PBS

From today, highly skilled applicants from India seeking UK Visa will have to follow the new Points Based System (PBS) route, replacing the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme.India is the first country where UK has introduced the PBS, a five-tier system, to manage migration for those wishing to enter UK for work and study.In addition, as of April 1, applicants who use false documents or deception to try to get access to the UK would face bans on coming to that country for 10 years. Tierone is the first of five tiers of the PBS to be rolled out over the next 12 months. Tier two, targeting skilled workers with a job offer and Tier five, for temporary workers would both come online in the third quarter of 2008. Tier four, for students, would follow in early 2009. Tier three, which covers low-skilled migration routes, would only be used if shortages are identified that cannot be filled from the UK or European labour force.