根据移民局最新消息,从12月23日零时开始,英国关闭除英国地区以外的高技术移民申请,直到明年4月份最新的移民政策出台。而根据最新的移民政策,明年4月份法律会正式取消高技术移民签证类型,因此也就意味着从2010年12月23日开始,英国高技术移民正式被中止。
此前印度方面曾经传来消息,英国限制高技术移民的做法是违法的,但是移民局对此也做出了 “有关高技术移民限制配额的政策并没有违法”的解释。
The UK Border Agency has announced that it will stop accepting Tier 1 (General) applications made overseas from 00:01 on 23 December 2010. This is to ensure that we do not exceed the limit set by the government for issued Tier 1 (General) applications between 19 July 2010 and April 2011.
Tier 1 (General) overseas will not reopen for applications. Tier 1 (General) in the UK will remain open until 5 April 2011. There will be transitional arrangements beyond 6 April 2011 for some applicants who are already in the UK, and we will announce details of these in due course.
Following a court judgement on Friday, the government has also set a limit until 5 April 2011 on the number of certificates of sponsorship that are available to licensed Tier 2 sponsors under Tier 2 (General). The level of the limit will be 10,832, and the changes will take place immediately.
Immigration Minister Damian Green said:
'This ruling is about process, not policy - the policy of having a limit has not been found to be unlawful. The court’s ruling rests on a technicality, which we have set right today to ensure that from now on the interim limit is back up and running.
'This judgment does not affect the annual cap in any way. The interim limit was a temporary measure introduced specifically to tackle a rush of applications ahead of the introduction of the annual limit.
'As a result of the volume of applications received since the interim limit was introduced last July, no more Tier 1 visa applications from overseas will be accepted after 22 December.
‘The government remains firmly committed to reducing net migration to the tens of thousands.’
The changes are set out in a new Statement of changes to the Immigration Rules (HC 698).
You can find Damian Green’s written ministerial statement setting out the changes under ‘Related documents’ on the right side of this page.