Point Based Visas

This page caters South Africans looking to work (or study and live) in the UK. More specifically, this page caters for South Africans that do not have UK birth ties and are not in a married like relationship with a British passport holder (legally recognized relationship that is).

In the above described cases, South Africans (hereafter referred to as “applicant”) have to qualify for the UK’s point based visa system.

The British government have point together 5 main categories of their point system, specifically:

Point Based Visa System

Highly Valued Migrants

In this category, the British governments preference has evolved over time. Initially, they started out looking for Highly Skilled Migrants (those with degrees and high salaries).

Since the 2009 financial recession, the British government shifted their attention to attract foreign capital. This was the first step towards “highly valued migrants”.

Now, the British government are looking for the following:

1. Entrepreneurs with innovative business models together with investment capital of £50 000 (Fifty Thousand Pounds).

2. Investors with cash savings of £2 000 000 (Two Million Pounds) that can be stored in the UK financial institutions for 6 years.

3. Global Talent Visa (PhD holders). Catering for leaders in the field of digital technologies, arts and culture as well as researchers.

Further details can be found here.

Skilled Migrants Workers

This category replaced the old Tier 2 work permit system. Gone are the days where a signed employment contract is all that a South African needed in order to get permission to work in the UK.

Further details can be found here.

Tier 3 (Low Skilled Migrants)

This category has yet to be opened. It was going to facilitate fruit pickers and seasonal farm workers. Since the point based system was implemented (in 2008), there has been no need or urgency to open this category and therefore we predict that it will not be opening any time soon.

Tier 4 (Full Time Students)

Product description speaks for itself. It still falls under a point based system though.

Further details can be found here.

Tier 5 (Youth Mobility and Temporary Workers)

This category of visas is actually two part.

The first part relates to the Youth Mobility Scheme. This category of visa replaced the previous 2 year Working Holiday Maker.

The second part of the Tier 5 visas relates to temporary work visas. Provision is made for charity workers, religious workers, creative and sporting workers as well as government authorized exchanges.

Further details can be found here.