The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain , is a sovereign island country located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. The UK spans the island of Great Britain, the northeast part of the island of Ireland, and many small islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK with a land border, sharing it with the Republic of Ireland. Apart from this land border, the UK is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Irish Sea. The largest island, Great Britain, is linked to France by the Channel Tunnel.

The United Kingdom is a union of four constituent countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is governed by a parliamentary system with its seat of government in London, the capital, and is a constitutional monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state. The Crown Dependencies of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, formally possessions of the Crown, are not part of the UK but form a federacy with it. The UK has fourteen overseas territories, all remnants of the British Empire, which at its height encompassed almost a quarter of the world's land surface, making it the largest empire in history. As a result of the empire, British influence can be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies. Queen Elizabeth II remains the head of the Commonwealth of Nations and head of state of each of the Commonwealth realms.

Presently, there is a pilot scheme for 'Innovators' bringing exceptional skills and talents to the United Kingdom. Such individuals do not need to satisfy the capital requirement shown above. However, the applications are complex and need to be carefully prepared. Despite a downturn in hi-tech industries, most applications are from this sector.

This section is for individuals coming to the UK to set up a business in the UK. The business may take the form of a limited company, a partnership or a sole trader ship, and the individual may be setting up an entirely new business, joining an existing business or taking over an existing business or investing in the UK economy.

Under the United Kingdom's new points based system there are five tiers that cover employment and student-based immigration into the country. Tier 2 visas cover skilled migration into the UK for those who have a job offer from a UK employer, replacing the current UK Work Permits scheme. Tier 2 is only for foreign workers who are citizens of countries outside the European Economic Area.

Tier 2 visas for skilled workers are meant to fill jobs where there are shortages in the labor market, such as engineering, information technology, and education. It also covers elite sports people and long-term religious workers. Tier 2 is expected to go into effect in Autumn of 2008, and will replace the following immigration categories: