• Sponsorship
• Qualification
• Future Expected Earnings
• English Language
• Maintenance

Tier 2 (General) is for people coming to the UK with a skilled job offer to fill a gap in the workforce that cannot be filled by a settled worker

You are allowed to apply if you are:

• already in the United Kingdom with permission to stay in an immigration category that allows you to switch into Tier 2;
• already in the United Kingdom under Tier 2 and want to extend your permission to stay in your existing category; or
• Applying from outside the United Kingdom for permission to enter (known as 'entry clearance') in Tier2.

Switching from a post-study category
You can claim 30 points if you are switching from:

• Tier 1 (Post-study work); or
• the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme; or
• the International Graduate Scheme (or its predecessor, the Science and Engineering Graduate Scheme); and

You must have worked for your current sponsor for at least six months immediately before the date of your application. You must be applying to continue to work for your sponsor in the same job you are doing on the date of your application.
If you have not worked for your potential sponsor for at least six months before you apply, your sponsor will have to meet the resident labour market test unless the job is on the shortage occupation list. You will not be able to claim points for switching from a post-study category, but can claim points if your sponsor has met the resident labour market test.
Sponsorship:

Points for sponsorship if you are applying for the first time
The points available for sponsorship if you are applying for the first time are:

If you are working for a sponsor who is a limited company, you must not own more than 10 per cent of its shares.

Job on the shortage occupation list

If you are applying for a job on the shortage occupation list, you will score 50 points. This means that you will not need to score points for your future expected earnings or qualifications.

You must work a contracted minimum of 30 hours a week in a job on the shortage occupation list.

Your sponsor must confirm that the job is on the shortage occupation list on your certificate of sponsorship, so you should check with your sponsor that they have done so.

Job that meets the resident labour market test

Your sponsor must have advertised the job and not found a suitable settled worker before giving you a certificate of sponsorship for you to be able to claim points for a job that meets the resident labour market test.
Your sponsor must confirm the job has met the resident labour market test, so you should check with your sponsor that they have done so (or that an exemption applies because you are undertaking speciality training as a doctor or dentist).

Points for sponsorship if you are applying to extend your stay
If you are applying to extend your stay and you have a certificate of sponsorship to continue working in the same job for the same employer, you will score 50 points.

Qualification:

The points for qualifications
The points available for qualifications are:

You can only score points for one qualification.

Future Expected Earnings:
Points for future expected earnings
The points available for future expected earnings are:

The salary bands are before tax (gross), yearly, and include any extra money (allowances) that are part of your guaranteed salary package.
If you are working in the UK on a contract for less than 12 months, you should claim points for what your earnings would be if you were working for 12 months.
We only award points for hours of up to 48 hours per week, even if you work longer. For example, if your annual earnings are £25,000 for 60 hours of work per week, the same earnings for 48 hours of work per week would be £20,000. So you would be able to claim 10 points for your earnings.

You should ask your sponsor to confirm the salary for the job that they put on your certificate of sponsorship.

English Language:

• If you have passed an English language test
• If you have a degree taught in English

Maintenance:

The points awarded for maintenance (funds)
You must score 10 points for maintenance (funds). These will be awarded if:

• you have £800 in available funds, which have been in your bank account for three months before the date when you apply; or
• your sponsor has an A rating and has confirmed in your certificate of sponsorship that it will maintain and accommodate you up to the end of your first month of employment in the UK if required; or
• you automatically score points for maintenance (see below). 

You must prove your maintenance (funds) by sending evidence to support your application, or your application will be refused.
Any dependants who want to join you must also give evidence that they have enough funds. See Applications by dependants for more information.
Automatic points for maintenance
You will automatically be awarded points for maintenance without giving evidence if you are scoring 50 points for applying under the transitional arrangements, or if you currently have permission to stay in the UK:

• under Tier 2;
• under Tier 1 (Post-study work), and are scoring points for sponsorship by switching from this category;
• under the Fresh Talent: Working in Scotland Scheme, and are scoring points for sponsorship by switching from this category; or
• under the International Graduate Scheme or the Science and Engineering Graduate Scheme, and are scoring points for sponsorship by switching from this category;

For more information visit: www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk