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UK eases immigration rules for students, businessmen

Pakistani businessmen, students and visitors now can yield ample opportunities in the United Kingdom (UK) by taking up corporate internships after completing their degree as the UK government has finally relaxed some immigration rules, globally.

Similarly, Pakistani visitors, who plans to visit UK on a business or a tourist visa can now do some study which was earlier prohibited as the UK government has allowed employees of the companies to undertake corporate training in the UK delivered by an external company or do a short course of study. Further, changes to the intra company transfer (ICT) route will enable employees already on this visa to extend it without having to take a language test.

Recently the British government has made some amendments in immigration rules which have been come into effect from 1st of October this year, changes to the Immigration Rules announced will give greater flexibility to business visitors and to businesses that employ and sponsor international migrants, said an official statement released by UK government.

Visa applicants now can submit electronic bank statements for all bank accounts, not just online bank accounts.

Investment-based cash savings held in a bank/savings account will be able to be used to meet the financial requirement, as well as savings in a deposit account.

According to the details, the changes to the business visitor route will allow employees to undertake corporate training in the UK where it is delivered by an external company.

Global organisations will now be able to bring their own auditors to the UK on a business visitor visa, making it easier for them to complete international audits. Business visitors will also be able to do a short course of study while they are here.

The Home Office has also made changes to the ICT route to enable employees already on this visa to extend it without having to take a language test. The ICT route is already well regarded with business customers telling us that it is ‘the most user-friendly in the world’.

Individuals on graduate entrepreneur visas will be able to switch to a skilled workers visa more easily under the new rules, ensuring that the best global talent is able to stay in the UK to work. They will be able to switch visas for a job with a ‘new entrant’ salary and the sponsor would not have to complete a Resident Labour Market Test.

Colleges and UK tourism will benefit from changes to the general visit visa, which will enable tourists to complete courses, including leisure and English courses. It will mean those coming to the UK primarily to visit family or for tourism would not have to apply for a student visitor visa to take a short course, for instance in activities like sailing or horse riding.

UK has expanded the exceptional talent route to artists with exceptional promise, rather than just those who have already proved themselves to be world leaders in their field. Artists applying for this route will have to have been endorsed by the Arts Council.

Another change has been made, creating two new temporary routes specifically to enable Commonwealth Games family members to come to the UK as visitors to participate in the 20th Commonwealth games in Glasgow. The two routes are for adult and child games family members. Games family members include athletes, coaches, officials and other support staff.

The country removed the rule that blocked skilled working visa applicants who earn over £152,100 from owning more than 10 percent of the sponsor business’s shares, statement added.

Also, the Ministry expanded the use of the ‘genuineness’ test into other visa routes including for students applying for student visas when already in the UK, Ministers for Religion and Temporary Workers. The ‘genuineness’ test gives caseworkers greater scope to test the evidence presented by applicants, particularly in cases where abuse is suspected. These changes will better protect these routes against abuse without disadvantaging legitimate applicants.

Minor changes have also been made to the Family Rules. The changes will benefit UK citizens applying to bring their non-EEA spouses and children to the UK, as they will be given greater flexibility in how they meet and evidence the financial threshold. The changes will include cash savings will be able to include the net proceeds from a property sale, within the 6 month period prior to application. Savings should be evidenced and the property owned by the applicant and/or their partner.

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