UK – An Ideal Immigration Destination
The UK has been one of the top destinations for those seeking better opportunities outside of their home countries. Each year, UK sees thousands of international students and immigrants who come to build a better life for themselves. Not only does the country offer wonderful post-graduation opportunities for international students, but the government also has supportive policies for working professionals.
Furthermore, UK is also considered one of the most preferable countries for immigrants with family. Still being one of the incredible destinations in the world, its policies lets foreign nationals migrate and settle down with their families in the country.
Things might have been uncertain for most countries in the past year or so, but the UK is set to bounce back and has recently changed immigration policies to invite more international professionals to the country. The changes in immigration policies were published at the end of 2022. One of the major changes was that Tier 2 visa scheme was replaced by Skilled Worker visa so long-term visas are included here. These modifications indicate that UK has recognized the significant contribution that international immigrants have made to the country.
Some of the notable points to select UK as the choice of country include:
- Strong education system, including some world-renowned universities.
- Massive job opportunities in multiple fields.
- Impressive healthcare industry that is only growing bigger.
- Multi-cultural and family-oriented society.
- Bulks up resume and opens doors globally.
Although UK welcomed international students and immigrants, especially in the decade before 2020, the new policies targeting working professionals have opened up new doors for international immigrants. International students as always will be welcome, but it is the Skilled Worker Visa that will be one of the most popular routes for aspiring immigrants.
UK Graduate Visa
This is one of the most convenient and preferred routes for youngsters who are looking to have international exposure. UK is home to some of the prestigious universities in the world that welcome international students in every field. Also, immigrant-friendly post-graduation policies in UK make this an attractive route for students.
UK will begin accepting applications for the new Graduate Route from 1 July 2021. This visa category is for international students who have completed their higher education and are looking for further studies. The duration of this visa depends on the field and program but is usually valid for 2 to 3 years.
UK Skilled Worker Visa
This route offers many benefits for working professionals who have education and are trained in specific fields. Opting for immigration through this route means that people can seek jobs in the country and gain a strong position to build a content life. Not only does this allow international immigrants to start earning their living almost immediately, but also lets them enjoy the benefits that come with being employed in the country, except for some benefits that might be specific to citizens only.
There are many benefits of applying for immigration to UK through Skilled Worker Visa. Some of the countries that have opted this route successfully in the last decade are some Eastern European nations like Poland, Asian countries like India and Bangladesh as well as the U.S.
Being one of the top countries to send immigrants to the UK, India can gain significantly through the skilled worker route. As this category covers wide range of occupations, industries, fields and skills, there is high probability to obtain UK skilled worker visa from India.
Some of the Benefits of UK Skilled Worker Visa are:
- Work in the country.
- Chance at better occupational opportunities.
- Immigrating with Family.
- Have access to government benefits as a working professional in the country.
- Ascend from UK skilled worker visa to permanent residence,
Recent changes to this policy mean that immigrants can apply for skilled worker visa on long-term basis to fill in vacancies in different fields. Usually, this visa applies to skilled occupations in several fields including IT, Finance, Accounting, Teaching, Medicine, and Healthcare.
Applying through this route is much easier if the aspiring immigrant has a sponsor and produces all the documents regarding the same.
Shortage Occupation List
With the Skilled Worker Visa, UK also publishes a list of occupations with maximum job offerings. This ‘Shortage Occupation List’ marks the fields that have a high vacancy and require skilled professionals to fill in the seats.
This list is only a guide and it does not mean that UK is limiting skilled worker immigration to these occupations alone. In fact, this list is small, and UK is inviting professionals in many other fields. It just means that if an aspirating immigrant is seeking job opportunities in the fields marked in the Shortage list, he/she has better overall score and is more likely to be offered a Visa.
The latest list includes many occupations related to health and care industries. Some of them are:
- Mid-level healthcare professionals
- Nursing and related jobs
- Physiotherapists
- Senior Care professionals
- Pharmacists
Teachers and people in education fields, especially Modern foreign language teachers have also been marked in the list.
Art, Entertainment, Sport
Skilled Worker Route does not leave out other professional fields. Those with prestigious awards and proven record in the fields of Art, Entertainment as well as Sports can also seek immigration to the UK.
Future Expectations in UK Immigration Policies
The UK government has announced that in the next year or two it will be examining, modifying, and introducing several immigration policies and multiple categories of visas that will help bring in a larger influx of foreign citizens to the country. Some of the major things to note are:
- The Innovator Visa will be reviewed and modified as required.
- Upgrading the immigration sponsorship system to stay in line with changing times.
- Launch of an Elite points-based Visa by March 2022.
- Launch of new Global Business Mobility visa in the second quarter of 2022.
General Eligibility Criteria For Skilled Worker Visa
The UK has set up a points-based system where an aspiring immigrant must achieve a minimum of 70 points on the Skilled Worker points test. Points are gained for education, qualification, experience, English language proficiency, and other such criteria. If the person is applying in the fields marked under the shortage occupation list, he scores higher points. Sponsorships are also taken into consideration and awarded points.
Apart from the specific criteria, the applicant of Skilled Worker visa should also pass on common eligibility criteria. These include basic documents, health tests, maintenance funds, and others.
