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Changes to Tier 4 on 3 March 2010
11 February 2010
The UK Government has announced some changes to Tier 4 which come into effect on 3 March 2010. Most of these changes do not affect you if you make your Tier 4 immigration application in order to study a course at degree level or above, or a foundation degree. However, the changes do apply to you if you make a Tier 4 immigration application on or after 3 March in order to study a course which is below degree level and which is not a foundation degree course.
- If you want to study English language and you are aged 16 or older, the course must be at level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Before 3 March, the lowest possible level is level A2. Check with your course provider about the level of course you want to study. The UK Government has announced that there will be exceptions to this for students who are taking pre-sessional English language courses before moving to a degree course and for students who are financially sponsored by governments. However, we do not yet have details of how this will work. They will be published in a revised version of the Tier 4 policy guidance.
- If you are applying in order to study a course which is not at degree level or above and which is not a foundation degree, or if you apply as a Tier 4 (Child) Student to take a course at any level, you will be allowed to take employment for up to 10 hours a week in term-time and full-time in the holidays. Before 3 March, the maximum number of hours you can work in term-time is 20 hours a week.
- If you want to study a course which is six months long or less, you cannot bring your family with you as Tier 4 dependants. This applies to a course at any level and not just below degree level.
- If you make your Tier 4 (General) immigration application in order to study a course which is longer than six months but it is below degree level and is not a foundation degree course, your family members can come with you or stay with you in the UK. However, they are not allowed to work, even if your course lasts 12 months or longer. Before 3 March, dependants can work if you are doing a course which is below degree level, but only if your course is at least 12 months long.
The UK Government has announced that further changes will take place on 6 April 2010. They will affect you if you want or need to take work placements as part of your course. Only education providers which are Highly Trusted Sponsors will be able to offer courses with work placements if the course is below degree level. All publicly funded education providers will automatically be Highly Trusted Sponsors when this new scheme is launched. Private education providers will have to apply to be Highly Trusted Sponsors. There are no details yet about Highly Trusted Sponsors, so you should talk to your education provider to see if this proposed change applies to you.
A person who has immigration permission as the partner (husband, wife, unmarried or same sex partner) of a Tier 4 migrant can, from 3 March 2010, apply in the UK to stay as a Tier 1 (General) migrant or as a Tier 2 migrant, if that person meets all the other requirements of the relevant work category. Before 3 March, they have to go home and apply for entry clearance in order to make such an application.
Source: UKCISA