Uk Point-based system for skilled Foreign workers

The new UK point-based system for skilled workers and the role of English proficiency.

Unknown to many, the UK now runs a point-based system to issue skilled worker visas especially if you are coming from abroad.

According to the UK Visa and Immigration Office, you must be awarded 70 points to be granted permission to come in as a Skilled worker. These points include 50 mandatory points and 20 tradable points.

Mandatory point areas include:

1. Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) – 20 points

2. A job at the appropriate skill level – 20 points

3. English Language Requirement – 20 points

The additional tradable points of 20 can be awarded by the Visa officer at his/her discretion.

If you land a Skilled job in the UK from Nigeria, such as a Healthcare Assistant Job, for you to be issued a Visa, you will need to meet up with the mandatory point areas 1-3 to enable you to score up to 70 if the tradable points are added.

It is very easy to secure 40 points from number 1&2 above. But, if you do not meet up with the English Language Requirement, IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE to be given a Visa as you will not meet up with the 70 points needed even if dem dash you 20 points.

I am making this post because a lady sent me her Visa refusal letter yesterday. Her Visa was refused because she failed to meet the English Language requirement. She had IELTS but the wrong one.

If you are taking IELTS, the only IELTS that the UK Visa and Immigration Office will honor with regard to skilled jobs is IELTS UKVI (General Training or Academic). It must be UKVI and have a UKVI number that can be used to verify your result. Taking the wrong IELTS can cost you your Visa even after you have gotten a job in the UK.

Must you take IELTS?

No, There are other acceptable alternatives to IELTS that the UKVI recognizes. If you have a Bachelor’s degree, the best bet is to get a UK NARIC/ECCTIS Certificate of English Proficiency. Unlike the IELTS, the UK NARIC is straightforward.

• It does not involve any exams.

• It is valid indefinitely, unlike IELTS which expires after 2 years.

• It can be ready in 2 weeks.

To process and get your UK NARIC/ECCTIS Certificate, you need three things

1. Bachelor’s Degree Transcript (Your Student Copy is fine).

2. Bachelor’s Degree Certificate.

3. Letter of English proficiency from your University.

Unfortunately, persons with HND cannot apply for UK NARIC.

The complaint a lot of people have had is the difficulty in making payments from Nigeria for this.

To help resolve this, we have created a service to help those who have their documents ready.

The service is N150k only and you can contact our Admin Chisom at +2348163529198 if you are interested. You will get your UK NARIC/ECCTIS Certificate in your email two weeks after you have subscribed.

Other IELTS alternatives accepted by the UK Visa and Immigration Office include Pearson Test for English (PTE) Academic UKVI, Language Cert ESOL Cert. But you are safer with IELTS UKVI and UK NARIC/ECCTIS.

Note that if you had your undergraduate or Masters’s education in the UK and can provide the transcript, you will be considered proficient in English and would have met the requirement.

Now, back to the lady who was denied her Visa – she was contacted on 26th August to provide proof of her English Proficiency and given 10 working days to do so. She did not see the email. Till yesterday, she still has not seen the mail. The good news is that she has 28 days to apply for an administrative review. She can get her UKVI results and send them in as soon as possible.