ABOUT UK:

UK, a dominant industrial and maritime power of the 19th century, played a historic role in developing parliamentary democracy and in escalating literature and science. The British Empire, at its peak boasted of ruling an area, which stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century however, saw UK's strength gravely exhausted with two World Wars. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation.

GOVERNMENT BENEFITS:

ECONOMIC BENEFITS OFFERED BY UK

The United Kingdom is the most favoured inward investment location in Europe, attracting around 40 per cent of Japanese, US and Asian investment into the EU. UK has a fast, easy access to the EU single market, a 28 million skilled and adaptable English-speaking workforce, and an environment which allows business to prosper.

It has the lowest utilities costs in the European Union, and a telecommunications industry that is one of the most advanced in the world. There are tax allowances available for companies setting up in certain areas of the UK. Plus, the UK has the lowest main corporation tax rate of any major industrialised country, and there are no additional local taxes on profits.

MEDICAL BENEFITS

National Insurance Number ( NI )

The UK has a government-subsidised National Health Service (NHS) and all residents of the UK, by the deduction of National Insurance from salary, are entitled to medical coverage. As a foreign national living in the UK, in order to apply for NHS registration you need to have obtained a National Insurance (NI) number.

The healthcare occupations mainly of doctors and nurses are included in the Shortage Occupations List in the UK and HSMP scheme also provides special scoring points for the fully registered General Practitioners in the UK.

UK – A MAJOR ECONOMY:

As a member of the European Union the UK is part of the world's largest trading entity, with more than 370 million consumers.

The UK economy is one of the strongest in Europe; unemployment and inflation, are very low favoring high growth. Over the past two decades the government has greatly reduced public ownership by means of privatization programmes.
As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy.

The UK is also a major market and economy in itself due to the fact that it:

- has the lowest barriers to inward foreign direct investment the industrialised world (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development - June 2003)
- is the second largest recipient of foreign direct investment ('FDI') in the world (UNCTAD, September 2003) and is forecast to maintain this position until at least 2006 (EIU);
- is the largest recipient of FDI compared to its major competitors (in relation to the size of its economy);
- UK is the 4th largest trading nation, accounting for 5% of world trade in goods and services (World Trade Organisation - 2002
- has low unemployment, with rates below the EU average;
- is one of the most attractive and profitable locations in Europe foR investors thanks to its historically low tax environment;
- has the best city (London) in which to do business (Healey & Baker's European Cities Monitor, October 2003).

IMMIGRATION PROGRAMME:

The Tier 2 (General) category is for foreign nationals who have been offered a skilled job to fill a gap in the workforce that cannot be filled by a settled worker.

Tier 2 is part of our points-based system, which is for migrants from outside Europe.

For the year from 6 April 2011 to 5 April 2012, a maximum of 20,700 skilled workers can come to the UK under Tier 2 (General) to do jobs with an annual salary below £150,000.

There is no limit on the number of workers coming to the UK to do jobs with an annual salary of £150,000 or above.