Today's new immigration system sets out five tiers for migrants coming to the UK from beyond the EU. The tiers will replace more than 80 different schemes and routes that currently exist for migrants planning to move to the country

Tier 1

To qualify for the top tier and a route to a settled life in the UK, migrants will need 75 points, calculated from their past experience, earnings, qualifications and age. Applicants will not need a job offer. Aimed at: engineers, doctors, businessmen and professionals with postgraduate degrees

Offers: Permanent migration

Tier 2

Migrants in the second tier will be skilled and have to fill labour shortages or jobs that a British or EU citizens are unable to fill. Applicants will need 50 points and a firm offer of employment from a British company. Points can be amassed through experience and past earnings but an offer in a Government-approved sector of the economy will suffice. Also open to those transferring within an international company to the UK

Offers: Permanent migration, but applicants must meet specific labour shortages or be better qualified than UK or EU citizen

Tier 3

Low skilled migrants will only be able to come to the UK under quotas and for a fixed period. Even then, workers will have to come from countries with which the UK has "effective returns arrangements". Temporary work programmes such as the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme will be closed by 2010

Offers: Fixed period of work in a specified area. At the end of the period of employment, workers will be deported

Tier 4

Foreign students contribute £5 billion to the British economy every year. To come and study, applicants will need an offer from an approved educational institution. To stay beyond their course, students will have to make a separate application. Students older than 16 will be able to bring dependants and work part-time

Offers: Study in the UK until graduation. Students must apply again to stay

Tier 5

Aimed at "youth mobility workers" such as au pairs and exchange students, people aged 18-30 from specified countries will be able to come to the UK for 2 years, of which they will be able to work for 12 months. The tier also covers temporary workers such as volunteers, artists and sports people, religious figures

Offers: Two years in the UK fulfilling mainly "non-economic objectives".

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