Post Brexit Migration to the UK

Following the vote to leave the EU back in June, the face of migration in the UK is changing. Immigration has swelled in the past 20 years and many people have considered it to be an open country where immigration is concerned.

Inside the EU

Migration can be a daunting business and the UK’s recent vote to leave the EU led the prime minister Teresa May to review migration policy. Depending on where you are migrating from, there are certain laws that are more lenient. Currently migration from other EU countries is not controlled but this is subject to change once the official Brexit strategy is in place.

5 tiers

Operating a points-based 5 tier visa system, the UK accepts migrants from outside the EEA if they are coming to study or work here, which includes training. People willing to invest in the country are granted visa more easily.

Applicants for UK visas are separated into five tiers, which require a points-based assessment to decide on eligibility. Applicants need to reach a specific minimum in order to be successful in application. This depends largely on which tier you are applying to. Seeking legal advice from experts such as Withers Lawyers will take some of the stress out of application, since they have decades of experience in helping people apply.

Key considerations

If you are thinking of applying for a UK Visa, read through and decide which category you are applying to.

Tier 1

Considered to be the easiest, this category is for high value migrants, or those who are investing in the UK, coming from outside the EEA countries.

Tier 2

Skilled workers from outside the EEA who have been offered a job here need to apply for this visa. To qualify, you will have more chance if there is a proven shortage of the skill in the UK.

Tier 3

Tier 3 was created to accommodate low skilled workers who were coming to fill labour shortages, but since no Tier 3 visas have ever been granted, they are now redundant.

Tier 4

Students from countries outside the EEA can apply for a Tier 4, providing that they have an offer of a place to study.

Tier 5

A more complicated and temporary tier, this category is more likely to be passed if you are coming from a country with reciprocal arrangements with the UK, and is awarded for working holidays in a variety of sectors.

All tiers will require substantial evidence to prove that you have a place to stay here and a purpose for your visit.