Settlement changes proposal from MAC

This could be of interest to the members. Received a few days ago from MAC:

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The Migration Advisory Committee’s commission

1. On 9 June 2011, the Government launched a public consultation on settlement
of Points Based System (PBS) Tier 1 and Tier 2 migrants, Tier 5 migrants and
overseas domestic workers1. Proposals made in the consultation document
included the following, with changes to be applied to those entering the PBS from
April 2011:
• Categorise all visas as either ‘temporary’ or ‘permanent’. Permanent visas
will be those which allow migrants to apply for settlement (Indefinite Leave to
Remain) in the UK.
• Consider capping the maximum period of Tier 1 temporary leave at five
years and restricting the number of exceptional talent migrants granted
settlement.
• Define Tier 2 as temporary and thereby end the assumption that settlement
will be available for those who enter on this route.
• Consider whether certain categories of Tier 2 migrant (for example, ministers
of religion, elite sportspeople, those earning over £150,000 and those in
occupations of specific economic or social value to the UK) should retain an
automatic route to settlement.
• Create a new category into which, after three years in the UK, most
exceptional Tier 2 migrants can switch and go on to apply for settlement.
• Apply robust selection criteria to those Tier 2 migrants who wish to switch
and possibly a limit on the total number of migrants allowed to switch.
• Allow those Tier 2 migrants who do not switch into a settlement route to stay
for a maximum of five years with the expectation that they and any
dependants will leave at the end of their leave.

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THis is just part of the "call for evidence" document you can find here:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/about ... odies/mac/

Please continue in the existing topic.