| Tier 2 of the
new Points Based UK immigration System replaces
UK work permits and is suitable for skilled
workers wishing to immigrate to the UK. Any
non-EEA national seeking entry or permission
to remain in the United Kingdom for the purpose
of employment or studies will require a Certificate
of Sponsorship (CoS). The spouses and children
under 18 of CoS holders will be allowed to come
or to stay in the UK with them, for the same
length of time, provided they can be supported
and accommodated without recourse to public
funds. "Tier 2 (General) & Tier (ICT)"
lead to UK Permanent Resident status in 5 years.
Certificate of Sponsorship applications can
be made only by an employer who has obtained
a Sponsor Licence in the United Kingdom. The
Sponsor in the UK has direct responsibility
towards the employee and should comply with
Immigration Rules.
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Eligibility Criteria
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To become eligible for obtaining Entry Clearance
visa, the candidate should have an offer from
a UK sponsoring company and should score a
minimum of 70 points (including 10 for maintenance
and 10 for English). The table below outlines
the structure of the assessment criteria.
| Section
|
Certificate of Sponsorship
|
Pts. |
Qualifications
Or NARIC Equivalents
|
Pts. |
Prospective
Earnings (£) |
Pts. |
A
(50 points needed)
|
Offer of job
in shortage
Occupation
Offer of job that
passes Resident
Labour Market Test
Intra Company
Transfer
|
50
30
30
|
No qualifications
NVQ 3
Bachelors or Masters
Ph.D.
|
0
5
10
15 |
17,000 - 19,999
20,000 - 21,999
22,000 - 23,999
24,000+ |
5
10
15
20 |
| B |
Maintenance Requirement |
10 |
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| C |
Competence in English |
10 |
|
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CoS is a virtual document,
consist of an unique reference no., with which
the employee applies for Leave to Enter/Remain.
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Maintenance
(Funds) Requirement
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Applicants should demonstrate that they are
able to support themselves and their dependants
when they arrive in the UK as they do not
have access to public funds. The applicant
has to show evidence of availability of funds
of £800.
In addition to the £800, applicants
will need to show they have a further 2/3
of the funds of the main applicant (£533)
for each dependant they intend to bring with
them.
These amounts must be held in your bank account
for a minimum period of 3 months immediately
preceding the date of your application.
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Applicants have to demonstrate English language
competence to assist with their integration
into British life. They should have one of
the following:
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IELTS - An
overall Test Score of 6.5, or |
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Have
taken a degree taught in English, or |
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Come from a
majority English speaking Country |
Intra Company Transferees will only be required
to demonstrate the required English language
ability if they wish to stay beyond three
years.
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How
do I apply for entry clearance?
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You should apply for entry clearance at the
British High Commission through any Visa Application
Centre (VAC) in your city or in the country
in which you are living. You should ask for
Employment Form VAF2 (the form can be downloaded
from http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk).
The completed application should be submitted
at the VAC Office along with the following
documents:
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Passport |
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2
recent passport-sized photographs |
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Application
Fee |
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Academic certificates |
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Bank
Statements |
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Evidence of
English language |
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| Appeal rights
will be abolished, except where the appeal is
brought on Human Rights or Race Discrimination
grounds. However, the applicant can seek one
Administrative Review if an error has been made
in deciding your application. |
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To live in the UK, you must be able to demonstrate
that you can support and accommodate yourself
and your dependants for the duration without
claiming certain state benefits.
Following are the list of state benefits:
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Income Support
and Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) |
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Housing
and homelessness assistance |
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Housing Benefit
and Council Tax Benefit |
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Working Families'
Tax Credit |
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Social
fund payments |
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Child Benefit |
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Any disability
allowance |
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Contact
Us for information on further Tiers
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Please contact us for details and information
regarding the following Tiers:
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Tier 2 Visas:
Post-Study Work |
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Tier
3 Visas: Unskilled Temporary |
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Tier 4 Visas:
Students |
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Tier 5 Visas:
Youth and Mobility |
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