Tier 1 (General)
Highly Skilled Migrant Programme

Tier 1 (General), previously Highly Skilled Migrant Program (HSMP), is designed to attract the best and the brightest individuals, allowing them to continue and broaden their careers in the UK. Once approved, there is no restriction with respect to employment and applicants can establish themselves in business or engage in academic research.

The Tier 1 (General) is a points based system. Under the new system you must achieve at least 75 points in Appendix A, in addition to that you must now also score 10 points in Appendix B and 10 points in Appendix C. Please use our Tier 1 points calculator to judge how many points you might be able to achieve. Points are awarded for the following;

APPENDIX A
  • Age

  • Qualifications

  • Previous income over the last 12 months

  • And an additional 5 points can be gained if you have previously worked or studied in the UK.

Age
  • 20 points are awarded if a candidate is 27 or under

  • 10 points are awarded if they are between 28 and 29

  • 5 points are awarded if they are between 30 and 32

  • 32+ no points

Qualifications
  • 50 points for a PhD

  • 35 for a MA level degree

Income

Depending on the level of your income over the last 12 months you can score between 5 and 45 points.

You will need to convert the amount that you have earned into pounds sterling (£) for each country in which you have worked.

You will then need to multiply the amount according to the multiple given for each country in which you worked. Each country has been grouped into one of five bands. Click here to see the multiple for the country in which you worked.

Add any multiplied earnings from different countries together.

You will score points for your total multiplied earnings based on the table below:

Previous earnings (£) points scores
5pts 10pts 15pts 20pts 25pts
16,000+ 18,000+ 20,000+ 23,000+ 26,000+
30pts 35pts 40pts 45pts  
29,000+ 32,000+ 35,000+ 40,000+  

NB: there are special provisions for those who have recently completed a degree or higher course of study and persons who have just taken adoption or maternity leave whereby the Home Office will consider your income over a different period of time.

Experience in the UK
  • 5 points awarded if you have previously worked or studied full time at a UK based institution for one year prior to graduating in the UK with a bachelor’s or higher level degree

APPENDIX B

English Language

You will be awarded 10 points if you can demonstrate that you:
  • have passed a test in English equivalent to level C1 of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework for Language Learning (equivalent to IELTS exam score of 6.5), or

  • come from a listed* majority English speaking country, or

  • have taken a degree taught in English (verified using NARIC data).

*Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, the USA.

APPENDIX C

Maintenance

You will be awarded 10 points if you can provide evidence showing that you have the necessary funds available to provide for yourself and your dependents in the UK before you can obtain a Tier 1 (General) visa.

Maintenance funds required for Tier 1 migrants:
  • Applicant in the UK: £800

  • In country dependants: £533

  • Applicant out of the UK: £2,800

  • Out of country dependants: £1,800

If you would like further information please contact us.








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