How changes to our immigration system affect your application to work here
This page explains what tier and category of the points-based system you should apply under to come to work in the United Kingdom. It tells you all the categories that have closed and which category of the points-based system you may be able to apply to instead. Some categories are still under review or will not be replaced by the points-based system. You can find information in the other categories section.
On this page
* Highly skilled workers, investors, entrepreneurs or post-study workers (Tier 1)
* Sponsored skilled workers with a job offer (Tier 2)
* Sponsored temporary workers (Tier 5 Temporary workers)
* Arrangements for young people (Tier 5 Youth mobility)
* European Economic Area and Swiss nationals
* Other categories
Highly skilled workers, investors, entrepreneurs or post-study workers (Tier 1)
Category of worker Former category for applying to work in the United Kingdom Appropriate new category of the points-based system When can I apply
to the new category?
Highly skilled workers Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) Highly skilled worker (Tier 1 General) 30 June 2008
Self-employed lawyers Highly skilled worker (Tier 1 General) 30 June 2008
Writers, composers and artists Highly skilled worker (Tier 1 General) 30 June 2008
Investors Investors Tier 1 Investor 30 June 2008
Entrepreneurs Business persons Tier 1 Entrepreneur 30 June 2008
Innovators Tier 1 Entrepreneur 30 June 2008
Post-study workers (graduates of United Kingdom universities) Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme Tier 1 Post-study work 30 June 2008
International Graduates Scheme Tier 1 Post-study work 30 June 2008
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Sponsored skilled workers with a job offer (Tier 2)
Category of worker Former category for applying to work in the United Kingdom Appropriate new category
of the points-based system When can I apply to
the new category?
Sponsored skilled worker
Most work permits including entertainers
but not:
* training and work experience schemes (see temporary workers below);
* General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS - see temporary workers below).
Skilled worker (Tier 2 General) 27 November 2008
Overseas qualified nurses and midwives (with a job offer) Skilled worker (Tier 2 General) 27 November 2008
Representatives of overseas media organisations Skilled worker (Tier 2 General) 27 November 2008
airline ground crew Skilled worker (Tier 2 General) 27 November 2008
some seafarers including those working on vessels on one-port voyages Skilled worker (Tier 2 General) 27 November 2008
Ministers of religion Ministers of religion, missionaries, members of religious orders, religious workers in non-pastoral roles, visiting religious workers (if you are coming to the United Kingdom for more than two years)
Sponsored worker (Tier 2 Ministers
of religion) - for pastoral role
that includes preaching to a congregation
27 November 2008
Sports people Work permits - elite sports people or coaches at the highest level, but for some sportspeople for 12 months or less (see temporary workers below) Sponsored worker (Tier 2 Sports people) 27 November 2008
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Sponsored temporary workers (Tier 5 Temporary workers)
Category of worker Former category for applying to work in the United Kingdom Appropriate new category of the points-based system When can I apply to the new category?
Temporary workers
Work permits - sports people or entertainers for some jobs of less than 12 months
but not:
* athletes for the Olympics; or
* those who now come permit-free (see other categories below)
Creative and sporting workers (Tier 5 Temporary worker) 27 November 2008
Training and work experience scheme Government authorised exchange workers (Tier 5 Temporary worker) - but only if you have a sponsoring United Kingdom government department 27 November 2008
China graduate work experience scheme Government authorised exchange workers (Tier 5 Temporary worker) - sponsored by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
Overseas government employees International agreement workers (Tier 5 Temporary worker) 27 November 2008
General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) International agreement workers (Tier 5 Temporary worker) 27 November 2008
Private servants in diplomatic households
but not: domestic workers in private households (see other categories below)
International agreement workers (Tier 5 Temporary worker) 27 November 2008
Ministers of religion, missionaries, members of religious orders, religious workers in non-pastoral roles, visiting religious workers (if you are coming to the United Kingdom for two years or less Religious workers (Tier 5 Temporary worker) 27 November 2008
Voluntary workers Charity workers (Tier 5 Temporary worker) 27 November 2008
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Arrangements for young people (Tier 5 Youth mobility)
Category of worker Former category for applying to work in the United Kingdom Appropriate new category of the points-based system When can I apply to the new category?
Youth mobility scheme Working holidaymaker scheme Youth mobility scheme (Tier 5) - but only if your country participates in it 27 November 2008
Au pairs Youth mobility scheme (Tier 5) - but only if your country participates in it 27 November 2008
Gap year Youth mobility scheme (Tier 5) - but only if your country participates in it 27 November 2008
Japan: youth exchange scheme Youth mobility scheme (Tier 5) - if Japan participates in it 27 November 2008
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European Economic Area and Swiss nationals
European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss nationals do not need to apply under the points-based systems. You can find more information in the section on European citizens.
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Other categories
The following categories are still open but are under review:
* sole representatives of overseas firms - may change in the future;
* domestic workers (private household) - may change in the future;
* film crew on location - will come into new visitor category in due course;
* some sports people coming for a specific event - now come into a new visitor category;
* some entertainers coming to perform at a specific event - now come into a new visitor category;
* overseas qualified doctors taking the professional and linguistic assessments board (PLAB) test - will come into new visitor category in due course; and
* clinical attachments and dental observer posts - will come into new visitor category in due course.
