The Home office, UK’s immigration department, has proclaimed that the applications for Tier 1 General visa extensions will not be accepted from 6 April 2015. In addition, no Tier 1 General visa holder will be allowed to apply for ILR.
Earlier in 2008, the former labor government introduced the Tier 1 general visa stream to replace the Highly Skilled Migrant program (HSMP) and as a part of five-tier point-based immigration system. Through this visa highly skilled workers across the globe were allowed to live and work in UK either as an employee or by working for themselves.
The visa remained for two-year period and the visa holders are able to extend their visa for three years each time they renew. The Tier-1 visa holders who wish to stay permanently in UK usually extend the visa once and then apply for Permanent Residence at the end five-year period in UK.
Approximately 10,000 people with Tier 1 (General) visas entered UK every year by the time the stream was closed to new applicants.
