The Skilled worker (Tier 2 General) is a point based system under this New Point based system you must achieve at least 50 points and in addition to this you will also required 10 points for English language criteria and 10 points for the Maintenance of funds.

If you are applying from outside the United Kingdom and you are given permission to come as a skilled worker (Tier 2 General), you will be able to live and work here for a maximum of three years plus one month, or the time given in your certificate of sponsorship plus one month, whichever is shorter. It can be extended further for two years if you still have a sponsor and a valid certificate of sponsorship from your current sponsor or you can also switch to a new sponsor with a valid certificate of sponsorship.

Before you apply under skilled worker category (Tier 2 General), you must have:

• A sponsor in the UK.
• A valid certificate of sponsorship.

• Qualifications;
• future expected earnings;
• Sponsorship;
• English language skills; and
• Available maintenance (funds).

• 15 points for a PhD
• 10 for a Master’s or Bachelor’s degree
• 10 points for a Appropriate sub-degree level qualification

5pts	10pts	15pts	20pts
17,000+	20,000+	22,000+	24,000+

Certificate of Sponsorship: Job in shortage occupation (50 points)

The Migration Advisory Committee will recommend a list of labor market shortages which can sensibly filled by migration. You will only be able to claim points for a shortage occupation if your prospective job was on the shortage occupation list at the time your Certificate of Sponsorship was assigned.  You should confirm with your sponsor that your Certificate of Sponsorship will show that your job is a shortage occupation. You must work a minimum of 30 hours per week.
If you are applying in this category you will receive sufficient points to pass the ‘Attributes’ test without having to earn points for prospective earnings or qualifications.

OR

Certificate of Sponsorship: Resident Labor Market Test (30 points)

The Resident Labor Market Test protects the domestic labor market.  You can only come to work in the United Kingdom where there is no suitable worker from within the resident labor force to fill the job.  You should confirm with your sponsor that your Certificate of Sponsorship will show that a Resident Labor Market Test has been completed.

You will need at least 20 points from Qualifications and/or Prospective earnings.

English language Ability: -10 points

If you are applying to enter the United Kingdom under Tier 2 (General) or Tier 2 (Sportsperson) you are required to speak English to a certain level.  This includes being able to understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases, to introduce your-self to others and to answer questions about very basic personal details.  This is closest to level A1 of the Council of Europe’s Common European Framework of Reference.

There are three ways in which you can meet the English language requirement.

• Pass an English language test or

• Letter from the Institution or college certifying that the medium of teaching was in English or

• Have taken a degree taught in English (verified using NARIC data) or

• Come from a listed* majority English speaking country.

*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 USA.

Maintenance funds: -10 points

An applicant will need to provide evidence showing that they have the necessary funds available to provide for themselves and their dependents in the UK before they can obtain a Tier 2 (General) visa.

• Applicant will need to show £ 800.00 continuously for 90 days in personal savings prior to making the application and applicant will need further £ 533 for each accompanying dependant.