UK Points Based System 2021 Calculator

What is UK’s Points Based System?

The UK now treats EU and non EU citizens equally in the wake of the points based system. This means every immigrant who wishes to come to the UK now stands an equal chance of getting in based purely on merit. 

The UK points based system has been introduced from 1st January 2021. This system aims at attracting highly skilled people and looks towards upgrading the overall economy. Fair trade of skills will lead to a booming and diverse economy. These things are very important for a Country’s growth. Keep reading to know how you can participate in this economy and build a future for yourself just on the basis of merit and some professional help from us. 

Under this system anyone coming to the UK has to gain a certain number of points and their job needs to meet the required salary criteria. 

What is the eligibility criteria?

The eligibility completely depends on the points obtained and a few key factors. 

Key Criteria: 

First and foremost, A Job Sponsor in the UK (mandatory): Having a job sponsor in the UK is the key determining factor when it comes to securing a skills based entry in the country. Having a job offer is mandatory as per the rules.  

Job at Appropriate Skill Level (mandatory): The job that you get has to be at RQF3 level or equivalent as per the eligible skills. Contact us to fast track your skill verification with our expert consultants and get started with your application. The sooner you begin the better it is. Sometimes people have multiple skills and one skill is more valued in the UK over the other. Our consultants help you understand the best option and go ahead with the process.

English Language (mandatory): Every applicant must be proficient in the English language in order to be eligible for immigration into the UK. This is mandatory for easy integration into the country and furthering the economy frictionlessly. 

Charges: 

1. Immigration Skills Charge: This is the charge paid by your EMPLOYER to get you employed. Make sure this is clear with your employer before as anyone with ill intention might put this charge on you or not pay this at all causing further trouble. Here an intermediary institution like 1 Absolute Advisor can help secure your interests by verifying the validity and payment status with immigration and government authorities. 

2. Immigration Health Surcharge: This is the fees paid by the applicant up front in order to avail services from National Health Services departments on arrival same as any British citizen. 

Maintenance Funds: Every applicant must be able to demonstrate that they have enough funds in order to survive in the UK for their duration of the stay. This is done partly in the form of savings and partly in the form of salary expected. Our experts can help you figure this out on a FREE Callback as any issues in the ability to show maintenance funds and survivability can cause the application to be rejected. 

Biometrics: Every applicant has to provide their biometrics as a part of the immigration process. 

How can I get 70 points for UK visa?

With the mandatory requirements of job from a licensed sponsor, appropriate skill level and english language, you automatically secure 50 points. Getting the remaining 20 points for qualification can be done in 3 prominent ways: 

1. Salary of £25,600 or above or at least the going rate for the profession

2. Job in a shortage occupation as designated by the Migration Advisory Committee

3. PhD in a subject relevant to the job / PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job

The process seems simple but you really need to focus on making sure you meet all the criteria and qualify in the first go since a lot of applicants are applying for the same job and increasing competition. It becomes mission critical to get in the first time and is best done in association with a professional consultant like ours or any other agency which can provide years of experience at your disposal. 

Immigrating into the UK is highly competitive and you need all the help you can get. 

How to Apply for UK Points Based visa?

Application process is pretty simple compared to the complexities involved in the actual qualification process. You need to submit your biometrics and photograph and fill the application along with paying the fees. All of this can be done online or at an overseas visa application center. 

If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss Citizen, you don’t need to provide biometrics and can upload the digital photo of yourself via a smart device. 

What is the fee for UK points based visa?

Fees for application is around £232 up to over a grand. A complete list of charges can be found here: 

Along with this, the healthcare surcharge mentioned above is at £624 per year and has to be paid up front during the time of application for the points based system. This ensures you get all the basic NHS facilities that are available to British Citizen. This fees has to be paid every year for yourself as well as any dependent that you bring along. 

Maintenance amount to demonstrate your ability to support yourself stands at £1,270 available when you arrive in the UK. This is very much mandatory for the government to know that you won’t default on your payments till your sponsor starts paying your salary. 

What is a shortage occupation list?

The shortage occupation list has all the occupations that are currently in demand for the specific Areas in the UK. People having the professions listed on this list get an additional 20 points and can easily get the needed 70 points as required by the points system. 

The jobs that fall under the shortage occupation list are the ones that need to be supplemented on an urgent basis into the economy for an overall growth of the country. These occupations are literal building blocks of the forth coming economy that the UK government has envisioned. Hence this list is created for ease of recruitment of the right talent in the right areas of the UK.

Is my job on shortage occupation list?

Many jobs are on the shortage list but the areas where they are available may vary. Here is the shortage occupation list: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-shortage-occupations/skilled-worker-visa-shortage-occupations

There is a separate list for medical and health care professionals that can be found within this list. Sometimes people having jobs and experience in these fields are also reluctant in asking for a proper salary when coming from outside the UK. This can lead to incomplete points if the sponsor does not pay the proper salary. Get a quick Call back from our experts to understand your position and eligibility on the shortage occupation list. 

What is the minimum salary requirement?

Salary of £25,600 is the minimum to qualify for the points based system. Even if the going rate of the applicant’s occupation is below this it should not be below £20,480 for a good application. 

In special cases some applicants can have tradable skills that compensate for the salary but this information is better understood directly from a qualified consultant. You can easily get a free call back for your queries regarding salary related queries. Salary is a key factor in determining the ease of your qualification to getting into the UK and it is best understood from a qualified professional as per your particular case. 

UK points based system for international students

If you are an International student in the UK starting Summer of 2021, you will be eligible to get a 2 year Graduate Visa. This allows you to stay and work in the UK for 2 years without any sponsorships at any skill level. In addition, if you are completing your PHD from the UK you get to stay in the country for 3 years instead and find skilled jobs. 

In all, the Points based system is a win win for both the applicants and the UK. 

Here is a good article from BBC on the new points based system.

To understand these categories in depth and to apply for your own visa, why not contact one of our experts for a free call?

 Contact our team of experts to get guidance at 1 Absolute Advisor. 

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