Tier 1 General: Eligibility

This section explains how many points you must score in the points-based assessment to apply under the highly skilled worker category (Tier 1 General) of the points-based system to work in the United Kingdom.
You will need at least 95 points to be able to apply, which must include 10 points for English language and 10 points for maintenance (funds).

How many points you must score for your attributes
You must score a total of at least 75 points for age, qualifications, experience and earnings known as attributes. The points available are:

Attributes ---------------------------------------- Points available
Age ----------------------------------------------------5 - 20
Qualifications ----------------------------------------- 30 - 50
Previous earnings --------------------------------------5 - 45
United Kingdom experience --------------------------- 5

The points awarded for Age:
The points awarded for an initial application as a highly skilled worker
You can score up to 20 points for your age if you are under 32 years old on the date of your application. The points awarded are:
Under 28 years old - 20
28 or 29 years old - 10
30 or 31 years old - 5

The points awarded for an extension application as a highly skilled worker
If you are already in the United Kingdom under the highly skilled worker category, or as a self-employed lawyer, writer, composer or artist, you are awarded the following points:
Under 31 years old - 20
31 or 32 years old - 10
33 or 34 years old - 5

The points awarded for an extension application under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP)
If you are already in the United Kingdom under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme and are applying to extend your stay under the highly skilled worker category, you are awarded the following points:
Under 30 years old - 20
30 or 31 years old - 10
32 or 33 years old - 5

The points awarded for qualifications

Qualifications --------------------------------------------------- Points
Phd ----------------------------------------------------------------- 50
Master's ------------------------------------------------------------ 35
Bachelor's (Extension applications only) ----------------------------- 30

Unlike our Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, a Master in Business Administration (MBA) is not aseparate category under the points-based system, so you cannot rely solely on an MBA qualification to meet the requirements of the highly skilled worker category.
However, you may be able to use your MBA to score points as a master's qualification as detailed below.
Points are only awarded for one qualification.

Points are only awarded for a qualification which is assessed and recognised by the National Recognition Information Centre (UK NARIC) to meet or exceed the recognised standard of a bachelor's or master's degree or a PhD in the United Kingdom

The points awarded for previous earnings.
You can score up to 45 points for your earnings. The points awarded for salaried employment or self-employed earnings are:

Previous earnings ------------------------------------------------------ Points
£16,000 - £17,000 (Extension applications only) ---------------------------- 5
£18,000 - £19,999 (Extension applications only) ---------------------------- 10
£20,000 - £22,999 --------------------------------------------------------- 15
£23,000 - £25,999 --------------------------------------------------------- 20
£26,000 - £28,999 --------------------------------------------------------- 25
£29,000 - £31,999 --------------------------------------------------------- 30
£32,000 - £34,999 --------------------------------------------------------- 35
£35,000 - £39,999 --------------------------------------------------------- 40
£40,000 + ----------------------------------------------------------------- 45

They only consider actual earnings, and will not consider earnings claimed on a pro rata basis. For example, if you have worked part-time you cannot try to claim for what you might have earned if it was full-time work.

The period of earnings
Earnings must be made up of 12 consecutive months and must fall within the 15 months before your application.
You can claim points for a 12-month period outside of the 15-month period only in very limited circumstances. These are if you have been away from the workplace for a time during the last 12 months because of:

• full-time study; or
• a period of maternity or adoption-related absence.

You do not have to be in continuous employment during the 12-month period being assessed, so:

• you can claim for a period of earnings less than 12 months; and
• earnings do not have to be from a single employer and can be from full-time, part-time, temporary or short-term work.

If you claim for a period that is more than the 12 months, we will assess the most recent period of 12 months for which you have sent evidence.

Assessment of previous earnings
They assess your gross salary before tax. This also applies if you are self-employed and draw a salary from your business.

If you earned the money in a country with no tax system, they will consider your total earnings for the period.

If you are self-employed, your earnings are assessed on the profits of your business before tax. If you have a share of a business, your earnings are assessed on your share of the business's net profits before tax.

Your overall total earnings can include those from several sources of work, including salaried employment and self-employed activities.

Earnings do not need to have been with a single employer, and can be considered from full-time, part-time, temporary and short-term work.

Earnings may include, among other things:

• salaries (including full-time, part-time, and bonuses);
• earnings from self-employment;
• earnings from business activities;
• statutory maternity pay and contractual maternity pay;
• allowances (such as accommodation, schooling or car allowances) that form part of your remuneration package;
• dividends paid by a company, where it is a company in which you are active in the day-to-day management, or where you receive the dividend as part or all of your remuneration package;
• income from property rental, where this forms part of your business; and
• payment in lieu of notice (a payment made instead of requiring an employee to work the normal period of notice when leaving a job).

Unearned sources of income that we will not consider as previous earnings include:

• expenses (such as accommodation, schooling or car allowances) that reimburse you for money you have previously spent;
• dividends from investments, unless it is a company in which you are active in the day-to-day management, or unless you receive the dividend as part or all of your remuneration package;
• income from property rental, unless this forms part of your business;
  interest on savings;
• funds that were inherited;
• money paid to you as a pension;
• expenses where the payment reimburses you for money you have previously spent;
• statutory redundancy payment;
• sponsorship for periods of study; or
• state benefits.

Allowances

• They will only include allowances (such as those for accommodation or schooling for your children) in the assessment of your previous earnings if they are part of your remuneration package and are not paid to reimburse you for money you have previously spent.
• They will only accept allowances as earnings if they are declared in your payslips and your employment contract says that your employer must pay these allowances.

convert your earnings into pounds sterling (GBP)

Earnings made overseas must be converted into pounds sterling so that we can assess them. The exchange rate we use is the one produced by OANDA.
You should use the closing spot exchange rate on the OANDA website on the last day of the period for which you have claimed earnings in that currency.

If you are switching from the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP)
If you have permission to stay in the United Kingdom (known as 'leave to remain') as a highly skilled migrant or worker, the period over which your earnings are to be assessed must:

• be no more than 12 consecutive months; and
• fall within the 15 months immediately before your application.

If you do not show the right period of assessment for earnings, we assess your earnings in the 12 months immediately before your application. If you do not show enough earnings, you may not have enough points to apply.

United Kingdom experience:
The points awarded for United Kingdom experience in an initial application
You can score 5 points for United Kingdom experience if:

• you have successfully scored points under previous earnings and those earnings were made in the United Kingdom; or
• you have been in full-time study in the United Kingdom for at least one full academic year,
• and have been awarded a qualification at bachelor's degree level or above. The qualification should have been awarded within the last five years

The points awarded for United Kingdom experience in an extension application
If this is an extension application, you can only score points for previous earnings and not qualifications.

• You can claim a maximum of five points if you have successfully scored points for previous earnings and those earnings were made in the United Kingdom.
• You will only award points for United Kingdom earnings if your immigration status in the United Kingdom legally entitled you to be in the United Kingdom and work here throughout the period during which the earnings were made.

English language:
You must score 10 points for English language skills or your application will be refused.
English is the official language of the United Kingdom. The ability to speak English to a competent level improves your potential to succeed in the United Kingdom labour market and helps you integrate into the United Kingdom. So you must have a good knowledge of English.

There are three ways that you can score points for English language. You can:

• be a national of a majority English speaking country; or
• pass an English language test on our list of approved or
• hold a degree assessed by UK NARIC as being taught in English and is equivalent to a United Kingdom bachelor's degree or above.

You will also meet the English language requirement if:

• you were given permission to stay under a tier 1 category (other than investors or post-study workers) and are applying for an extension; or
• you were given permission to stay as a highly skilled migrant under the immigration rules that came into force on 5 December 2006, and you are applying for an extension under a tier 1 category.
  If you are applying for permission to stay (known as 'leave to remain') under the highly skilled worker category and have received a previous grant of leave under an immigration category that did not require a particular standard of English, you must meet the English language requirement.

Maintenance (funds)
You must score 10 points for maintenance (funds) or your application will be refused. Evidence must be in the form of cash funds.

If you are applying for permission to stay in the United Kingdom (known as 'leave to remain') and have £800 in available funds. You must have the £800 in your account for at least three months before you apply, and be able to send documents that show the money has been there for three months.

If you are applying to a British overseas entry clearance post for permission to come to the United Kingdom (known as 'entry clearance') and have £2,800 in available funds.
You must have the £2,800 in your account for at least three months before you apply, and be able to send documents that show the money has been there for three months.

How many points you score if you have an HSMP approval letter
If you have an HSMP approval letter, see the section on Transitional arrangements for the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme.

Check out the related information on:
Tier 1 General: Eligibility
Point Based System
UK VISA : Complete procedure
UK VISA : Application fees
UK VISA : Application Forms
Sponsoring a Migrant