New Points-Based Immigration System Goes into Effect Today

The British Government today (March 7) implemented a new points-based system for potential workers, which it said will enable the administration to control migration more effectively, tackle abuse and identify the most talented workers.
A release from the United Kingdom (UK) Home Office said the points based system is a central part of the Government’s five-year strategy for asylum and immigration, which was published in February 2005. It said the government is committed to a wide-ranging plan to ensure that only those who benefit can work or study in Britain.
The UK Home Secretary called on the industry and education sectors to play their role in making migration work for Britain, and reminded them that they have a responsibility to help make the new scheme a success.
The release said the scheme will be complemented with a tougher approach from British embassies abroad to weed out false applications and will place increased obligations on UK businesses and universities, which will now be required to sponsor migrants and help to ensure that those they sponsor adhere to the terms of their visa.
This new system will end many employment routes to the UK for low-skilled workers from outside the European Union, except in cases of short-term shortages.
The key elements of the system include consolidating more than 80 existing work and study routes into five tiers:
Tier 1 – highly skilled, for example, scientists or entrepreneurs; Tier 2 – skilled workers with a job offer, for example, nurses, teachers, engineers; Tier 3 – low skilled workers filling specific temporary labour shortages, such as construction workers for a particular project; Tier 4 – students;Tier 5 – youth mobility and temporary workers, for example, working holiday makers or musicians coming to play in a concert.