HSMP Scheme Suspended

[aqilzeeshan]

For Those how are saying that changes are right and they will do what hsmp is supposed to do, here is an example of how it is destroying ppls life.

My friend scored points in experience and earning no points in education coz of 3 year graduation ( also age under twenty eight) got hsmp scoring 65 points , came to uk , got very good contract of 4000 pounds per month and now found that even after getting 45 points of earning 10 of age and 5 of uk experience he is scoring 60 , that is 15 short of required 75. What it means he is not the BEST ? thats why he is being forced to leave ?

i myself score 70 points and 5 short of 75 just because of 301 pounds in total gross salary in last 8 months. I am not the best beacause of 301 pounds i am missing and i would be best if i would have get it, what is this logic ?

If HO had told us we would have not come to uk in the first place.

Scholers of hsmp please answer

[rely]

abcd1

I fully agree with you and do not see any point in having faith in the system any longer. It has repeatedly failed the legal migrants and there is no reason to believe that it would not do so again in a few years time and deny one the right to settle here at all.

At this moment I have no choice but to apply for an extension under the new regime as my current HSMP visa expires next month. However, I am quite clear in my mind that this country does not want me here any more. And I am not the type to outstay my welcome - specially when I am being made to pay for it through my nose.

I have hence decided to take my skills - whatever they are worth - somewhere else as soon as possible.

High taxes (while others pay none and live off your contributions!) and occassional beloved I can handle but betrayal I can not.

This reminds me of a video clip of british johannies (soldiers) showing their mule to chinese people and media when flag hoisting and furling ceremony was going on during the cermony in which Hong King was officially handed over to China by Britain.
rely

[docitduo]

Mandatory English Proficiency requirements:

As per the new guidelines, either you have to submit an IELTS test report (Band 6 or above), or the following 2 documents - a) Bachelors degree and b) letter from awarding institution that the Bachelors degree was taught in English.

For both HSMP application and HSMP extension (FLR), both "academic" and "general" IELTS test reports are accepted.

For HSMP application, the IELTS test report must be LESS THAN 2 year old. For HSMP extension (FLR), it says older test reports will be acceptable, but doesn't state how old are deemed acceptable.

Tests other than IELTS can be accepted but it will be the applicant's responsibility to get a letter from NARIC that the test undertaken is equivalent to IELTS standards and that your score is equal to / more than the IELTS test band 6.


regards

[artcodex]

Hi,

I would really appreciate any help for anybody that knows more about this.

How reasonable are the home office going to with evidence you need to provide. In my case, I am unable to provide an income tax return, because my tax office has stated that I am not elligible for assesment for the current period, only for the next period. So all I can show is 12 months wage slips (original), and 12 months bank statements(original), do you think my reasons for being unable to supply an income tax return will be taken as reasonable (I do have an original letter from my tax office stating the situation).

Regards
artcodex

[buntosanya]

bergdorf

I am not sure i claimed you referred to yourself as Dr. and neither do i claimed that the word 'unbrightest' and 'unbest' were used by your highness (seems you like that). I am also aware they are not correct English words, thank you Professor. Saying to use your language did not necessarily mean i was quoting you, i was just trying to lay emphasis on your arrogance.

It is obvious you can't read between the lines. I might not neccessarily be affected by the new rules, i just feel compassion for people who are going to be affected (even if i am one). People who live in glass houses don't throw stones. You might be so confident today that you are not affected by the new rules with your £150,000.00 p/a job (i want to assume), but who knows what tomorrow brings our way.

Pause for a moment and think about others outside yourself, that is what makes the world go round.

[HSKHAN]

bergdorf

I am not sure i claimed you referred to yourself as Dr. and neither do i claimed that the word 'unbrightest' and 'unbest' were used by your highness (seems you like that). I am also aware they are not correct English words, thank you Professor. Saying to use your language did not necessarily mean i was quoting you, i was just trying to lay emphasis on your arrogance.

It is obvious you can't read between the lines. I might not neccessarily be affected by the new rules, i just feel compassion for people who are going to be affected (even if i am one). People who live in glass houses don't throw stones. You might be so confident today that you are not affected by the new rules with your £150,000.00 p/a job (i want to assume), but who knows what tomorrow brings our way.

Pause for a moment and think about others outside yourself, that is what makes the world go round.

I totally agree with you buntosanya. Even though the new rules do scrap many inconsistancies that they might have been facing, but they should no way change the rule for the people who have already got their HSMP approved and are already in UK. These people made very important decision of leaving their Home Countries and coming to UK to make it their home and this decision was made based on the old HSMP rules. The HO should have no right to decieve people like this as many of them have to go back home now as per these new rules.

Regards
Hammad

[Jeff Albright]

I think that is an unfair comment considering the fact that there are some people who are qualified and have not been able to get a job in their area of qualification.

Buntosanya, if you cannot get a job (perhaps it is not even a fault of yours), there is nothing to do in this country. You can only live here if you have a job with a rather high salary. If you do not, as the new rules imply - go look elsewhere in Europe, USA or Australia where life is cheaper, less stressful and where you may even get paid more for your skills.
The employment market here is highly competetive, especially in some areas. Only those immigrants with exceptional skills, in the area where the locals cannot fill the vacancies, can get a job, the new scheme will reflect it and those should benefit from it.

Maybe UK Govt. shouldn't have encouraged them to come in the first place if there is no demand for them.

Absolutely correct. The Govt has learned on its mistakes. But on the other hand, they never encouraged people to come here - at the end of the day - it is up to you to apply or not. You should have learned about the employment market here before coming. They only allowed you in but it was up to you to decide and plan if you could get on a career ladder here in your occupation or not. If not, you should have realised it, either changed your occupation, or went to do a higher degree to compete more successfully, or looked for employment in other countries. They have admitted you on a trial basis - to let you see and explore the opportunities first. If unfortunately, you could not find them, then perhaps you should look elsewhere now.

All the best

[captain74]

abcd1

I fully agree with you and do not see any point in having faith in the system any longer. It has repeatedly failed the legal migrants and there is no reason to believe that it would not do so again in a few years time and deny one the right to settle here at all.

At this moment I have no choice but to apply for an extension under the new regime as my current HSMP visa expires next month. However, I am quite clear in my mind that this country does not want me here any more. And I am not the type to outstay my welcome - specially when I am being made to pay for it through my nose.

I have hence decided to take my skills - whatever they are worth - somewhere else as soon as possible.

High taxes (while others pay none and live off your contributions!) and occassional beloved I can handle but betrayal I can not.

This reminds me of a video clip of british johannies (soldiers) showing their mule to chinese people and media when flag hoisting and furling ceremony was going on during the cermony in which Hong King was officially handed over to China by Britain.
rely

Not sure I get the drift of your message rely. Could you please explain?

Thanks

[first2last4]

I think that is an unfair comment considering the fact that there are some people who are qualified and have not been able to get a job in their area of qualification.

Buntosanya, if you cannot get a job (perhaps it is not even a fault of yours), there is nothing to do in this country. You can only live here if you have a job with a rather high salary. If you do not, as the new rules imply - go look elsewhere in Europe, USA or Australia where life is cheaper, less stressful and where you may even get paid more for your skills.
The employment market here is highly competetive, especially in some areas. Only those immigrants with exceptional skills, in the area where the locals cannot fill the vacancies, can get a job, the new scheme will reflect it and those should benefit from it.

Maybe UK Govt. shouldn't have encouraged them to come in the first place if there is no demand for them.

Absolutely correct. The Govt has learned on its mistakes. But on the other hand, they never encouraged people to come here - at the end of the day - it is up to you to apply or not. You should have learned about the employment market here before coming. They only allowed you in but it was up to you to decide and plan if you could get on a career ladder here in your occupation or not. If not, you should have realised it, either changed your occupation, or went to do a higher degree to compete more successfully, or looked for employment in other countries. They have admitted you on a trial basis - to let you see and explore the opportunities first. If unfortunately, you could not find them, then perhaps you should look elsewhere now.

All the best

Jeff you sound like a weiry contractors. Afraid of Indian flooding the contracting market and getting the rates down.

If the HO gets us the document signed sayign you intend to make this as your home and we do that then same goes to the HO as well. HO should keep thier promise, understanding that people have moved here with their family based on the rule rolled at the time they took thier decision
OR Atleast add the statement there is no garantee we will be commited to our promise.

No point telling you this. Maybe you (and your HO) will never understand this.

[sjgul]

Well , members with minority opinion over here and in favour of this new decision may be ones having salary above £100,000 p.a. but if they are in bracket then they are not in HSMP they are on HHSMP ( Highly Highly Skilled ....), these jobs are for MBAs from top institutes or top management jobs and that too only in the Financial domain.

Other sectors (specially Software from which most of HSMP applicants are), get a job only in the range of £ 35 - £ 40K p.a. and very lucky to get above that irrespective of number of years of experience and skill expertise. The company asks for specific UK experience and most guys don't have. The companies here in UK again are not very high paying and don't enhance a person's salary by 30-40% to get him par with the UK National even if the guy is an experience of 7 yrs + to make his salary £ 45K +. A guy with 7+ year experience would definately be in a age bracket of 30 + and this whole new process of extension is leaving him no where.

Now , I don't understand how members with minority opinion will justify this stand for a normal software professional and I would be surprised a software professional getting a pay of £ 40K + in UK Software Industry in the first 1-2 years of their carrers in UK.

Even though I am able to satisfy the criteria for 75 points for this extension , I believe I would not have landed here if this policy would have been laid down earlier.

Clearly , this is a sign of a facial migration policy with Indian software professionals struggling in their first 1-2 years and working hard settling down with their families to go back to India and to remember how this country sucked our fore fore fathers and our country for 200 years just 50 years back.

Guys, these are the same techniques which were used to suck the ruled countries in the colonial rule and now these people pretend to protect the Human Rights of the whole world and humanity. I thought they would have learnt some thing , but I realise that they just want us for their old people and their unemployed, uncultured and uneducated youth to pay a hefty NI and tax for them and after using us for some time , they will even throw the ones whose FLR has been extended.

[captain74]

Even though I am able to satisfy the criteria for 75 points for this extension , I believe I would not have landed here if this policy would have been laid down earlier.

Precisely my stance! Like I said in an earlier post, it is the betrayal that has hurt most people in this forum and not just the new point system (though I realise that the new point system is a problem for many, particularly mature - and hence perhaps even more highly skilled - candidates).

I am an MBA and in one of the jobs sjgul speaks of in financial services and am finding no problem in getting the requisite points. Digesting the betrayal is what I find difficult. I am not affected this time - and I suspect neither are those advocating the new system on this forum - but who is to say that the next such betrayal would not cut my (or the advocates of the new system) down.

A fair chance for everybody is all I ask in return for all the effort and contribution we all are putting into this countr

[olisun]

Well , members with minority opinion over here and in favour of this new decision may be ones having salary above £100,000 p.a. but if they are in bracket then they are not in HSMP they are on HHSMP ( Highly Highly Skilled ....), these jobs are for MBAs from top institutes or top management jobs and that too only in the Financial domain.

This was the intention of HO / Govt. to get in Highly Highly skilled migrants. The HO / Govt. didn't anticipate it would be so easy for 1000s of applications to get approved and hence they have realised that mistake and are trying to correct it.

Now , I don't understand how members with minority opinion will justify this stand for a normal software professional and I would be surprised a software professional getting a pay of £ 40K + in UK Software Industry in the first 1-2 years of their carrers in UK.

Well everbody has the right to give their opinion right?

Regarding IT, there is more supply than demand already and if more people start coming and can't find jobs, then utlimately they will be a burden on the country...

Because previously people could apply for extensions even not doing anything for the full year and just working in Tesco etc in the last month.
They might do the same after getting the extension.

Even though I am able to satisfy the criteria for 75 points for this extension , I believe I would not have landed here if this policy would have been laid down earlier.

Well as mentioned earlier the govt. realised it mistake and is sorting it out now.

Clearly , this is a sign of a facial migration policy with Indian software professionals struggling in their first 1-2 years and working hard settling down with their families to go back to India and to remember how this country sucked our fore fore fathers and our country for 200 years just 50 years back.

This is BS

Guys, these are the same techniques which were used to suck the ruled countries in the colonial rule and now these people pretend to protect the Human Rights of the whole world and humanity. I thought they would have learnt some thing , but I realise that they just want us for their old people and their unemployed, uncultured and uneducated youth to pay a hefty NI and tax for them and after using us for some time , they will even throw the ones whose FLR has been extended.

If one already knows that this is the plan of the British govt. then one should think carefully and be ready to accept changes before leaving everything and coming to the UK.

[Rog]

There is obviously a small section of highly paid persons like Jeff who are happy that the others below them in the salary order are being kicked out. But for the large section of HSMP holders, they made the decision to leave their home country, and a well paying job to make UK their home brought over their spouses and/or children and are slogging hard. If some HSMP holders are filling shelves in Tesco, they are still paying NI and tax. ( I am working as Dy Operations Manager in a reputed co. in my field and earning 24k) They might not have migrated if they had known they would be doing these jobs.

When I applied in 2003, the criteria was post graduation with 9 years managerial experience and 75 points. Obviously such a person will be in his early thirties. How is is justified to target and kick out those over 33 now. How can they keep common salary benchmarks when HSMP holders are from different industries with varying opportunity and pay. If this was the case they should have made it sector specific like the US H1-B visa. Unlike Jeff's opinion, migrating with a family is a serious and lengthy decision based on certain assurances made by a government it is not easy to suddenly uproot families from a country

In my case my three year extension letter states that at the end of 3 years you may apply for ILR, so even if something in writing from the Home Office can be revoked at any time, how different is their working from the tyrant dictators they profess to remove from other countries. Also what happens if some one has availed of any loans/mortgage.

We need to have a democratic representation to the Home Office to reconsider their unfair stance. Let us use this forum to make our collective voice heard.

[olisun]

If some HSMP holders are filling shelves in Tesco, they are still paying NI and tax.

Do you think there is so much of shortage of labour in this country that they need HSMP candidates to file cabinets in Tesco's etc?

[sjgul]

Olisun,

i would never like to work in Tesco or Sainsbury and would have gone back had I not been offered only in the 1st month of my arrival here. But People with genuine issues landed late over here , got offers in their 3-4 months and compromised on lower salaries in IT companies. Any answers to these quesitons.

Ones landing in Tescos etc. are not genuine and should go back.

FYI , HSMP still is not meant for £100,000 jobs for the top 50 MBA institues, These guys don't even care countries and are well paid off where ever they land.

Ones with 3 extension and have to take another 1 year extension ? What about them as they would be at age of 30+ and salaries again not rised at £ 35K in IT companies.

Well, if that would have been known , none would have came because we are not here to feed the old and uneducated youth of Britain with our hard-earned professional qualifications and Experience. We thought things have changed , country who is advocating Human Rights Protection today around the world has changed , has learnt some culture over the past 50 years but seems all efforts to teach them during the 200 years rule has been in vain.

[Rog]

Olisun, the whole point is that these HSMP holders would have tried for skilled jobs and are doing these jobs just as a means to survive and pay the bills. There is a lot of bias to foreigners who are not white and though fluent in English, having different accents so it is not easy to land a skilled job.

[simar]

Through I have got 1+4 year extension. But yes, the feeling of betrayal is coming to my mind. UK Govt is entitled to change rules as and when wanted on new applicants based on their Past experience on dealing with similar cases as well as if any new economic requirement arise.
But putting applicants already living here under such scheme in trouble speaks volume of fairness.

As many member rightly point out. What gurantee even we people have that after 5 years we will get ILR etc.I am going to quit my permanent job ( 40k) will look forward to have contactors work with open mind to moving back to India
Long term plan of stay doesn’t hold true anymore as things stands

[olisun]

Olisun,

i would never like to work in Tesco or Sainsbury and would have gone back had I not been offered only in the 1st month of my arrival here. But People with genuine issues landed late over here , got offers in their 3-4 months and compromised on lower salaries in IT companies. Any answers to these quesitons.

That's an individual's choice... It they believe their skills are in demand they should demand for more. If there is shortage of labour then they will get the right salary, but it's not the case now... Too many people have entered the UK, so now it's upto the individuals to prove their skills are in demand.

Ones landing in Tescos etc. are not genuine and should go back.

That's what the govt. is trying to do.

FYI , HSMP still is not meant for £100,000 jobs for the top 50 MBA institues, These guys don't even care countries and are well paid off where ever they land.

These are the types of candidates which every country want to try and grab... Work harder, utilise your skills for the benfit of the country, pay taxes and go and settle elsewhere...

Ones with 3 extension and have to take another 1 year extension ? What about them as they would be at age of 30+ and salaries again not rised at £ 35K in IT companies.

They have still got 3 yrs to upgrade their skills and prove that they are the best at the time of the extension.

[sjgul]

Seems it is hard to argue with you and what skills upgrade you are talking about. I find the education level / skills over here much lower as compared back in my home country except for few universities but even for those , skills back in country from Top Institutes like IITs and IIMs are much better and have been demostrated across the world.

Anyways, I close the topic from my side.

[Rog]

I had a query, if you are applying for 1 year extension after 1+3 ie 4 years, your initial HSMP visa is still a 1 year one, so in that case would the 1st or 2nd table apply, because it clearly refers to the initial visa.

Previous Earnings (GROSS before tax)
If initial HSMP visa was for 12 months or less, earnings are assessed for the last 8 months (£)
26,500+ - 45
23,300 – 26,499 - 40
21,300 – 23,299 - 35
19,300 – 21,299 - 30
17,300 – 19,299 - 25
15,300 - 17,299 - 20
13,300 - 15,299 - 15
12,000 - 13,299 - 10
10,650 – 11,999 - 5

If initial HSMP visa was for 12+ months, earnings are assessed for the last 12 months (£)
40,000 + - 45
35,000 – 39,999 - 40
32,000 – 34,999 - 35
29,000 – 31,999 - 30
26,000 – 28,999 - 25
23,000 – 25,999 - 20
20,000 – 22,999 - 15
18,000 – 19,999 - 10
16,000 – 17,999 - 5

[googleman]

Hi,

My initial visa was granted for 1 year and it is expiring in end of December. To earn the required points in the earning category, I can show last 8 months of earning as per the new guidelines. Since I came to UK in march 2006 and started working in June 2006 I can show only 5 months of earning and I am not getting the required points.

My question is, are we supposed to show last 8 months earning or we are supposed to calculate on a pro-rata basis? When some one is migrating from one country to another, it is anybody's common sense that after getting the visa stamped, it takes nearly 2-3 months to arrive to UK and another 2-3 months to get a job in our area of specialization. After that we need to apply for extension around 8 weeks before expiry. So out of 12 months, around 6 months is gone. So a person can show earning for only 6 months if not more (may be on exceptional cases). So I don't understand the criteria for asking 8 months of earning for people who has initial 1 year visa.

Any person with 1 year of intial visa cannot show 8 months of earning except on very few cases.

Can some one throw some light on what I am supposed to do ( I know one of the answer that is go back to home country. )

[olisun]

I had a query, if you are applying for 1 year extension after 1+3 ie 4 years, your initial HSMP visa is still a 1 year one, so in that case would the 1st or 2nd table apply, because it clearly refers to the initial visa.

Previous Earnings (GROSS before tax)
If initial HSMP visa was for 12 months or less, earnings are assessed for the last 8 months (£)
26,500+ - 45
23,300 – 26,499 - 40
21,300 – 23,299 - 35
19,300 – 21,299 - 30
17,300 – 19,299 - 25
15,300 - 17,299 - 20
13,300 - 15,299 - 15
12,000 - 13,299 - 10
10,650 – 11,999 - 5

If initial HSMP visa was for 12+ months, earnings are assessed for the last 12 months (£)
40,000 + - 45
35,000 – 39,999 - 40
32,000 – 34,999 - 35
29,000 – 31,999 - 30
26,000 – 28,999 - 25
23,000 – 25,999 - 20
20,000 – 22,999 - 15
18,000 – 19,999 - 10
16,000 – 17,999 - 5

It should be the first table

[olisun]

Hi,

My initial visa was granted for 1 year and it is expiring in end of December. To earn the required points in the earning category, I can show last 8 months of earning as per the new guidelines. Since I came to UK in march 2006 and started working in June 2006 I can show only 5 months of earning and I am not getting the required points.

My question is, are we supposed to show last 8 months earning or we are supposed to calculate on a pro-rata basis? When some one is migrating from one country to another, it is anybody's common sense that after getting the visa stamped, it takes nearly 2-3 months to arrive to UK and another 2-3 months to get a job in our area of specialization. After that we need to apply for extension around 8 weeks before expiry. So out of 12 months, around 6 months is gone. So a person can show earning for only 6 months if not more (may be on exceptional cases). So I don't understand the criteria for asking 8 months of earning for people who has initial 1 year visa.

Any person with 1 year of intial visa cannot show 8 months of earning except on very few cases.

Can some one throw some light on what I am supposed to do ( I know one of the answer that is go back to home country. )

One way to do is, if you are in a stable permanent job then you can get a letter from your employer confirming they do want to continue to employ you and your monthly salary with be xxxxx

[baskey]

Hi all,

I am panic after this announcement. It seems, I need to get another 3K in order
to get 2nd HSMP extension next year. In the mean time, I would like to ask whether amount paid into company's pension contribution and private medical insurance contribution by the company can be included as gross salary or not. Presently pension contribution is reflected in my salary slip (however it is not taxed) and medical contribution is not reflected. Please advice. I feel just to get additonal 3K gross/annum, I need to undergo lots of trouble in terms of getting a new job, my wife has to leave her present job, relocation, finding a new school for my kids etc.. Thinking of all these issues, my BP is going up. I am going to negotiate with my present employer but I am afraid whether they consider my demand

Pls. share your views.

Thanks,


Baskey

[captain74]

baskey

The contributions to pension schemes are taken from the gross salary so should be added to your gross salary for the purpose of getting your HSMP extension.

The contributions need, however, to be your contributions and not your employers contributions as those are not counted as your salary.