of the Tier 1 category and abolishing or at least amending the requirements of Tier 2 on the points based system.

Thus, the following major changes are set to be implemented in early 2010. First, each of the "proposed earnings" points will be increased. This means that the qualifications for the minimum five points will be raised from £17,000 to £20,000. Next, employees transferring intra group to work in the UK will have to have been employed within the group for 12 months. This is up from the current six months. The employees will have to do this in order to qualify for Tier 2 status.

These are just a few of the changes that will be made, but the list goes on and on. Employers, as well as emigrants, coming to the UK need to maintain awareness of all of the changes to Tier 1 and Tier 2.