UK to introduce points-based immigration system next year

London (PTI): Britain will introduce a points-based immigration system early next year to attract the world's most skilled migrants and young qualified Indians may benefit from the novel scheme.

The new points set-up, which replaces the existing Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, is meant to be transparent and clear. It is drawn up on the pattern of the system in vogue in Australia and Canada.

According to the Home Office, one will need 75 points to qualify as a skilled immigrant. The points are based on education, previous earnings (the higher the better) and age (the lower the better). No matter how you add them up, one cannot get to 75 points without a university degree.

The new, simplified system, will allow migrants to come to the UK under one of five tiers, replacing more than 80 existing entry routes.

The five tiers are - highly skilled workers like scientists or entrepreneurs; skilled workers - nurses, teachers, engineers ; lower skilled workers (construction workers)filling specific temporary labour shortages for a particular project; students; youth mobility and temporary workers like those working holiday makers or musicians coming to play at concerts.

The Office for National Statistics said last Thursday, that a record 591,000 people came to live in the UK in 2006.
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