UK Tier 2 Visa (General)

 

Tier 2 of the Points Based System for the UK replaces the old Work Permit system. Tier 2 Visas are meant for medium and highly skilled applicants wanting to move to the UK and require applicants to have an offer of employment from a UK based employer.

 

All non-EEA nationals moving to the UK must have a sponsor and must also have a Certificate of Sponsorship if they want to apply for a Tier 2 work permit.

 

As with the previous UK Work Permit Scheme it is the company that makes the application on behalf of the applicant. Like all of the tiers of the new points based system applicants will be assessed with a points test, the points required under this system are 50 points.

 

Under the Points Based System there is more importance placed on the responsibility of the Sponsor/Employer in ensuring that applicants are eligible and have sufficient skills and experience for the position offered and as a UK based employer, they may be subject to immigration compliance checks with or without notice.

 

Shortage occupation positions do not have to be advertised in the UK before a sponsor can employ the non foreign national. When position is not on the shortage occupation list employers must show that they have advertised and tried to fill the position within the UK.

 

Qualifying Criteria

 

Applicants will be assessed according to the following points:

 

Sponsorship

 

Job in Shortage Occupation = 50 points

Job offer that passes the resident labour market test = 30 points

Switching from Post Study Visa = 30 points

Intra Company transfer = 25 points

Extension on the same job and the same salary = 50 points

 

Qualifications

 

PHD or Masters Degree = 15 points

Bachelor’s Degree =10 points

A Level or S/NVQ 3 or equivalent or above = 5 points

 

Prospective Earnings

 

£32,000 or more = 25 points

£28,000 - £31,999.99 = 20 points

£24,000 - £27,999.99 = 15 points

£20,000 - £23,999.99 = 10 points

Under £20,000                0 Points

 

 

To schedule a Free consultation please contact us today!

 

 

UK Tier 2 Visa (Intra Company Transfer)

 

Tier 2 (ICT) is designed for overseas branches of multinational and large organizations to trasnfer skilled employees that need to fill a role in the UK based operations.

 

The UK based employer would still have to hold a sponsor license and from the UKBA and be allocated a certain number of skilled transfers within the Intra-Co Transfer category of work permit.

 

Just to clarify in most cases they refer to the UK based company as the sponsor and in UK Study Visas it would be the educational institution that acts as the sponsor.

 

It would serve most large british based companies well to consider applying for the sponsor license as this allows far more flexibility in the human resource and employment efforts that are required.

 

All Intra Co Transfer applicants have to qualify by holding a valid certificate of sponsorship and an official job offer by the UK branch or department that intends on filling the role with non EU nationals.

Successful applicants also need to hold the required amount of savings or maintenance as it is also known in the United Kingdom.

 

English Language skills seem to have been taken off the required pieces of evidence however all UK VISA ISRAEL clients are urged to still undergo an IELTS test that would be valid for a 2 years period. The main reason for this is that we have seen 1st hand cases when applicants have held other English tests from various providers and these are just never as good as the IELTS.

 

The bottom line with English language test is that it still gives the applicant necessary practice and confirmation that the relocation and adjustment to a new language in the workplace will not be a major issue.

 

 

Long Term Staff (ICT)

There are different classifications of visas depending on the duration and long term staff are defined as overseas employers who are being transferred to the UK for longer than a 12 month period. Usually these applicants are more senior in the roles and have some element of managerial or specialised knowledge associated with their skills set.

 

Short Term Staff

These applicants are being sent to the UK department/branch/entity for a period that is less than 12 months and usually would have been to cover a specific role that was in short demand inside the UK.

 

In both above cases there are standard requirements that need to be fulfilled like applicants should have been in employment for at least 1 full year before becoming eligible for an intra company transfer visa. Also when talking about the salaries and payments made to these visa applicants there is a minimum threshold of 24,500 GBP for the Short terms and 41,000 GBP for the long term.

 

Intra Co Transfer applications allow for the main applicant to bring family members as dependents to the UK with them. Main applicants may bring their partners and any chidren under the age of 18, the only requirement here is that the applicant possess the specified amount of maintenance or savings. 

 

Graduate Trainee Transfer for Skills

This kind of Intra co visa allows for new graduates within a organization to come to the UK and in a specific educational program which once completed will end up giving the graduate specilised managerial skills and abilities. Graduates that qualify are also going to need to show maintenance and employment with the head office for a minimum amount of 3 months.

 

Skills Transfer (ICT)

This is for employees from the overseas company that require a short transfer to the UK branch in order to gain some skills and experience that will be required in the job in the home country. This is a visa for 6 months only and does not allow much flexibility in terms of extension or switching into any other UK immigration or working visa category.

 

How we assist:

• Assist with making Tier 2 Applicaiton in line with the latest updates from UKBA

• Help and guidance with document producing and formulating all business letters

• Handle the Entry Clearance Application

• Submit any dependent applicaiton in line with the latest regulations

• Act as the official Tier 2 Co's representative with the UK Embassy in Tel Aviv

 

 

To schedule a Free consultation please contact us today!