Highly Skilled Migrant Programme to be extended indefinitely
The Home Office announced this week that the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) would be extended indefinitely. The HSMP, which was launched on 28 January 2002 as a one-year pilot programme, will have a new scoring scheme from 28 January 2003. The main changes are as follows:
Education
Points may be awarded for vocational and professional qualifications.
Work experience
25 points will be awarded for at least five years' graduate level work experience.
35 points will be awarded for at least five years' graduate level work experience which includes at least two years' senior or specialist work experience.
50 points will be awarded for at least ten years' graduate level work experience which includes at least five years'; senior or specialist work experience.
Earnings
The country codes will be changed and the salary thresholds for all except the highest country code will be reduced.
Achievement
15 points will be available for significant achievement.
25 points will be available for exceptional achievement.
These changes will allow many more people to apply for the HSMP, especially people living in low-income countries. For more information about the HSMP please click here
Alternatively, please contact Julia Onslow-Cole at julia.onslow-cole@cms-cmck.com or on +44 (0)20 7367 2733 or Kim Vowden at kim.vowden@cms-cmck.com or on +44 (0)20 7367 3146.
For information on other immigration matters, please visit the Immigration Toolkit on the Law-Now site.
