Migration is a global phenomenon with a growing number of people making the decision to live and work abroad. Immigration is driven by a complex range of 'push' and 'pull' factors – the latter includes globalisation, the opening up of labour markets, and the speed and ease of international travel; the former is driven by to war, political unrest and economic disparity.
Migrants come to the UK primarily for economic reasons. The vast majority make a positive contribution to society, bringing skill, labour power and links to industries across the globe. The current UK Government has set a limit on migration with a view to reducing net migration to tens of thousands.
Nationals from the European Union are allowed to come to the UK to work without having to apply for a visa (nationals from the eight Eastern European accession states have to register to work although this arrangement will be terminated on 30 April 2011 with the ending of derogation). A reciprocal arrangement is in place for UK citizens to work in Europe. Nationals living outside of the European Union can apply to UKBA for a work visa and this will be decided according to a points-based system, which considers criteria such as qualifications, work experience and income. The rights and privileges of immigrants vary according to the individual's country of origin and/or visa entitlements. There are five different tiers allowing for entry into the UK as follows:
Tier 1 (Highly Skilled)
Tier 2 (Skilled)
Tier 3 (Low Skilled)
Tier 4 (Students and Specialists)
Tier 5 (Youth mobility)
To find out more about the different Tiers along with more detail about the points based system, please click here