Changes to UK Immigration rules and guidlelines from APRIL 2015

The UKVI (Home Office) will be making numerous changes from APRIL 2015.

Among these changes to take place will be:

*Changing the names of the ratings which sponsors can hold in Tier 4. 'Highly Trusted Sponsor status' will be replaced by 'Tier 4 Sponsor status' and 'A-rated sponsor status' will be replaced by 'Probationary Sponsor status'. This change in terminology better reflects the nature of the ratings held by different Tier 4 sponsors.


*Streamline the existing 15 visitor routes down to four. The changes will help simplify the visitor routes for businesses and leisure travellers, whilst the rebranding of the student visitor route into a short-term student route will make it clearer for people who want to study on short term courses.


*The student visitor (SVV) and extended student visitor routes are being rebranded as short term study routes which will sit in Part 3 of the Immigration Rules alongside other study provisions. The reason for this is to make the system clearer for those whose main purpose for coming to the UK is to study a short course up to six months,or 11 months in the case of adults studying longer English language courses.

*Removing the ability of Tier 1 General migrants to switch into the Tier 1 Entrepreneur route, unless they have already established a UK business before the date of the changes (6 April) and they have the required funding.

*Amending the Shortage Occupation List following a partial review by the independent Migration Advisory Committee. Paramedics, and overhead linesworkers (in the energy industry) will now be included on the list, while special neonatal nurses have been removed.

*Waive the Tier 2 'cooling-off period' for short-term grants of 3 months or less. This will give firms the ability to sponsor interns and bring them back to the UK for a permanent job within a year. This change will also help global firms who need to send some staff to the UK for short periods each year.

*Updating annual minimum salary thresholds for Tier 2 and appropriate salary rates for individual occupations. This is part of salary updates that we make on an annual basis.

These and aseveral other changes and guidlines will be on stream from as early as 6th April 201.

New English Language Test requirements from APRIL 2015

The UKVI (Home Office), recently announced a review on acceptable English Language tests.

There will only be two English Tests that will be acceptable:

1. Trinity College London
2. International English Language Testing System  (IELTS)

This comes into place from 6th April 2015


English Language tests taken before 6th April 2015, will only be valid until 5th November 2015 - but only if the test is listed on the Transitional Approved list.

CLICK HERE to view the Transitional Approved List of English tests.

You are required to check and make sure your English Language test is on the approved Transitional list.

Be advised that many Highly Trusted, Tier 4 registered colleges from now, will be requiring you to show  the approved test from Trinity College London or IELTS  and will not be accepting any other test.

This is their right as individual colleges determine their own admissions policies in addition to the UKVI guidelines and regulations.

It will be in your best interest to update your English Language test.

Click here for the list or approved centres and English language tests and required scoring from 6th April 2015.


You don’t need to prove your knowledge of English if you can show you’re a national of one of the following countries:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• the Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Canada
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Jamaica
• New Zealand
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• USA

OR have an academic qualification that was taught in a majority English speaking country and is recognised by UK NARIC as being equivalent to a UK bachelors degree.