In this article we have covered these important points:

Introduction: UK Tier 2 Cooling Off Period

  • The Home Office has aimed at providing clarity and understanding to stakeholders regarding the new UK Immigration System
  • So, the drafts and proposed Immigration policies are being actively shared by the Home Office
  • In one such interaction, it has surfaced that the UK Tier 2 Cooling Off Period will be discontinued for the new Skilled Worker Visa
  • Thus, the new UK Immigration System shows some promise for the Skilled Worker Visa or the Tier 2 Visa stakeholders
  • The new UK Immigration Bill is taking its due course through the Parliament and will provide UK immigrants with a new Points-based Immigration System
  • This post-Brexit development in the UK will bring to a halt, the freedom of movement between the UK and EU, w.e.f., December 31, 2020, 11:00 PM
  • Further, one of the recent Home Office presentations provides strong evidence of the cessation of the cooling off period for the UK Tier 2 visa
  • This implies that as soon as these rules come into force, the stakeholders of the Skilled Worker Visa will be exempted from the usual 12-month re-entry ban

If you are unaware of what a UK Tier 2 Cooling Off Period is, then the next section is for you. However, you may skip directly to the developments section to view what’s new.

What is a UK Tier 2 Visa?

  • A UK Tier 2 visa enables skilled workers to enter the UK to work in a skilled job vacancy on a long-term basis
  • The job vacancy has to be listed in the ‘Codes of Practice for Skilled Worker’ and usually includes sectors like IT, healthcare, and accountancy, among others
  • General Tier 2 and Intra-company (ICT) Tier 2 categories of Tier 2 have been under recent scrutiny concerning the new guidelines

What does the UK Tier 2 Cooling Off Period mean?

  • A special regulation policy guards the movement of the cooling off period UK Visa
  • The cooling off period for the UK Tier 2 visa is a kind of re-entry ban on the UK Tier 2 visa stakeholders which spans for a duration of 12 months,exemptions obviously exist.
  • The UK Tier 2 Cooling Off Period rules affects both UK General Tier 2 and UK ICT Tier 2 skilled workers
  • A significant number of skilled immigrants have been affected by this rule of the UK Home Office, and it has also incurred losses for the employers/sponsors of those stakeholders

The Developments in UK Tier 2 Cooling Off Period

  • The current cooling off period forbids the holder of a UK skilled worker visa (UK Tier 2 visa) from returning to the UK for a period of a year post the expiry of their Tier 2 visa
  • Also, it debars them from switching back to a UK Tier 2 visa from a different UK visa category, such as UK ICT Tier 2 visa, within the period of a year

UK General Tier 2 Visa

  • With the new Immigration System on the cards, the Home Office plans on curbing the “cooling off period” rule for the UK Skilled Worker Visa (UK Tier 2 General visa)
  • With this coming into effect, the skilled workers will have the liberty to leave and return to the UK without the need for the leave to entry or entry clearance

UK ICT Visa Cooling Off Period

  • For the ICT Tier 2 visa holders, the Home Office has long proposed policy updates for UK Tier 2 ICT Cooling Off Period
  • The UK Tier 2 Ict Visa Cooling Off Period is expected to end, although, with an exception
  • If you have already left for more than five years in the six years period, you need to apply for the entry clearance under the cooling off rule
  • However, further clarifications are still awaited
  • The end of the UK Tier 2 Cooling Off Period can be especially beneficial for immigrants who have been planning their return to their home country, in line with the cooling off period regulations
  • Besides, with the updated UK Tier 2 Cooling Off Period, the skilled workers can heave a sigh of relief

What to expect?

  • The “Brexit” referendum is said to bring along a multitude of brand new changes for the EU, EEA, Swiss, and other international citizens
  • Besides, the most prominent alterations are being made to the immigration laws in the UK
  • From the UK Tier 4 General student visa to the Tier 2 general skilled worker visa, the point-based immigration system has something for everyone
  • However, as a potential UK Tier 2 visa holder, naturally, you may have multiple questions regarding the UK Tier 2 Cooling Off Period, the extension of UK Tier 2 ICT Visa, or the new immigration laws
  • That being so, what you need are professional UK visa immigration specialists who can assist you with all your UK visa requirements
  • If you need more information on the above or need assistance understanding ‘Points-based Immigration System’ contact our UK Visa and UK Immigration Consultants based in Mumbai | Delhi | and Bengaluru
  • If you want more info or updates on the latest change at the End of UK Tier 2 Cooling Off Period, you can contact our immigration experts on

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