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)
| 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 |
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:
|
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 |
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 |
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:
|
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 | |
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|
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 |
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 |
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.
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.
