Specialist technical and engineering recruitment company, NES has competently managed the opposing responses to the changes that were made to the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) criteria in December 2006.
The changes that were made to the system included increasing the point threshold and awarding higher scores according to different ages and qualifications. This generated mixed responses from those affected: individuals whose occupations were eliminated from the shortage occupation list no longer qualified for the scheme and therefore opposed the changes, whereas those who had previously failed to meet the specified criteria but now qualified for HSMP on the grounds of qualification or age welcomed them.
Says Matthew Pegram, immigration adviser at NES: “Following our registration as Level 1 Adviser with the OISC, and as a direct result of the government’s restructuring of its HSMP guidance, we are now able to provide greater clarity about the options available to non-UK applicants and enable them to make an informed decision so that we can in turn, provide advice as to how the quality of their application can be enhanced.”