Immigration Solicitors

In February 2008 the Points Based System (PBS) was introduced where it was described as ‘the biggest shake - up to the UK immigration system for forty years”. The PBS combines over 80 pre existing work and study routes into five categories, or “tiers”. The five tiers are as follows:

• Tier 1: Highly skilled individuals who do not require sponsors which are broken down into subcategories such as General, Entrepreneurs, Investors and post study.
• Tier 2: Skilled workers with a job offer and a sponsor, broken down into subcategories such as General, Intra - Company Transfers, Ministers of religion and sportspersons.
• Tier 3: Low skilled workers for specific temporary labour shortages. The Home Office has no plans to implement Tier 3 in the near future.
• Tier 4: Students
• Tier 5: Youth mobility and temporary workers: people coming to the UK to satisfy primarily non - economic objectives. Managed migration is a fast changing and developing area of law where at times one has to digest and apply weekly changes. One recent example is the newly announced stricter criteria for foreign students from outside Europe wanting to come and study in the UK. The new regulations will now ensure that students studying below degree level have a limited ability to work in the UK; furthermore their dependants will not be able to work in the UK at all.

If you require specialist advise and assistance with any of the five work and study tiers please contact Duncan Lewis on

020 7923 4020

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