Does the points calculator get reviewed??

[cptkeane]

I am Singaporean and new to this forum. Firstly, I wanna express my appreciation of the great job done by the moderators and all the contributors. It all makes the world a better place to live in! Thanks..

Ok, my question.. I have seen many on this forum claiming to have earned points under Earning Requirements. By virtue of the fact that Singapore is a Category A country under Earning Requirements, I have to have earned at least GBP 27,000 (I am 27) to get any points at all. A look at any salary guide by any recruiter in Singapore will reveal that it is almost impossible for somebody my age to earn this amount. My wife who has been in a graduate position for almost 5 years now earns GBP 20,000 (including 3 months' bonus).

This virtually rules the possibility of a Singaporean my age getting any pounts under this category and I feel HO needs to review this. Can anybody advise??

[John]

Personally I think this is a very good point. My wife, from Thailand, came to the UK on a spouse visa, so HSMP was not in play, indeed it had not been invented at the time, but there she was earning about £2200 per year as a College Lecturer of 11 years standing, and yes she does have a university degree.

Whilst Thailand is not in the same category as Singapore, when HSMP was first announced I rapidly concluded that it was virtually impossible for any Thais to get any earnings points. Not many people earn at least £8450 per year. Even less earn £12500 pa or £18750 pa.

Now? My wife works three hours per week teaching Thai in the UK's largest specialist language school .... and earns more for that part-time work than she was getting for working full-time in Thailand.

[lynn132]

I think that this is really the whole point of HSMP. If anyone and everyone could achieve the criteria, there would be no reason for the programme. The purpose is to provide a way for "elite", highly-skilled, exceptional people to come to the UK, not just anyone with a degree and a graduate job. It SHOULD be difficult to achieve the criteria, and it is possible to achieve the points required WITHOUT points for income (as I did).

[cptkeane]

Yes, I totally agree with you Lynn, that the HSMP really should be for the highly-skilled only. I am eligible too, without points for income. But my issue is if it's fair. How much research do they put in before coming up with the requirements and how often, if at all, do they review it. It really is virtually impossible to get any points under this category for us Singaporeans, elite or not, which would probably cause many highly-skilled people to be put off. I wonder how many come from my part of the world to the UK under the HSMP??

[webhunter]

Luckily India being in Category D and still making huge salaries, it is very easy to meet those salary margins.

I can understand how frustating it would be if India was in Category A

[lynn132]

Yes, I totally agree with you Lynn, that the HSMP really should be for the highly-skilled only. I am eligible too, without points for income. But my issue is if it's fair. How much research do they put in before coming up with the requirements and how often, if at all, do they review it. It really is virtually impossible to get any points under this category for us Singaporeans, elite or not, which would probably cause many highly-skilled people to be put off. I wonder how many come from my part of the world to the UK under the HSMP??

At the end of the day, they decide what kind of immigrants they need, and they write the criteria in order to achieve that. Fairness has nothing to do with it. They want big-earners, because those are the ones who will pay higher taxes. They have in fact done a good bit of research in preparation for the move to the new system, and if implemented as it states in the documentation, it will remove points for work experience. That to me will be much less fair and in the end, likely much less successful, than the income points.

[abcd1]

Well, frustrating is the UK salary itself!

For over 28, to get 25 pt under income, one needs to earn
Rs 600,000 in India
£ 40,000 in UK

Now it is far easier to achieve that figure in India than in UK!
So, those who are already in UK (under WP) gets penalized!

[lynn132]

Well, frustrating is the UK salary itself!

So, those who are already in UK (under WP) gets penalized!

I have to take exception to this attitude. You are not being penalised at all. You have made a CHOICE to come here - we all did, and if the reason you came here was just to make more money, then you probably did not fully evaluate your options before making the decision to move. You have the choice to go back to India and make whatever the market there will bear, or you can stay here under your visa and work for what the market will bear here.

[Mini]

Hi,
abcd1 & webhunter I think you are being hasty when you say its easy for people to earn above £7500 in India. It IS the highly skilled who earn that kind of money. I would probably just say that the criteria for India is a relatively reasonable one compared to Singapore & thailand.

[simar]

Well, frustrating is the UK salary itself!

For over 28, to get 25 pt under income, one needs to earn
Rs 600,000 in India
£ 40,000 in UK

Now it is far easier to achieve that figure in India than in UK!
So, those who are already in UK (under WP) gets penalized!

You may be right in saying earning 6 lakhs is easy that 40 k in uk. But it also depends where you are living. In Bangalore easy but up north in Delhi bit difficult.
Similarly in London earning 40 k salary is easy . But go further away to Cambridge & more up north,. The salary decline due low cost of living.

Also remember in India even to show 6 lahhs income in form16 , one need to have CTC of around 8-9 lakhs. While in UK the concept of offer is with basic taxable income with no rebate. The company contributed pension scheme are all extra of the offer.