The UK has welcomed newcomers for centuries. It is a mixture of diverse ethnic groups, each with their own distinct culture and sometimes their own language or religion.Migrants bring a diversity of skills to the UK labor market, providing skills and expertise which complement the existing work force.

UK has various visas designed for various purposes. These visas are divided under Immigration category or ‘Settlement Visas’ and ‘Non Settlement Visas. While Settlement Visas (like HSMP or Innovator Visa) allow you long period of stay leading to Permanent Resident or Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK, non settlement visas are for shorter periods and do not lead to Permanent Resident status. There are other Visas available, apart from HSMP scheme, which allow you to come to the UK for different purposes.

One of the most popular forms of immigration to the UK is the Skilled Worker Category. This allows you to enter the UK before finding a job and means that you do not need a UK employer to sponsor your work permit. One of the biggest advantages offered by the Skilled Worker category is that it is effectively a UK work permit that allows you to work in the UK for any employer.

What is the highly skilled worker category?
The highly skilled worker category is designed to allow highly skilled people to come to the United Kingdom to look for work or self-employment opportunities.

Who can apply as a highly skilled worker?
Unlike work permits you do not need a job offer to apply under the highly skilled worker category. When you apply you are awarded points based on your qualifications, previous earnings, United Kingdom experience, age, English language skills, and available maintenance (funds).

You can apply under the highly skilled worker category now if you are:

•in the United Kingdom with permission to stay (known as ‘leave to remain’) in an immigration category that allows you to switch into the highly skilled worker category;
•already in the United Kingdom as a highly skilled worker and want to extend your permission to stay within your existing category;
•already in the United Kingdom under the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, want to extend your permission to stay and are eligible to switch into the highly skilled worker category;
•applying for permission to enter the United Kingdom (known as ‘entry clearance’) under the highly skilled worker category.
What points you have to score to apply as a highly skilled worker
To apply under our points-based system and be accepted into the highly skilled worker category, you must pass a points-based assessment.

You must score:

•75 points for your attributes (age, qualifications, previous earnings, and experience in the United Kingdom); and
•10 points for English language; and
•10 points for available maintenance (funds).
If you do not score a minimum of 75 points for your attributes and 10 points for English language and 10 points for available maintenance (funds), your application will be refused.

What categories points are awarded for
Points are awarded for the following categories:

•age;
•qualifications;
•previous earnings;
•United Kingdom experience;
•English language; and
•maintenance (funds).

If your score is the 67 or above, then you can qualify to immigrate to Canada as a skilled worker. If your score is lower than the pass mark, you are not likely to qualify to immigrate to Canada as a skilled worker. We recommend that you do not apply at this time.

However, you can still apply if you believe other factors would show that you are able to establish yourself in Canada and support your dependants. Send a detailed letter with your application explaining why you think you are able to become economically established in Canada. Include any documents that support your claim.

Factor 1: Education – maximum 25 points

Factor 2: English and French language ability – maximum 24

If you are fluent in both official languages English and French you will be awarded 24 points. If not, you must firstly decide which language you are more fluent in. This will be your “first official language”. You can gain up to 16 points for the first official language, and up to 8 points for the second official language. Your points score will be based on your ability to read, write, listen to, and speak English and French. The definition and table are below:

Calculating your language points:

Second Language (Max	Speak	Listen	Read	Write
High-proficiency	2	2	2	2
Moderate proficiency	2	2	2	2
Basic proficiency	1 to 2	1 to 2	1 to 2	1 to 2
No proficiency	0	0	0	0

Total points achieved for speak + listen + read + write for both languages.

Factor 3: Work experience – maximum 21 points

The Canada immigration points system wants individuals with at least one year of full time experience in the last ten years in a management or professional or highly skilled occupation. These are listed as Skill Type O, Skill Type A or Skill Type B. You can check that you meet the Canada visa requirements by doing the following:

1. Look at the list of occupations (noc) that meet the requirements of the skilled worker category. Then make a note of the four digit code next to your occupation.
2. You then put in the four digit code in quick search on the left of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) web site.

You must make sure that your work experience matches that stated in the NOC. You do not have to meet the “employment requirements” section of the particular job listed on NOC.

You may need to look at a number of different occupations to find one that matches your work experience. If your occupation does not come under skill level O, A or B or your experience did not occur in the last ten years your application will be refused.

Once you have confirmed that you meet the above requirements, you can now estimate your points score. You are granted 15 points for one year of work experience and two points for each further year up to a maximum of 21 points.

Factor 4: Age – maximum 10 points

Your points score is calculated based on your age on submission of the application:

Factor 5: Arranged employment (maximum 10 points)

You will gain 10 points in the Canada immigration points system if you have a job offer approved by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) as a job where it will be difficult to find someone to fill the vacancy from the resident labour market. You must be able to do the job, and meet the educational and, where relevant, licensing and regulatory requirements for the job.

You should note that it is the employer who applies to HRDC and not yourself. You may also gain the ten points in some circumstances if you are already in employment in Canada.

Factor 6: Adaptability (maximum 10 points)

You can receive a maximum of 10 points based on any combination of the elements listed below:

Show the following levels of funds to come under the skilled worker category

• For a single person $10,168

For a family unit consisting of the following:

• 2 persons $12,659
• 3 persons $15,563
• 4 persons $18,895
• 5 persons $21,431
• 6 persons $24,170
• 7 persons or more $26,910

You do not have to show that you have these funds if you have arranged employment in Canada.

Please note that to be able to successfully emigrate to Canada you will have to show that you are in good health and do not have any criminal convictions.

You can add up your points score below:

You will need to gain sixty-seven points under the new selection criteria.