The UK Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) was a plan between 2002 and 2008 brought into existence to enable the extremely trained individuals to shift to the UK, to hunt for a job or self-employment possibilities. There was a difference between it and the regular UK Work Permit Plan. There was no need of a particular offer of employment in the nation on the part of the candidates.
The Tier 1 (General), a sub-category of the first tier in the UK’s five-tier points based arrangement, originally substituted the UK Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP). The latest Tier 1 (General) laws are, in several manners, exceedingly like the preceding UK Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP). The points scoring for age, preceding wages, UK experience and qualifications have not changed much.
In case you are extremely trained and want to reside and do a job in the country, or you are keen to extend your leave to remain with your present HSMP Visa, it is compulsory that you fulfill the different terms & conditions under a different visa stream.
And the visas which could be appropriate comprise the Tier 1 Exceptional Talent Visa for those who are regarded to be leaders or emerging spearheads in a small figure of fields, as well as the Tier 2 Visa for the trained manpower.
The UK Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) was an excellent UK immigration category for admission to the hotspot for the successful individuals with sought-after expertise. As mentioned before, the same was, in some manners, not different from the skilled migration schemes for admission to Canada & Australia.
Under the latest laws, it is mandatory for the HSMP Visa holders to extend their leave to remain even as the Work Permit holders and those under some other classes keen to move to Tier 1 (General) may do it at present.
Coming back to the UK Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP), unlike a Work Permits or Working Holiday Visas, the Tier 1 (HSMP) permitted the aspirants to do a job in the nation with not many checks. The scheme had been tailored to permit the extremely qualified migrants to do a job in their chosen area of know-how, whilst making a handsome contribution to the national economy and its growth.
The visa holders did a job on a points based structure, and were normally given the visa valid for a time-frame of two years, post which the validity of the visa could be lengthened by three additional years. For those, who had done a job in the country for a period of 5 years, there was the chance to submit an application for Indefinite Leave to Remain.
Important: The Tier 1 (General) Scheme was officially shut down on April 6, 2011. Consequently, at preset, it is compulsory for majority of the candidates to presently go through the Tier 2 (Work Permits). The Tier 1 path continues to be up-for-grabs only to the visa extensions and the candidates having extraordinary talent.
Summary: Check the page and unearth important details involving the UK Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP).