Detailed Guide to Points System

Introduction
Since its creation on the 28th January 2002, The Highly Skilled Migrant Program (HSMP) has undergone important changes: first on 28 January 2003 when more people could come under HSMP and recently on 7 November 2006, the Highly Skilled Migrant Program became one of the most accessible skilled immigration programs of any "Western Country" in the World. See our introduction page for a detailed account of the different changes.

Points are awarded on the basis of a number of factors:

Age Assessment
Earning Power
Command of the English Language
UK Experience
Qualifications
Other Requirements
Your Points Score

1. Age Assessment - 20 points (maximum)

The British Government felt that it was important to allocate points for young persons as they will have the possibility to work for longer years and also because they will not gain as many points as older people in the category of past earnings.

27 years of age or under	20 points
28 or 29 years of age	10 points
30 or 31 years of age years of age	5 points
32 years of age or over	0 points

2. Qualifications - You will gain points for one of the following (Maximum 50 points):

PhD	50 points
Masters Degree (eg MA, MSc or MBA)	35 points
A Bachelors Degree (eg BA, BSc)	30 points
Vocational and Professional Qualifications - Based on Equivalency to above UK Qualifications

Points should be gained if you have a degree level qualification, or professional level qualifications. Unfortunately, you will not get any extra points if you have attended a Bachelor degree for 4 years as if you had for 3 years or even if you have degrees at several levels such as BSc, Beng, MSc or MBA. To obtain points on a professional qualification, you will need to provide the equivalence to the relevant British Qualification which will then need to be approved by the National Academic Recognition Information Centre Database.

If you have graduated from one of the 50 eligible MBA program since the 2 December 2004, you may be eligible under the MBA provision of the HSMP.

3. Earning power - Your points score will depend on the points allocated for a particular salary level in a particular geographical area of the World (Maximum 45 points)

It is generally agreed that people with high skills earn more than the national average wage. Depending in which area of the world you work in, it wouldn’t give the right idea of how much you earn if you just convert your earnings in pounds (£). Your earnings need to be considered according to the area where you work (not your nationality). An Indian national on an H1B should have the same earning power as a US national of similar ability, and should not be judged by the earning power of an Indian national still in India. See bellow the rating system according to each salary level and each part of the World.

Country Code A Including Germany, France, Singapore, USA, Canada, Australia, Bermuda, Israel, Japan, South Korea

£16,000 per annum = 5 Points
£18,000 per annum = 10 Points
£20,000 per annum = 15 Points
£23,000 per annum = 20 Points
£26,000 per annum = 25 Points
£29,000 per annum = 30 Points
£32,000 per annum = 35 Points
£35,000 per annum = 40 Points
£40,000 per annum = 45 Points

Country Code B Including Poland, Brazil, South Africa, Libya, Hungary, Chile, Mexico, Estonia, Turkey

£7,000 per annum = 5 Points
£8,000 per annum = 10 Points
£9,000 per annum = 15 Points
£10,000 per annum = 20 Points
£11,500 per annum = 25 Points
£12,500 per annum = 30 Points
£14,000 per annum = 35 Points
£15,313 per annum = 40 Points
£17,500 per annum = 45 Points

Country Code C Including Jamaica, Russia, Iran, Morocco, Peru, Tunisia, Thailand, Algeria, Romania

£5,000 per annum = 5 Points
£5,600 per annum = 10 Points
£6,300 per annum = 15 Points
£7,200 per annum = 20 Points
£8,100 per annum = 25 Points
£9,100 per annum = 30 Points
£10,000 per annum = 35 Points
£11,000 per annum = 40 Points
£12,500 per annum = 45 Points

Country Code D Including China, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Sudan, Ukraine, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Bangladesh

£3,000 per annum = 5 Points
£3,400 per annum = 10 Points
£3,800 per annum = 15 Points
£4,300 per annum = 20 Points
£4,900 per annum = 25 Points
£5,500 per annum = 30 Points
£6,000 per annum = 35 Points
£6,600 per annum = 40 Points
£7,500 per annum = 45 Points

Country Code E Including Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda

£1,400 per annum = 5 Points
£1,600 per annum = 10 Points
£1,800 per annum = 15 Points
£2,000 per annum = 20 Points
£2,300 per annum = 25 Points
£2,550 per annum = 30 Points
£2,800 per annum = 35 Points
£3,100 per annum = 40 Points
£3,500 per annum = 45 Points

4. UK Experience - 5 Points (Maximum)

You may gain 5 extra points if:
You get points from yours the past earnings when your earnings were in the UK.
or
You have studied and graduated at Bachelors degree or higher in full time education in the UK or at a UK based overseas educational institution for at least one academic year.

5. English Language Ability

You need to have a bachelor’s degree that was taught in English (not a Masters degree or PhD).
or
You need to have an International English Language Testing System qualification at least at Band 6 under two years old.

6. Other Requirements - As well as gaining enough points under this category you will need to meet the following requirements.

You can carry on working in your chosen area in the UK and for certain profession you will need to show appropriate qualifications and professional membership to practice in the UK.
You will need to show, either with your savings or your earnings potentials, that you will be able to support yourself without claiming any public funds
You will need to prove that you have never been made bankrupt or are not considered to be a discharged bankrupt.
You have never been convicted of any criminal offences.

7. Your Points Score - You can estimate your points by adding together your points score for section 1 to 5 above. You need a minimum of 75 points to qualify

Qualifying Criteria	Maximum Points	Your Score
Young Person Assessment	20
Qualifications	50
UK Qualification or UK Work Experience	5
Earning Power	45
Total	120

Make sure you comply with the requirements mentioned in the “other requirement” section. After assessing your situation you think you may qualify, please go to our form and we will reply with a quote.
If on the other hand it looks like you do not qualify under the Highly Skilled Migrant Program, check the following options:
1. Innovator programme - if you came up with a unique business idea, particularly one in the technology sector, you may be able to come to the UK to set up in business.
2. Work Permit programme if a UK employer is interested in you because you could fill a post which cannot be filled by an EU national, you could get an employer sponsored work permit.

For all immigration categories see on the main UK page.