Jawaan

Points are awarded for what are called “Attributes”, for which you need to score a minimum of 75 points. These comprise:

• Age;
• Qualifications;
• Previous earnings and
• UK experience.

Separate points are given for English language ability and the availability of funds for maintenance. You must demonstrate that you have the level of English prescribed in the Immigration Rules and produce evidence of the required funds in addition to reaching the pass mark for the Attributes. Entry Clearance Officers will only award points for the sections for which you have indicated that you wish to claim and for which you have supplied the required supporting evidence.

Points scoring

Attributes: Age

Points are awarded according to your age at the time of receipt of your application in the Visa Section of the British Mission.  Applicants aged 32 and over do not score any points for age, but may still score enough points for qualifications and previous earnings in order to make up the required 75 points.

Attributes: Qualifications (*can include equivalent level professional qualifications)

Points are awarded only if your qualifications are equivalent to British Bachelors, Masters or PhD (as validated by the National Academic Recognition Information Centre (UK NARIC) database). UK NARIC is a private company that specialises in the comparison of qualifications to UK academic levels. Points can be scored for vocational and professional qualifications if they are at least equivalent to one of the academic levels shown, but only if they can be verified through UK NARIC. You are responsible for demonstrating that your qualification equates to a UK academic qualification.

Attributes: Previous earnings (from 12 out of the 15 months preceding the application)

Points are awarded for your previous earnings from work for a period of up to 12 months out of the 15 months preceding your application. This applies to both salaried staff and self-employed persons. You may claim for a period of less than 12 months, but these earnings will not be considered on a pro rata basis. Earnings from salaried employment will be assessed before deduction of tax. If you are self-employed and the business profits are retained within your business, your share of the business’s net profits generated over the earnings period can be considered. If you take a salary from your business you will need your managing agent or accountant to confirm this in writing, indicating the precise amounts received.

You may claim points for UK earnings only when you were legally entitled to engage in the activities which generated these earnings, for the period claimed. Please consult the main guidance for further advice.

You may claim points for a 12 month period other than as described above if you can establish that during the last 12 months you have been engaged in full-time study, had maternity or adoption related leave. You should provide the dates for which either of these circumstances applies on your application form. Please consult Tier 1 (General) of the Points Based System Policy Guidance for further advice.

To reflect differences in income levels across the world, countries are divided into 5 income bands and local incomes adjusted to the levels shown in the salary ranges below. First convert your salary into sterling, then multiply that figure by the multiplier allocated for your country in the bands in the table below. For example, if your money was earned in India, which is in Band D, you need to multiply your sterling equivalent salary by 5.3. Then locate the resulting figure in one of the salary ranges and read the points allocated. If, during the period, you earned a salary in more than one country you will need to repeat the process. The Self-Assessment Points Calculator will automatically make the calculation for you. You should also consult the main guidance for more information.

Earnings

Country bands

Attributes: UK experience

5 points can be claimed if either:

• the earnings for which you successfully scored points  under Previous Earnings  were for  UK employment or
• you studied at Bachelor degree level or above in full-time higher education in the UK; or at an overseas campus of a UK-based educational institution for at least one full academic year or three consecutive academic terms during the last five years.

Points will be awarded only if you were legally entitled to work or study in the UK throughout the period when these earnings or studies took place.

You are advised to confirm the level of your qualification on the UK NARIC database before claiming points under this Attribute.  If you are unable to find details of your qualification, please contact UK NARIC for an assessment of the level of your qualification.  If this is the required level, you should obtain a confirmation certificate from UK NARIC and submit this with your application.  There will be a charge for this service.

English language

The ability to meet the required English standard is a mandatory requirement.  If you cannot meet this level, your application will be refused regardless of any points you may have scored in the Attributes section. 10 points are awarded in this section if you meet the required standard and 0 if you do not.

There are three ways in which you can meet this requirement.  You can:

• be a national of a majority English speaking country on the following list - Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Christopher (Kitts) and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States of America or
• hold an English language qualification equivalent to the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework for Language Learning level C1 (approximately IELTS level 6.5, GCSE Grade C) or
• hold a degree that was taught in English as confirmed by the UK NARIC database as equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree.

Maintenance (Funds)

Even if you have attained the pass mark of 75 in the Attributes section and have the required standard of English, your application will be refused if you do not pass the Maintenance (Funds) requirement.

10 points are available for this.  As a general rule you must be able to support yourself for the entire duration of your stay in the UK without needing any help from public funds. Initially, in order to qualify under Tier 1 (General) Migrant you must be able to demonstrate that you have £2,800 for yourself and (where applicable) £1,600 for each dependant accompanying you AND that you have held these amounts for a minimum period of 3 months immediately preceding and dated no more than 7 days prior to the date you submit your application.  The balance should not fall below the required minimum at any time during the 3 month period.