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Highly Skilled Migrant Programme

The Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) has been designed to allow highly skilled people to migrate to the United Kingdom to look for work or self-employment opportunities. The scheme has two categories, one for applicants aged under 28 and another for those aged 28 and over.

The Highly Skilled Migrant Programme does not require you to have a specific job offer in the UK to apply. It is different from business routes because you do not need a detailed business plan; you do not need to create jobs; and you do not need to invest in the UK.

How do I apply for Highly Skilled Migrant Visa?

You are required to apply directly to the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme Team at Work Permits (UK). You are able to apply from abroad. In most cases, you can also apply from inside the UK if you are here with Home Office permission.

Your application will not be successful if you are in the United Kingdom as a visitor, on temporary admission, or without permission.

How do I qualify as a Highly Skilled Migrant?

The Highly Skilled Migrant Programme is a points-based immigration scheme. Points are scored in five main areas:

• educational qualifications
• work experience
• past earnings
• your achievement in your chosen field
• your husband's, wife's or unmarried partner's achievements.
• A total of 65 points is required in order to qualify for this scheme.

Under-28 Category

If you are under 28 years of age, you are able to score points by providing evidence of the following.

Educational Background

In this category you can score the following points depending to the educational qualifications you hold:

Work Experience

In this category you are able to score points by providing evidence of the following:

Points will only be awarded for this section where sufficient original evidence has been provided to satisfy the HSMP team that the post has clearly demonstrated either graduate, senior or specialist level experience. The evidence should also demonstrate that the applicant has worked in the post(s) on a full-time basis for the required length of time.

Past Earnings

The past earnings requirements for under-28s assessment are broadly equivalent to the top 10 per cent earnings of all full-time workers in this age group. In order to score points in this category you need to demonstrate a minimum earned income in your country of residence over the 12 months prior to the application being made. In order to reflect differences in income levels across the world, the level required to qualify varies depending on where you have been living. The country where you have been residing and working over this period, rather than your nationality, determines the income band.

You can find up-to-date information regarding your ability to claim points in this section by visiting www.workingintheuk.gov.uk.

Over-28 category

If you are aged 28 years or more, you are able to score points by providing evidence of the following.

Educational Background

In this category you can score the following according to the educational qualifications you hold:

Work Experience

In this category you are able to score points by providing evidence of the following:

Past Earnings

The past earnings requirements for the 28s and over assessment are broadly equivalent to the top 10 per cent earnings of all full-time workers in this age group. In order to score points in this category you need to demonstrate a minimum earned income in your country of residence over the 12 months prior to the application being made.

In order to reflect differences in income levels across the world, the level required to qualify varies depending on where you live. The country you have been residing and working in over this period, rather than your nationality, determines the income band. You can find up-to-date information regarding your ability to claim points in this section by visiting www.workingintheuk.gov.uk.

Points Awarded within Both Categories

Within both categories you are able to claim the following points.

Achievement in your chosen field

Points awarded for this section:

Examples of this could be:

• a breakthrough in your field of expertise, e.g. a piece of original published research that is recognised as this in your field of expertise
• a recognised artistic achievement
• a lifetime achievement award from an industry body
• an invention which has been commercially successful.

Partners' Achievements

Points awarded for this section:

In order to score in this category, you must provide evidence that your spouse or unmarried partner is educated to degree level (e.g. BA or BSc) or an equivalent vocational or professional qualification.

Alternatively, you can provide evidence that they are currently or have previously been employed in a graduate-level job. Your spouse or partner must accompany or join you in the UK. In addition, your spouse or partner must not already have been granted settlement (permanent residence) in the UK.

It is essential that at least three pieces of evidence are supplied in support of your partnership, and that these should cover a period of no less than two years.

MBA Criteria

To meet the requirements of the MBA provision, to qualify for HSMP approval, you must:

• Have graduated from an eligible MBA programme. The first list was published on 2 December 2004, so the earliest eligible graduation date will be 2 December 2004. The date of graduation will be taken as the date on the graduation certificate.
• Provide evidence that clearly demonstrates you have graduated from an eligible MBA programme. The MBA course must have been completed. You cannot apply for this provision while partway through the MBA programme.

If you provide sufficient evidence of your MBA qualification and this was awarded at an eligible institution and the HSMP team is satisfied that you meet the requirements of the scheme, you will automatically be awarded 65 points, the HSMP passmark.