Tier 1 General (Highly Skilled Migrants) Scoring
Please feel free to use our Tier 1 Highly Skilled Migrant points calculator! If you meet the requisite points and other requirements and would like us to assist you with providing an application plan or full representation don’t hesitate to contact us.
You can score points as follows. A minimum of 75 points is required from the following four areas:
Qualifications
| Highest Qualification Obtained (UK recognised level) |
Points |
| Bachelors degree | 30 |
| Masters degree | 35 |
| PhD | 50 |
Qualifications should be checked on the Border Agency database or via UK NARIC to ensure they are recognised as equivalent to UK degree level. Please note that you can only score points for your highest accepted qualification.
Important! The information on this page refers to pre 6th April 2010 rules and should be used as an indication only. New content will be available shortly.
Previous Earnings
Points scoring in this area is based on your gross earnings taken over a consecutive 12 month period within the 15 months immediately prior to your application being received by the Border Agency. There are different points scores available (between 0 – 45 points) depending on what you have earned and where you physically earned it. Countries are split into 5 bands with ‘uplift conversions’ that reflect different income levels across the world.
Current or recent full time students can show earnings from 12 months out of the 15 months directly prior to the period of study.
You can also show earnings from an earlier period should you have had maternity or adoption related leave.
Please contact us or use our calculator to establish your points potential in this category.
UK Experience
One of the following can be claimed in this category:
| Requirement | Score |
| You have scored points in the previous earnings category and at least £16,000 of your earnings were based in the UK | 5 |
| You have studied and graduated at Bachelors degree level or higher in the UK or at a UK-based overseas educational institution for at least one full academic year / 3 consecutive academic terms | 5 |
Age
Points can be scored on the basis of your age as follows:
| Age (in years) | Points |
| 27 or under | 20 |
| 28 or 29 | 10 |
| 30 or 31 | 5 |
| 32 or over | 0 |
Extra mandatory scoring categories:
You must score the maximum 10 points in each of the following:
English Language
You can score the 10 points required for English language should you satisfy one of the following:
- Should you be a national of the majority English-speaking countries listed: Antigua and Barbuda; Australia; The Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Canada; Dominica; Grenada; Guyana; Jamaica; New Zealand; St Kitts and Nevis; St Lucia; St Vincent and the Grenadines; Trinidad and Tobago; The United States of America; or
- Should you hold a degree which is equivalent to UK Bachelor’s level or higher and which was taught or researched in English to a certain level. Where the degree was taken in a majority English speaking country, listed above (except Canada), the Agency will assume it to have been taught in English; or
- Should you have passed an accepted English language test at a minimum of C1 under the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework for Language Learning (feel free to contact us for details);
- Should you have previously been granted leave to remain in the UK under this category or under the HSMP rules in place since 5th December 2006
Maintenance
You can score the 10 points required for maintenance should you satisfy the following:
- You have had at least £2,800 of personal savings (cash funds) available for the three months prior to you submitting your entry clearance application. Your personal savings should not have not dropped below this level throughout the 3 month period;
Please note, that those who are applying for Further Leave to Remain in this category from within the UK need to show personal savings of £800 for the 3 month period.
Should you have family members who are applying to join / accompany you, extra maintenance is required to support them. This will be £1600 extra for each family member or £533 for each family member should the main applicant have been in the UK for 12 months or more.
Should you require any assistance with the Tier 1 (Highly Skilled) category, don’t hesitate to contact us.
