Entry Clearances: Skilled Workers

Mr. Frank Field
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 8 December 2009, Official Report, columns 221-22W, on entry clearances, how many permits under Tier 2 general were issued in each month of 2009.

Mr. Woolas
[holding answer 25 February 2010]: The following table provides detail of the numbers of in-country grants of leave to remain and out of country visas issued under Tier 2 (General) of the Points Based System in each month of 2009.

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|         |In country|Out of country|
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|January  |168       |147           |
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|February |566       |305           |
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|March    |772       |453           |
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|April    |687       |557           |
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|May      |1,032     |756           |
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|June     |1,356     |883           |
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|July     |1,636     |886           |
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|August   |1,561     |1,078         |
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|September|1,191     |977           |
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|October  |1,201     |856           |
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|November |1,136     |821           |
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|December |1,275     |839           |
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|Total    |12,581    |8,558         |
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The table above is based on approved main applications only. This data are not provided under National Statistics protocols. They have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change.