This prompted protests, with many HSMP visa holders fearing that the retrospective nature of the changes will force them out of the UK,[2] and the joint House of Commons and House of Lords Human Rights Committee criticizing the retrospective nature of the changes for breaching human rights legislation[3] and finding that the case to revisit the retrospective nature of the changes was "overwhelming".
[4] The application of these HSMP changes to those already in the UK as HSMP holders as at 7 November 2006 was ruled as unlawful in a judicial review[5] and the UK Border Agency subsequently honoured the FLR outcome of the judicial review, implementing a remedy which allowed impacted migrants, including those who left the country, to apply to have leave under the new points-based UK immigration system instated in place of their lost HSMP leave.
[6] In March 2008, the HSMP programme was replaced by Tier 1 (General) of the new points-based immigration system.
The HSMP system was a points-based immigration scheme, requiring a minimum of 75 points to qualify.
Applicants also had to demonstrate English language ability and that they had sufficient funds to maintain themselves in the UK.