UK Citizenship applications for 2009

UK Home Office statistical bulletin published on the 27 May 2010 with interesting facts and figures on British Citizenship Applications in 2009.

For further more detailed information on Citizenship and surrounding procedural info and categories you should look at the United Kingdom Border Agency's chapters of the guidance used by the UKBA Staff when deciding applications for UK Citizenship.

Tier 4 Highly Trusted Sponsor Scheme

The UKBA has begun the 'highly trusted sponsor scheme' for educational institutes under Tier 4 of the points based system.

Tier 4 sponsor register will go live on the 6 April 2010 and education providers can apply for the license from today (23.03.2010).

In order for an institute to qualify as a highly trusted sponsor under Tier 4 an education provider should have a proven track record in registering legitimate international students that comply with all immigration rules under their visa.

The main difference with other Tier 4 sponsors is that a trusted sponsor will have a wider range of courses for overseas students.

Heroin Smuggler gets 10 years

23 December 2009 A man from Staffordshire received a 10 year jail sentence after being found guilty of attempting to smuggle 42 Kilos of Heroin into the UK at Canterbury Crown Court

The UKBA officers stopped the man and after questioning found 42 packages with Heroin.

The UKBA is determined to stop drugs from entering the UK and within the UK they are motivating residents and anyone with info on drugs to contact crimestoppers without having to reveal any personal details.

Migration Advisory Committee reviews immigration to the UK for Highly Skilled Migrants

4 December 2009- The UK Govt requested that MAC consider whether the criteria for Tier 1 applications should be changed in 2010 in light of the current Economic situation. The report published states that the Tier 1 is operating well but also recommends the following changes:

• the salary multipliers for each country code needs to be changed
• migrant's with Bachelor degree's but no Master degree's should be allowed to come into the UK if their previous earnings are high enough
• professional qualifications should be considered as equal to masters (in say law or accounting).
• the pay threshold should be increased to 24,000 GBP
• Migrants with 150,000 GMP or over should not need the qualification requirements
• Applicants should receive points for their age if they are under 39
  
• the period of leave initially granted should be changed to two years and not three
• Post study work visa should be assessed and check if every field should be included in this category of Tier 1