Although the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP), which was introduced in January 2002, has proven to be very successful for UK immigration, it has now been replaced by Tier 1 (General). Tier 1 is a points-based visa system specially designed to attract gifted individuals to migrate to the UK. The Tier 2 work permit allows a UK-based company to sponsor a foreign individual to come and contribute to the UK’s economy.

Under the Entrepreneur visa, a foreign individual is allowed to live and work in the UK and invest capital and start a business, as long as it is within UK immigration rules. A potential investor may also come to the country with a pioneering idea under an Innovator visa or simply to invest in the country’s economy through a Tier 1 Investor visa.

For students wishing to study in the UK, a study permit or Tier 4 Student visa permits foreign students to enter the country. The Post Study Work and Youth Mobility Scheme allow students and young individuals to work in the UK for a restricted time.

Family-based visas include UK Marriage visa and UK Fiancé visa or De Facto visa or the Unmarried Partner visa. A UK marriage visa allows the husband, wife or civil partner of a person who settled in the UK to apply for leave to enter and live permanently in the country. The UK Fiancé visa permits a person who is resident in the UK to bring their fiancé into the country.

The Tier 1, like the HSMP, uses a points system to determine immigration eligibility. The system is used to award points in six categories; education, adaptability, language skills, work experience, age and employment. The total number of points needed in order to submit your HSMP (Tier 1) application is 75. The purpose of the HSMP points system is to ensure that immigrants will be able to care for themselves and assimilate into society well. The HSMP is used as a first step towards permanent residency and ultimately, citizenship.  After five years with the HSMP an applicant can apply for residency and one year after that naturalisation to become a citizen. It is important to submit all the necessary paperwork and substantiations, along with your application, in order to be certain that the process will not be halted. If your application is incomplete you will need to resubmit and start the process over.

The application process for the Tier 1 Visa has changed slightly from the old process used for HSMP Visas.  The HSMP Visa application process was a two-step process.  The new Tier 1 Visa application process is only one step.  It is therefore extremely important that you include all the proper documentation along with your application.  The application process will be halted if the proper information is missing and you will need to start the process over again.  You must include all information regarding your education, prior work experience, age, status, English skills, and UK knowledge along with your application.  The approval process may take up to a year and a half.  A Tier 1 Visa allows you to live and work in the UK for up to two years at which time the Visa can be renewed.

To be able to extend their HSMP category from the previous system, they will have to meet the deadline before the new system is implemented. However, after February 29, 2008, they will be allowed to apply for UK HSMP extensions and be assessed through this new system or program or the new Tier 1. Once the new Tier 1 is implemented, they will need to extend their leave to remain as a highly skilled migrant by scoring enough points to qualify under the General Highly Skilled Migrants.

Scores needed to qualify will not change. However, the English language requirements are stricter. The applicant must have a 6.5 score on the IELTS or International English Language Testing System. At the same time, MBA provision is removed and can be replaced with the UK work experience.

New employees wanting to enter the UK under the highly skilled migrant category for the first time must qualify under the new Tier 1 system.

New immigrations rules will be executed and new requirements will be needed. Smith mentioned things like Mandatory ID cards for foreign nationals living in the country, more rigorous rules for foreign spouses going to the country, and details of the new points based system or what they call the Tier Systems.

Smith started by acknowledging the contributions of the immigrants to the economy of the UK. They have provided much aid throughout the history of the country. She has made emphasis on issues like skills shortages being filled by the migrant labour and the labour market demands in the UK being met by the migrants as well. She even mentioned that if the migration to the UK stops, the country will surely be affected negatively. Immigration has contributed about six billion pounds in gross domestic product growth in the year 2007.

The Tier 1 system is the single points based system that will change the existing old system that UK is using for immigration. The five tier program includes Tier 1 to replace the HSMP or Highly Skilled Migrant Programme. The Tier 2 will be for skilled workers to work under the shortage list of jobs. Tier 3 are for the low-skilled workers but will be suspended as of the moment. Tier 4 is for foreign student visas while Tier 5 is for temporary workers.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Montreal International, Pierre Brunet, talked about how foreign skilled migrants will be the key factor of success for the urban centres of the country. These talented workers will surely make the Greater Montreal more competitive and will enable its economy to attract foreign investors and companies at the same time.

In this day and age, there is an intensified global competition that Montreal needs to deal with. It is only crucial that knowledge-based urban centres be able to attract the most qualified candidates to move, work, and live in their city, according to Brunet. He proposes to the government that they should be looking at certain measures in order to draw highly skilled migrants to Montreal.

In order to achieve this, Montreal International has proposed various means; including simplifying the process of work permit applications, seeking aid from the government of Quebec, and prioritizing permanent residency over the temporary migration. MI has mentioned that the region is in great need of skilled professionals in the fields of Information and Communications Technology, Aerospace, and Life Sciences.