Both OISC and the Law Society of England and Wales have set guidelines as to the knowledge and skills expected of immigration caseworkers at this level. This includes not only knowledge of the law but also certain aspect of procedure and associated skills of drafting letters and notes and file management and professional conduct rules and codes.

Trainees will learn basic outline of the immigration and nationality laws which have been in force in UK since the Second World War. They will learn the structure of immigration control and some of the terminology that they will come across in practice.

There will be a practical introduction to areas like where visa applications need to be made for those seeking entry into the UK, the fees payable and the visa application forms and documents needed in support of those applications. We will also look at persons who have arrived in the UK and when they can get extensions of stay or settlement or British Citizenship.

The following categories are of persons will be looked at in detail:-
-Visitors
-Students
-Business persons & investors
-Family members such as husband and wife, parents and grandparents seeking settlement
-Points based migrants (Tier 1,2,3,4 and 5)
-EU workers and their family members
-British Citizenships regulations and application
-Travel Documents application for refugees and others
A number of special categories which are outside the immigration rules.
Trainees will learn the relevant immigration rules for each category which set out the exact requirements which a person seeking to enter the UK will need to satisfy.

In addition trainee caseworkers will be taught how to make applications for extensions where permitted and how settlement applications can be made in suitable cases to the UK Border Agency. They will understand which forms to use and documents required in support as well as the fees payable.

All trainees will learn the rules of professional conduct of the OISC and the Law Society such as acting impartially to all clients, understanding the concept of confidentiality and conflict of interest and others

Immigration caseworkers must be able to write certain basic documents at this level. These include notes of meetings with a client known as "attendance notes". A detailed letter to the client setting out various essential information and known as a "client care letter" as well as more routine basic letters to UKBA such as notification of a change of address of a client or seeking permission to work. All trainees will have detailed training on how to write these documents by being given professionally prepare samples and by practicing writing an attendance note after watching a DVD of a client interview.