Tier 2 visa and other options

[Alicia949]

My boyfriend is from New Zealand and I am British. He has been living in London since april 2017, currently on a tier 5 visa. We have been together for just over a year but haven't lived together.

He is a geotechnical engineer, which I believe is on the shortage of occupation list. His employer wishes to sponser him to stay, after gaining a license to do so.

So the ideal situation is that he gains a tier 2 skilled work visa, however we have been advised that the current market for these visas is very tough and only workers earning about £50k are currently being accepted.

Does anyone know what the state of the visa market is at the moment? How likely is a kiwi engineer earning 30-35k to get a visa?

Also, what are the other options if he gets refused? If any..

Help and advice would be much appreciated! Thanks

[thisB]

If the job is on the shortage occupation list, he will be fine. SOL gets 130 points, so well beyond the 55 point current cap.

[Alicia949]

Hey, thank you for your reply That's really encouraging. The issue is at the moment even SOL are being refused because caps are being met in the UK - this is as far as I know from online sources, I could be wrong (I hope).

[ashishkm]

Hey, thank you for your reply That's really encouraging. The issue is at the moment even SOL are being refused because caps are being met in the UK - this is as far as I know from online sources, I could be wrong (I hope).

nope
SOL fetch lot of points i think 130's range. so surely they aren't refused. non shortage cases are struggling unless their salary is 55k and above!
in the last 4 to 5 months cutoff is floating around 50 to 55 points. I am hoping this month it will slide down to 40's

[Alicia949]

Oh okay, So I have misunderstood? It's only the non shortage occupations that have a £50k cut off at the moment?

[thisB]

Correct, SOL are not being refused, same with PHds, those with high salary etc. The points cut off is 55, the SOL automatic points (before funds) is 130. He'll be fine as long as he's actually on the list.

[Batagin]

Dear Colleagues,

I have one doubt. Last month the minimum score requested by HO was 51. Just for my understand, 100% of the submissions with 51 or more was approved or HO can reject a person with score of 51???

Thanks in advance

[thisB]

Dear Colleagues,

I have one doubt. Last month the minimum score requested by HO was 51. Just for my understand, 100% of the submissions with 51 or more was approved or HO can reject a person with score of 51???

Thanks in advance

All submissions above 51 points were accepted.