Earlier this year, the UK government published new rules announcing a 5 tier system of points-based immigration along with other significant immigration and border security reforms. The UK Border Agency calls this the biggest change in the UK immigration system in 45 years.

The primary change to the work permit scheme is a new, 5 tier points-based system referred to as ?PBS?. The new PBS includes the following categories:·

Tier 1: Replaces existing self-sponsorship categories for applicants who are highly skilled, entrepreneurs, investors, or have undertaken advanced studies and want to stay in the UK to work.

Tier 2: Includes skilled workers, intracompany transfers, sports people and ministers of religion. This tier is expected to account for a majority of the non EU workers coming to the UK.

Tier 3: Low skilled workers filling temporary labor shortages (currently suspended).

Tier 4: Students.

Tier 5: Youth mobility and other specific time-limited workers such as musicians to play a concert.

Please see full alert for more information.