The HSMP visa, which stood for Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, changed its name to a Tier 1 visa before the programme was scrapped altogether in 2011.
The HSMP, or Tier 1, visa was a type of UK visa that granted non-UK citizens a three year visa to live and work in the UK. The visa could be extended for two years after the initial three years as long as the applicant still qualified. After five years, the holder of an HSMP, or Tier 1, visa could apply for permanent residency in the UK. One year later that person could apply for UK citizenship.
HSMP, or Tier 1, visas were granted on a points-based system, with various levels of points being granted for age, education, earnings, UK experience, maintenance funds, and English language fluency.
Rules and regulations about HSMP and Tier 1 visas changed frequently before the visa programme was canceled. There is currently no points-based work visa for the UK, so all people wanting to move to the UK to work must be sponsored by a company and granted a Tier 2 visa.