The highly skilled worker category is designed to allow highly skilled people to come to the United Kingdom to look for work or self-employment opportunities.
Unlike sponsored skilled workers (who are covered by Tier 2 of the points-based system), you do not need a job offer to apply under the highly skilled worker category. When you apply, you are awarded points based on your qualifications, previous earnings, United Kingdom experience, age, English language skills and available maintenance (money).
How are the points calculated?
Points are awarded for what are called "Attributes", for which you need to score a minimum of 80 points. These are awarded for:
- Age;
- Qualifications;
- Previous earnings and
- UK experience.
Separate points are given for English language ability (10 points) and the availability of funds for maintenance (10 points) which are both mandatory.
Points scoring
Attributes: Age
Points are awarded according to your age at the time the fee is paid and your biometrics received in the Visa Section of the British mission.
| Under 29 years | 20 points |
| 30 to 34 years | 10 points |
| 35 to 39 years | 5 points |
Attributes: Qualifications
Points are only awarded if your qualifications are equivalent to British Masters, PhD, or in some cases an MBA (only MBAs that have been obtained from certain educational institutes and with ceratin limitations; please see below or ask for details).
| MBA | 80 points |
(only for applicants who enrolled on an eligible MBA course before 30 June 2008 and who graduated within 12 months of submitting their application.) |
| PHD | 45 points |
|
| Masters | 35 points | |
| Bachelor degree |
30 points |
Attributes: Previous earnings (from 12 out of the 15 months preceding the application)
Points are awarded for your previous earnings from work for a period of up to 12 months out of the 15 months preceding your application. This applies to both salaried staff and self-employed persons. You may claim for a period of less than 12 months, but these earnings will not be considered on a pro rata basis. Earnings from salaried employment will be assessed before deduction of tax. If you are self-employed and the business profits are retained within your business, your share of the business’s net profits generated over the earnings period can be considered. If you take a salary from your business you will need your managing agent or accountant to confirm this in writing, indicating the precise amounts received.
To find out how many points you score from previous earnings, first convert your salary into pounds sterling, then multiply that figure by the number 3.2 which is the particualr band multiplier for Iran. For example, if you earned 200,000,000 Rials in a year, with an exchange rate of 16,500 Rials to £1, you have earned approximately £12,121. You then multiply this by 3.2 and find out how many points you score from the table below (which for our example would be £38,788, hence 40 points).
Earnings
| £150,000 or above |
80 points |
| £75,000 - £149,999 |
45 points |
| £65,000 - £74,999 |
40 points |
| £55,000 - £64,999 |
35 points |
| £50,000 - £54,999 | 30 points |
| £40,000 - £49,999 | 25 points |
| £35,000 - £39,999 | 20 points |
| £30,000 - £34,999 | 15 points |
| £25,000 - £29,999 | 5 points |
| Under £25,000 |
0 points |
Attributes: UK experience
5 points can be claimed if either:
• £25,000 or more of the earnings for which you successfully scored points under Previous Earnings were for UK employment or
• you studied at Bachelor degree level or above in full-time higher education in the UK; or at an overseas campus of a UK-based educational institution for at least one full academic year or three consecutive academic terms during the last five years.
Points will be awarded only if you were legally entitled to work or study in the UK throughout the period when these earnings or studies took place.
English language [10 points available]
The ability to meet the required English standard is a mandatory requirement. If you cannot meet this level, your application will be refused regardless of any points you may have scored in the Attributes section. 10 points are awarded in this section if you meet the required standard and 0 if you do not.
There are three ways in which you can meet this requirement. You can:
• be a national of a majority English speaking country or
• hold an English language qualification equivalent to the Council of Europe's Common European Framework for Language Learning level C1 (approximately IELTS level 6.5, GCSE Grade C) or
• hold a degree that was taught in English equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree.
Maintenance (Funds) [10 points available]
Even if you have attained the pass mark of 80 in the Attributes section and have the required standard of English, your application will be refused if you do not pass the Maintenance (Funds) requirement.
You must be able to support yourself for the entire duration of your stay in the UK without needing any help from public funds. In order to qualify under Tier 1 (General) Migrant you must be able to demonstrate that you have £2,800 for yourself and (where applicable) £1,600 for each dependant accompanying you and that you have held these amounts for a minimum period of 3 months immediately preceding and dated no more than 1 month prior to the date you submit your application. The balance should not fall below the required minimum at any time during the 3 month period.
You can use the UKBA's online points calculator to find out how many points you score and whether or meet the minimum points requirement.
(Source: UKBA)
