2017年12月7日，彼得森律师行收到了英国移民 局内部发布的最新移民政策修改。每年英国内政部至少会出台两次的移民法修改草案，这份修改草案将会正式提交上议院，女王签发，如无特殊情况，本次修改的移民法草案将成为正式法律，正式实施。
最新的移民法修改草案涉及方面包含计分积点制签证，家庭类签证，访问签证，永居等多个方面，有一些值得大家注意的地方，为了避免产生理解的误差，特把英文相应条款一起列上来，供大家一起参考。为节省篇幅，本文仅仅重点分析与华人相关的几个基本签证类型的变化。
好消息：政府加强对杰出人才的引进和鼓励，扩大第一级签证类别中的杰出人才签证名额。
简单而言：如果您获得了了Royal Society，British Academy，Royal Academy of Engineering，Tech city 等多个政府机构或者商业机构的认可及推荐，可以考虑申请这个签证。
但是，需要注意的是，这个签证类别看重的人士，相对要求比较高，例如获得皇家协会，皇家工程师协会的推荐的级别，基本上，普通毕业生可以忽略不记。 值得推荐的是数字城的竞赛报名项目，其实非常有意思，比较适合金融类或者计算机类，营销管理类的毕业生尝试。简单来说就是递交一个商业计划，最好是和互联网，互联网金融科技类相关的项目，比较容易受到青睐。
Tier 1 杰出人才签证 (Tier 1 Exceptional Talent)
A1. In Appendix A, for “Department for Employment and Learning”, in each place it occurs, substitute “Department for the Economy”.
A2. In Appendix A for “Department of Employment and Learning”, in each place it occurs, substitute “Department for the Economy”.
A3. In paragraph 4(b), for:
“The Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Limit is 1,000endorsements in total per year(beginning on 6 April and ending on 5 April) which will be allocated to theDesignated Competent Bodies as follows:”,substitute:“The Tier 1(Exceptional Talent) Limit is 2,000 endorsements in total per year(beginning on 6April and ending on 5 April), of which 1,000 endorsements are unallocated while 1,000 endorsements will be allocated to the DesignatedCompetent Bodies as follows:”.
A4. In paragraph 4(c), after “The Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Limit”, insert “,including the use of the 1,000 unallocated endorsements,”.
A5. In paragraph 5(b), for “for each Designated Competent Body”, substitute “to
each Designated Competent Body”.
A6. After paragraph 5(b)(ii), insert:
“(iii) If, and only if, a Designated Competent Body has used the number of endorsements available to it in either part of the year, it may draw on the remaining balance of unallocated endorsements in the Tier 1 (ExceptionalTalent) Limit, with priority given to applications of earlier dates.”.
A7. In paragraph 5(d), for “available for the relevant Designated Competent Body,”, substitute “allocated to the relevant Designated Competent Body or to the remaining balance of unallocated endorsements in the Tier 1 (ExceptionalTalent) Limit (as appropriate),”.
A8. For paragraph 5(e), substitute:
“(e) An application for a Designated Competent Body endorsement will be refused if the Designated Competent Body has used the number of endorsements allocated to it and the remaining balance of unallocated endorsements in the Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) Limit has reached zero.”.
A9. In paragraph 5(f), for:
“The number of endorsements available for each DesignatedCompetent Body
to endorse Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) applicants in a particular period,”substitute:
“The number of allocated endorsements available to eachDesignatedCompetent Body to endorse Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) applicants in a particular period, or the remaining balance of unallocated endorsements in theTier 1(Exceptional Talent) Limit (as appropriate),”
简单来说：旧有的政策，每年分配给杰出人才签证的名额为1000名，并且是每年4月分配好给所有的认证机构，新的政策则从每年1000名增加为2000名，多出来的1000名并不事先分配，而是采取”先到先得”的机制，由各个机构自由争取。另外，在认证机构上也有少许更动，增加了Royal Cociety，Birtish Academy，Royal Academy of Engineering 等三个机构。
Tier 1 企业家签证
雇员方面
49. (a) A full time job is one involving at least 30hours of paid work per week.
(b) “The equivalent of” a full time job means two or more part time jobs that add up to 30 hours per week, if each of the jobs exist for at least 12 months. However, one full time job of more than 30 hours of work per week will not count as more than one full time job.
(c) A job may count even if it does not last 12consecutive months (for example it lasts for 6 months in one year and 6 months the following year) provided that it is the same job.
(d) The jobs need not exist on the date of application, provided that they existed for at least 12 months as specified in Table 5 (row4) and Table 6 (row 3).
(e) Different jobs that have existed for less than 12months cannot be combined together to make up a 12 month job. The only exception is where the applicant successfully applied as a Tier 1(Entrepreneur) Migrant before 6 April 2014, has had continuous leave as a Tier1 (Entrepreneur) Migrant since then, and the date of application for entry clearance, leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain is before 6 April2019.
(f) If jobs are being combined the employees being relied upon must be clearly identified by the applicant in their application.
(g) The jobs must comply with all relevant UK legislation including,
Page 48 of 73 but not limited to, the National MinimumWage Regulations in effect at the time and the Working Time Regulations 1998.
简单来说：2014年4月6日前提交首次企业家签证申请并成功获批的申请人，仍然适用以旧的就业岗位计算方式（也就是不同职位可以叠加计算）申请续签或永居，但是仅限于2019年4月6日以前提交的续签或永居申请。也就是说，最后一批以旧政策获批企业家移民的申请人，最迟需要在2019年4月6日以前提交永居申请。
资金方面
39. (a) In all cases, an applicant cannot score points from any of the following:
(i) the same money being used to score points for maintenance funds for themselves or their dependants under Appendices C orE,
(ii) money made available from a third party, where the third party is another Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Migrant, or that migrant’s business or close family member,
(iii) money invested in their business more than12 months (or 24 months if the applicant was previously granted leave as a Tier1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) Migrant) before the date of the application which led to their first grant of leave as a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) Migrant,
(iv) money invested in the form of a director’s loan unless it is unsecured and subordinated to other creditors’ loans to the business, or
(v) investment in any residential accommodation, property development or property management, meaning: (1) any development of property owned by the applicant or their business to increase the value of the property with a view to earning a return either through rent or a future sale or both, or (2) management of property (whether or not it is owned by the applicant or their business) for the purposes of renting it out or resale.
45. The applicant must provide their business accounts and accompanying evidence of their investment, which must meet the following requirements:
(a) if the applicant’s business is legally required to produce audited
accounts, the audited accounts must be provided;
(b) if the applicant’s business is not legally required to produce audited
accounts, unaudited accounts and an accounts compilation report
must be provided from an accountant;
(c) the audited or unaudited accounts must show the investment in
money made directly in the business by:
(i) the applicant, in their own name,
(ii) one or more seed funding competitions or UK or Devolved
Government Departments, as set out inTable 4, and the
accounts must be accompanied by a letter from the source,
confirming that the investment was made on the applicant’s
behalf, or
(iii) a third party other than those in (ii), and the accounts must
be accompanied by a letter from theDepartment for
International Trade, confirming that the investment was made
as a result of the applicant securing the investment;
(d) if the applicant has made the investment in the form of a director’s
loan:
(i) it must be shown in the relevant set of accounts provided,
(ii) where the investment was made after 19 November 2015,
the investment must be shown through readily identifiable
transactions in the applicant’s business bank statements, which
must clearly show the transfer of this money from the applicant
to their business, and
(iii) the applicant must provide a legal agreement, between the
applicant (in the name that appears on their application) and
the business, showing:
(1) the terms of the loan,
(2) any interest that is payable,
(3) the period of the loan, and
(4) that the loan is unsecured and subordinated to other
creditors’ loans to the business;
(g) if the applicant is claiming points for investment from a venture capital firm, they must also provide an original, dated letter from the venture capital firm, on its headed paper, confirming:
(i) the applicant’s name,
(ii) the date(s) the money was transferred to the applicant or invested in their business, and
(iii) that the venture capital firm was registered with the Financial Conduct Authority on the date(s) in (ii)above;
简单来说：首先，针对以董事借贷（Director’s Loan）形式投资的申请人，如果是在2015年11月19日以后进行的投资，申请人需要提交公司银行流水作为证明材料，流水上需要显示该笔资金是由申请人转入。
另外，针对通过风险投资5万英镑基金申请企业家移民的申请人，新的政策明确的规定，在风投机构出具的证明函裡，需要提出资金转移给申请人或者项目的日期。另外，新的政策也对于第三方资金来源有了更明确的定义，例如申请人的资金，不能来自于另外一位企业家移民签证持有人，或其近亲或其企业。
坏消息：工作签证配偶同样有居住要求
简单来说，本次修改草案加强了对配偶的居住条件要求的法律定义，明确规定配偶同样有移民监要求，而不是以前那种相对比较含糊的定义，连续性，母国定居意图等等。
工作签证 (Tier 2 General)
6A.22 For paragraph 245HD(d)(i),substitute:
“(i) The applicant must have completed:
(1) a course leading to a UK recognized bachelor’s or master’s degree (not a qualification of equivalent level which is not a degree),
(2) a course leading to a UK Postgraduate Certificate in Education or Professional Graduate Diploma of Education (not a qualification of equivalent level), or
(3) a minimum of 12 months study in the UK towards a UKPhD.”.
6A.23 For paragraph245HD(d)(vii)(4), substitute:
“(4) the date they completed the course, having sat all exams and presented all academic papers (or the date of award in the case of a degree certificate), unless they are studying a PhD course in which case confirmation of 12 months study is required.”
8.33 After paragraph 319E(d)(ii)(c), insert:
“(d) not have been absent from the UK for more than 180days during any 12 month period in the continuous period, except that:
(1) any absence from the UK for the purpose of assisting with a national or international humanitarian or environmental crisis overseas shall not count towards the 180 days, if the applicant provides evidence that this was the purpose of the absence(s), and
(2) any absence from the UK during periods of leave granted under the Rules in place before 11 January 2018 shall not count towards the 180 days.”.
8.35 In paragraph 319E(e), before “subsisting”, insert “genuine and”.
简单来说：根据新的政策，学生签证境内转工作签证只需要在提交签证时证明已经完成学位并取得最终成绩即可，这项政策于2018年1月11日起开始实施，在此之前，学生签证境内转工作签证的申请人仍需提供学位证。其实，实际操作中，一直是按照这个比较宽松的条件在执行，此次修改草案，明确作出解释定义。
此外，对于Tier 2持有人申请永居每年离境不得超过180天的相关规定，也从2018年1月11日起，明确到配偶副申请人。好消息是，这次的政策修改，也扩大了180天离境条款的豁免适用条件，旧政策规定，如果离境超出天数是出于不可抗力因素（天灾、战争、或重大疾病等），可能得到豁免，新政策规定，如果申请人能够证明离境超时是因为协助世界人道主义或者环境危机组织活动，可能得到豁免。
A20. In paragraph 116(f)(ii)(4) for “that the course is full-time” substitute “on whether the course is part-time or full-time”.
A23. In paragraph 120(a)i., after “Level 3 or above”,insert “(or at RQF Level 7 or above if the course is part-time)”.
A24. In paragraph 120(a)ii., after “Level 4 or above”,insert “(or at RQF Level 7 or above if the course is part-time)”.
A25. In paragraph 120(a)iii., after “by the ScottishQualifications Authority”, insert“(or at SCQF Level 11 or above if the course is part-time)”.
A26. In paragraph 120(a)iv., after “by the ScottishQualifications Authority”, insert“(or at SCQF Level 11 or above if the course is part-time)”.
A33. After paragraph 120A(a)vi., insert:“vii. the applicant is applying for leave to undertake a study abroad programme or work placement which is both integral to, and assessed as part of the course; or to complete their course, having completed a study abroad programme or work placement.”
3.2 In paragraph A57A, for “18”, substitute “16”.
3.3 Delete paragraph A57B(b).
3.4 In paragraph A57B(c)(iii), after “EducationScotland;” insert “Higher
Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE);”.
3.5 In paragraph A57B(c)(iv), for “.”, substitute “;”.
3.6 After paragraph A57B(c), insert:
“(d) The course of study refers to one or more consecutive or concurrent
programme(s) of study that will be completed within the six month validity
period of the short-term study visa.”.
3.7 In paragraph A57C(b)(i), for “18”, substitute “16”.
3.13 After paragraph A57D(a)(ii), insert:
“or
3.14 In paragraph A57D(b), for “at the end of the study or at the end of 6months whichever is sooner”, substitute “within 30 days of the end of their study or at the end of 6 months, whichever is sooner”.
简单来说：过去，Tier 4 (General)普通学生签证只签发给全职学习(full-time)学生，现在，满足一定条件的(一般是Level 7以上)部分的兼职学习(part-time)学生也可以申请Tier 4 学生签证。另外，英国境内续签的适用范围扩大到了参加海外项目或实习项目的学生。
值得注意的是，短期学生访问签证更加宽松，不但年龄从18岁降到了16岁，并且允许签证持有人参加更长的英语课程。此外，过去在课程到期后或签证到期后必须马上离境，新的政策允许短期学生访问签证持有人签证或课程结束后在英逗留最多30天。
此外，新的政策实施后，住宿的学生无需再提供生活资金证明。
总结
本次的移民法变动将于12月28日起到1月10日之间陆续生效。从目前的理解和判断来看，相对于今年稍早的移民法变动，笔者认为这次的移民法修正虽然不大，但是明确了许多老政策中比较不清晰的法律细节，对于容易引起争论的条文也做出更清晰的更动。
有兴趣的朋友可以参考移民法条例中的英文部分进行更进一步的分析和判断，欢迎大家探讨，亦可查讯英文移民条例索引地址。
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