On June 30^th of this year, the United Kingdom started imposing its' new point based immigration system. They started with Tier 1. Tiers 2 – 5 will be implemented within the remainder of 2008 and through to 2009. This new point based immigration system is said to help make the immigration process easier. It is also said to help in decreasing the number of rejected immigration applications.

The new system has been modeled after Australia’s own successful point based system. But, what does it really mean for people looking to immigrate into the United Kingdom. What about Filipino OFWs who are already working in the UK? How does this new system affect them?

Taking after Australia                                                                                

UK Home Office officials have expressed their concerns on the inadequacy of their old immigration system. The old system is said to be too lax and has allowed multiple instance of cheating and illegal UK residency. That is why the UK Home Office has spent great amount of time studying Australia’s Immigration and Border Control Policies.

Australia’s system works by allowing immigration only to the most qualified individuals and their families. It is a system that has worked smoothly and has resulted in economic prosperity for both the country and her immigrants.

5 Tiers                                                                          

By implementing a point based immigration system, UK now has new means of control over the individuals who seek employment and residency in the country. With the new system only the most highly skilled individuals can enter the UK. Immigrants, OFWs and visitors are categorized into five Tiers. Each Tier is a certain population. The 5 Tiers of the UK’s new point based immigration system are as follows:

·         1 - Highly Skilled Individuals

Tier 1 of the new point based immigration system is for highly skilled individuals who have much to offer the UK. Businessmen and high end entrepreneurs are included in this tier. Those who fall under tier 1 do not need to have sponsorship to be considered for immigration.

·         2 – Skilled Workers With an Offer of Employment or a Sponsor

This tier includes Nurses, Senior Carers, Physicians, Managers, etc. Those who apply for visas using tier 2 to tier 5 must have valid employment offers or employer sponsorship in order to be entertained. It is estimated that a majority of the immigrant population will fall under Tier 2. 

·         3 – Temporary Low Skilled Workers With an Employment Offer

The third tier of the new system involves low skilled workers who are to work in the UK temporarily. Welders, Bricklayers, etc. are part of this tier. Before anyone can be given a Tier 3 visa there has to be a certified manpower shortage in the position being applied for. The labor departments also have to make sure that the said shortage cannot be filled by workers from EU (European Union) countries.

·         4 – Students

This tier caters to students who are applying to study in the UK.

·         5  - Temporary Workers and Youth Mobility Scheme

Tier 5 of the new point based immigration system includes temporary workers such as Actors, Musicians, etc. It also includes individuals who participate in Youth Mobility Schemes. Youth Mobility Schemes are agreements between countries to allow young adults to move from one participating country to another with ease.

How Are Points Earned?

Points are earned depending on the following data: Educational Attainment, Work Experience, English Language Capability, Financial Standing, Dependents, Employment Offer, Ancestry, etc. Each of these categories and a few others score points for the individual applying for Visa. The higher the score, the better the chances are of getting into the UK.

How Does This Affect Filipinos Wanting to Get into the UK?

The New Point Based Immigration System is said to make the immigration process easier and in a way it really does. With it, only the qualified individuals are allowed to apply for visas. That won’t be a problem for aspiring OFWs who have the skill and the experience. It may even be a quicker process compared to the old system. The only problem now is that individuals lacking the skill and experience won’t have a chance of applying for UK Immigrant and work Visas. They will most likely be shot down even before they start.

So, for those Filipinos who want to work and live in the UK – you should first concentrate on getting the qualifications before you apply.

How Does the New System Affect Those OFWs Who Already Work in the UK?

The prognosis is glum for non-immigrant Filipinos who are currently employed in the UK when the new system comes into action. They face a big chance of being denied for renewal especially if they did not meet the qualifications of the new point based immigration system. Only legal UK residents have the assurance of staying in the country. But, despite this news Filipino OFWs working in the UK can take heart in the fact the Philippine government is working hard to make things better.