In fact, the UK Tier 1 Entrepreneur immigration program has been available for seven or eight years, but there have been few Chinese applicants. The biggest hurdle has been the language requirement, which previously required reaching the EU C1 language standard (equivalent to an IELTS score of 7.0). This level is difficult for students studying abroad to achieve, let alone business owners who may have never learned English.
To promote this category of immigration, the UK government has adjusted its immigration policy, lowering the language requirement for the Tier 1 Entrepreneur visa from C1 to B1 (equivalent to an IELTS score of 4.0). This significant reduction in language requirements has made the program more attractive to applicants. Currently, the UK government has not set a quota for this visa category; however, as the number of applicants increases, it is possible that quota policies may be introduced in the future.
According to UK immigration lawyers, the UK Entrepreneur immigration policy allows applicants to either invest in establishing their own business in the UK or to acquire shares in a UK company to become one of its shareholders. Applicants can choose whether to establish their own business or invest in an existing company based on their individual circumstances. If an applicant has entrepreneurial experience and a viable project, they may choose to establish their own business. If the applicant lacks business management experience, they may choose to invest in a UK company.
The UK Entrepreneur immigration policy has high requirements for an applicant's background. However, if an applicant chooses to invest £200,000 into a mature, operating UK company to become a shareholder, and transfers the funds to the company's UK account prior to application, the visa officer is more likely to trust the authenticity of the investment intent, thereby increasing the visa approval rate.
Unlike some other countries that require permanent residency to access corresponding benefits, the UK Entrepreneur visa allows applicants to enjoy free medical care and free compulsory education immediately upon receiving their initial 3-year-and-4-month visa. These two benefits are important reasons why many people choose to immigrate to the UK.
The UK's National Health Service (NHS) is one of the largest public medical systems in the world and has consistently been responsible for ensuring publicly funded healthcare for all UK residents. Regarding education, children under the age of 18 are entitled to free public education. In addition, Child Benefit (commonly known as "milk money") is provided for children under 18. If a UK resident has two children, they can receive over £20 per week for the first child and over £13 per week for the second child. After covering the cost of food for the children, there is usually a small surplus each week.
There is also the matter of retirement. Currently, the retirement age in the UK is 60 for women and 65 for men, with pensions determined by contributions and taxes paid during one's working years. If one chooses to live in a nursing home, the government provides a weekly subsidy of £500–£600, which means that living in a nursing home is either free or requires only a minimal fee.