The new rules also make changes to Tier 1 of the Points Based System for highly
skilled workers. Applicants under the Tier 1 (Post-Study Work) route will no longer
receive points for post graduate certificates and diplomas other than UK Postgraduate
Certificates of Education and those applying for their first period of leave under Tier 1
(General) will no longer receive points for Bachelors degrees or for previous earnings of
less than !ê20,000.
The amendments to Tier 1 (General) were announced by the Home Secretary on 22
February. At a time of rising unemployment it makes sense to control inflow and be
more selective about the migrants who come to the UK. This more selective Tier 1
policy will give the most highly skilled migrants (the migrants who make the greatest
economic contribution to the UK) access to the labour market whilst ensuring that other
skilled migrants can only enter under Tier 2, which is designed to ensure that migrants
are only admitted for skilled work where there is nobody available within the resident
labour force to fill the post.
The amendment to Tier 1 (Post Study) will also contribute towards this aim whilst
ensuring that the UK remains an attractive destination for skilled migrants studying for
a Bachelor!ˉs degree. The removal of the pot graduate certificates and diploma route
from Tier 1 (Post Study Work) also responds to evidence of a high level of abuse of
these provisions. However, we will continue to award points for UK Postgraduate
Certificates of Education as there is no evidence of abuse of the qualification and
students must meet robust requirements including mandatory previous qualifications in
order to gain this qualification.
We are also amending the Tier 2 and 5 rules introduced in November to enable overseas
qualified nurses and midwives to switch from the government authorised exchange
subcategory of Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) into Tier 2 (General) on completion of their
registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and to allow footballers who come
to the UK in the creative and sporting sub-category of Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) to
switch into Tier 2 (Sportsperson) category of the Points Based System (PBS). The new
rules will also allow, subject to certain conditions, private servants in diplomatic
households who have been working in the UK in the international agreement sub-
category of Tier 5 for a continuous period of 5 years to be eligible to apply for
settlement.