New points based system starts new regime for migration to Britain

By Charles Kelly

07 January 2008

The Government has announced details of Britain's new Australian-style points based immigration system (PBS) along with a 10 year ban for migrants who break the rules.

The new regulations, for highly skilled foreign workers applying to come to the UK, will take effect from 29 February.

Highly skilled foreign nationals currently working in Britain and extending their stay will need to apply under the new system.

In April, the new system will be rolled out overseas when highly skilled migrants from India will need to apply under PBS. By the summer the new highly skilled system will operate worldwide.

Speaking from Delhi during a visit to discuss how PBS will work with the Indian Government, Borders and Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said:

"Our points system is starting on time and on plan. I've no problem with taking the best systems in the world, like Australia's points system, and bringing them to the UK. This is a key part of the huge shake-up to our border security this year."

"The points system means only those migrants Britain needs can come to the UK. We know that migrants contributed to our economy to the tune of £6 billion to GDP in 2006. A strong system for highly skilled migrants is vital to Britain winning these benefits because these migrants are well-educated and pay lots of tax."

"We want India to come first because India is Britain's most important market for highly skilled migrants."

The BIA hopes that the Highly Skilled tier 1 will build upon the success of the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme by continuing to attract the most talented people with the skills the UK needs to remain a global leader in the fields of finance, business, and technological innovation.

The announcement follows the completion in January of the Border and Immigration Agency's global rollout of fingerprinting for all visas three months early.

Now every person in the world coming to the UK on a visa has their fingerprints taken and their details checked against watch-lists - if they're on the list for the wrong reason they can't come in and could be banned from applying to come again for up to 10 years. 

This week the BIA has also published a list of new forms see Immigration Matters for details.

If you have any views or need immigration advice and would like a free consultation please email me at: info@immigrationmatters.co.uk

For the latest immigration news visit www.immigrationmatters.co.uk

Charles Kelly will be running an Advice Clinic at the Care Show, Bournemouth 1 and 2 April 2008

To Book see: http://www.careshow.co.uk/page.cfm/Link=42/t=m/goSection=5

You can read the BIA announcement in full at: http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk