Changes to Tier 1 application requirements (13 February 2012)

From today we have revised the guidance notes for all Tier 1 categories, and made changes to the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) application form for use by applicants who are already in the UK.

We have revised policy guidance in all Tier 1 categories to include a paragraph about the circumstances when we will contact applicants about missing or incorrect documents.

The Tier 1 (General) policy guidance also includes a change to the list of governing bodies for accountants.

The Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) application form and policy guidance have been revised to allow applicants to use money invested in a UK business while they were here in a different immigration category.

Applicants should use the new form with immediate effect, but we will continue to accept applications made on the previous version of the form up to and including 5 March 2012.

Full details of all the changes can be found in the change tables on the right side of this page.

New student rules to welcome the brightest and best while tackling abuse (13 February 2012)

New rules will come into force within weeks to cut abuse of the student visa route and ensure that only the brightest and the best students can stay and work in the UK, Immigration Minister Damian Green announced today.

Students can currently work in the UK for 2 years after their studies have finished, under the Tier 1 (Post-study work) route. But from 6 April, a more selective system will come into effect so only the most talented international graduates can apply to stay in the UK for work purposes.

Only those who graduate from a university, and have an offer of a skilled job at a salary of at least £20,000 (or more in some cases) from a reputable employer accredited by the UK Border Agency, will be able to continue living and working in the UK in order to benefit the British economy.

The rules are part of a radical overhaul of the student visa system, which will:

• encourage growth - a new Graduate Entrepreneur route will open, with up to 1,000 places for students working on world-class innovative ideas who want to stay and develop them but do not meet the requirements of the Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) route;
• boost the economy - young entrepreneurs or small company directors will get the chance to stay on in the UK after their studies if they have £50,000 to invest in their business;
• ensure that students can support themselves - for the first time since 2008, there will be an increase in the amount of money that students and working migrants (and their dependants) must prove they have to support themselves financially during their time in the UK; and
• tackle abuse - restricting work placements to one-third of the course for international students who are studying below degree level will ensure that those coming to the UK are here to study, not to work (as was often the case in the past). Additionally, the time that can be spent studying at degree level will be restricted to a general limit of 5 years.

Damian Green said:

'It is vital that we continue to attract the brightest and the best international students, but we have to be more selective about who can come here and how long they can stay.

'In the past, too many students have come to the UK to work rather than study, and this abuse must end. With the introduction of the Graduate Entrepreneur route and the restrictions on student work, we are reforming the system to deliver immigration to benefit Britain.'

For full details of the changes that are coming into effect, you can download a statement of intent from the Home Office website.