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New U.K. immigration norms from today

NEW DELHI: From Tuesday, all potential Indian immigrants to the U.K. must pass through the “Points Based System (PBS), Tier 1.”

This replaces the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme. Under the PBS, applicants will need sufficient points to qualify. And in case they qualify, the initial visa will be issued for three years instead of two. Points would be awarded for criteria such as qualifications, previous earnings, age and U.K. experience.

The new norms are being introduced tier by tier, and Tier 1 is being rolled out in India first. The rollout to the rest of the world will take place in the coming months. Interacting with the media here in February, the U.K. Immigration Minister, Liam Byrne, said: “We want India to come first because it is Britain’s most important market for highly skilled migrants.”

Speaking on the eve of the launch, British High Commissioner to India Richard Stagg maintained that Tier I of PBS would be good for those “wanting to work in Britain and good for the U.K. economy.” It allows those wanting to work in Britain to calculate, before they make their application, whether their points add up to entry as a highly skilled worker. It is also a quicker and more straightforward process. “What was a two-stage application process now has only one stage and the initial visa will be granted for three years not two,” he said.

The introduction of PBS takes place at a time of fundamental changes to the U.K.’s immigration system. This includes the completion of the global biometrics programme, introduction of severe penalties for the employers of illegal workers in the U.K. and the creation of a unified U.K. Border Agency. Applicants who use false documents or deception to try to get access to the U.K. will face a decade-long ban on entering the country.

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