The new system involves awarding points, on the basis of which a conclusion will be drawn about the value of a particular immigrant to the UK. In the first stage, points will be awarded only to immigrants applying for highly skilled work. So, to obtain a visa with the right to work, they will need to score 75 points. Points are awarded for level of education (for example, completed higher education is worth 35 points), English language proficiency, salary level, and age.
“Immigrants contribute greatly to the social and economic prosperity of the UK. But the British people want immigration to be better controlled and to be done in line with the country’s interests. That is why from today we are beginning to count down to the moment when, in less than 100 days, our new points-based system will come into effect,” explained the Home Secretary.
Smith also added that the introduction of the new system is based on already adopted immigration control measures – the introduction of biometric visas and special identity cards for foreigners.
In addition to the points system, the Home Office proposes to introduce a number of other innovations. In particular, the department plans to tighten measures against forced marriages – a phenomenon often encountered in Muslim and Hindu communities. One such measure is raising the age for issuing a marriage visa from 18 to 21. Another important innovation could be a requirement for mandatory English language proficiency to obtain a marriage visa. The Ministry has been raising this issue for quite some time, but for the first time this requirement may be applied to people planning to marry a UK citizen.
“I want people coming to the UK to live and work, and their families, to be able to fully integrate into our society,” said the Home Secretary. “So alongside the already introduced and planned English language requirements for citizenship and for entry of skilled workers, today I am also publishing proposals with new requirements for some English language proficiency before arrival for spouses who plan to stay in the UK.”
At the same time, as Minister for Immigration Liam Byrne explained to journalists at a special briefing, the question of what the minimum level of English should be for different categories of immigrants remains open. “We have not yet reached a final decision on the specific English language requirements for different groups entering the UK, on what level of English should be required. We have only concluded that highly skilled immigrants need to know the language at the level of UK secondary school graduates,” said Byrne.
Among other innovations, the Home Office particularly emphasized the importance of tightening the granting of citizenship for individuals with a criminal record. “I want to strengthen our ability to stop granting the privilege of citizenship to individuals who have a criminal record. After all, British citizenship is a privilege, not a right,” stressed Jacqui Smith.
As Liam Byrne explained in response to a question from RIA Novosti, decisions on granting visas or citizenship to those who submit their documents before March 2008 will be made on the basis of current laws.
RIA Novosti