Saturday, 5 April 2014

Further Changes to Immigration Rules



The Home Office have released in the past couple of weeks several changes to Immigration Rules that is bound to have profound effects on Migrants and employers in the UK.
 
Some of the changes include increase in the application fees, longer visas for Tier 2, new minimum salary thresholds for Tier 2 and an increase in maintenance fund thresholds for Point-Based System migrants.
 
Many of the changes come into effect from 6th April 2014 and much of which affects employers but I would be highlighting the changes for PBS migrants and dependents.
 
The changes to maintenance for PBS migrants and their dependents which will come into effect on 1st July 2014 are as follows:
 
 
Maintenance for PBS Migrants and Dependents
The amount of available funds for PBS Migrants and their dependants are changing for applications made on or after 1 July 2014 as follows: 
Category
Amount before 1 July 2014
Amount on or after 1 July 2014
Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Migrant
£3,100 for entry clearance
£900 for leave to remain
 
£3,310 for entry clearance
£945 for leave to remain
Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) Migrant
£1,800 for entry clearance
£900 for leave to remain
 
£1,890 for entry clearance
£945 for leave to remain
Tier 1 (General), Tier 2, and Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) Migrants
 
£900
£945
Tier 5 (Youth Mobility Scheme) Migrants
 
£1,800
£1,890
Dependants of Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) and Tier 1 (General) Migrants, who have been in the UK for less than 12 months
£1,800
£1,890
Dependants of Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) Migrants, who have been in the UK for less than 12 months
£1,200
£1,260
Dependants of all other Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 5 Migrants
£600
£630
Tier 4 (General), if studying in inner London
 £1,000 per month for up to nine months, for entry clearance
£1,000 per month for up to two months, where the applicant has an established presence in the UK and is applying for leave to remain
 
£1,020 per month for up to nine months, for entry clearance
£1,020 per month for up to two months, where the applicant has an established presence in the UK and is applying for leave to remain
Tier 4 (General), if studying in outer London or elsewhere in the UK
 £800 per month for up to nine months for entry clearance
£800 per month for up to two months, where the applicant has an established presence in the UK and is applying for leave to remain
 
 £820 per month for up to nine months for entry clearance
£820 per month for up to two months, where the applicant has an established presence in the UK and is applying for leave to remain
 
Tier 4 (Child), staying with a carer or close relative
 £550 per month for up to nine months
 
£560 per month for up to nine months
Tier 4 (Child), under 12 accompanied by a parent
£1,500 per month for up to nine months
£600 per month for up to nine months for each additional child
 
£1,535 per month for up to nine months
£615 per month for up to nine months for each additional child
Tier 4 (Child), aged 16 or 17, living independently and studying in inner London
£900 per month for up to nine months for entry clearance
£900 per month for up to two months, where the applicant
has an established presence in the UK and is applying for leave to remain
 
£920 per month for up to nine months for entry clearance
£920 per month for up to two months, where the applicant
has an established presence in the UK and is applying for leave to remain
Tier 4 (Child), aged 16 or
17, living independently and studying in outer London or elsewhere in the UK
£700 per month for up to nine months for entry clearance
£700 per month for up to two months, where the applicant has an established presence in the UK and is applying for leave to remain
 
£715 per month for up to nine months for entry clearance
£715 per month for up to two months, where the applicant has an established presence in the UK and is applying for leave to remain
Tier 4 (Child), under 16 or not living independently
The intended carer must show £550 per month for up to nine months
 
The intended carer must show £560 per month for up to nine months
Tier 4
Where the applicant pays a deposit to the Tier 4 sponsor for accommodation, a maximum of £1,000 can be offset against the maintenance requirement
 
Where the applicant pays a deposit to the Tier 4 sponsor for accommodation, a maximum of £1,020 can be offset against the maintenance requirement
 
Tier 4 (General) dependants, where the student is studying in inner London
£600 per month for up to nine months
£615 per month for up to nine months
Tier 4 (General) dependants, where the student is studying in outer London or elsewhere in the UK
 
£450 per month for up to nine months
£460 per month for up to nine months