| Migrant category
| Maximum duration of stay
| Right to apply for settlement and citizenship
| Access to labour market/Conditions on right to work
| Rights in the labour market
| Family reunion |
| Work Permit Holder(Tier 2 from 3rd Quarter 2008)
| Available for up to 5 years. Extendable. |
Yes. Time as a work permit holder does count towards settlement and citizenship.
| Yes—but only for specified employer in specified role as per work permit application.
| Employee tied to employer. | Yes. Work permit holder able to bring any children/ overage dependant/spouse/ unmarried partner/civil partner to the UK as dependants.
|
| Work permit dependant (Tier 2 dependant from 3rd quarter 2008)
| Available for up to 5 years and extendable, in line with primary work permit holder.
| A dependant can apply for settlement in line with the primary applicant, but time spent as a dependant will not found an independent application.
| Yes—subject to statutory laws where underage dependant.
| Work permit dependant can work for any employer in the UK i.e. not employer specific permission like primary work permit holder
| No. Work permit dependants cannot bring wider family members to the UK—family dependency must tie to primary work permit holder
|
| Highly Skilled Migrant (Tier 1-General from April 2008)
| 2 year initial grant. 3 year extension on application
| Yes. Time as an Highly Skilled Migrant (HSM) does count towards settlement and citizenship.
| Yes | Yes—HSM can work for any employer in the UK i.e. not employer-specific permission like work permit holder
| Yes. Work permit holder able to bring any children/overage dependant/spouse/unmarried partner/civil partner to the UK as dependants.
|
| Highly Skilled Migrant Dependant (Tier 1 general dependent from April 2008)
| 2 year initial grant. 3-year extension on application, in line with primary applicant.
| A dependant can apply for settlement in line with the primary applicant, but time spent as a dependant will not found an independent application.
| Yes—subject to statutory laws where underage dependant.
| HSM dependant can work for any employer in the UK
| No. HSM dependants cannot bring wider family members to the UK—family dependency must tie to primary work permit holder
|
| Student (Tier 4 from 2009) | For duration of specified course e.g. 4 year max
| No. Time as student does not count towards settlement and citizenship, unless under 10 year long residence rule.
| Yes | Yes—any employer, up to 20 hours per week during term time, full-time during course holidays but not in "permanent" role. No self-employment
| Yes. Student able to bring any children/over-age dependant/spouse/unmarried partner/civil partner to the UK as dependants.
|
| Student Dependant | In line with student course e.g. 4 years max.
| No. Time as student dependant does not count towards settlement and citizenship, unless under 10 year long residence rule.
| Yes | Student dependant can work full-time for any employer in the UK
| No. Student dependants cannot bring wider family members to the UK—family dependency must tie to primary student
|
| Working Holidaymaker (WHM) (category will be obsolete from 3rd quarter 2008—Tier 5 exchange only)
| 2 year grant. Non extendable | No. Time as WHM does not count towards settlement and citizenship—it is a temporary category
| Yes | Yes—any employer(s) for 12 months only of 2 year total.
| No |
Dependant of a person present and settled
A British citizen or settled person in UK can bring children/ over-age dependant/ spouse/unmarried partner/civil partner to the UK as dependants.
| 2 years | Yes. Time as a dependant does count towards settlement after 2 years and citizenship.
| Yes—subject to age restrictions for underage dependants
| Yes—any employer in the UK | No. Dependants cannot bring wider family members to the UK—family dependency must tie to person present and settled
|
