From 1 July 2021, international students who have successfully completed an undergraduate or master’s degree will be able to take advantage of two years of work experience in the UK after graduation through the new graduate route. Students completing the Ph.D. will be able to stay for three years.
The new Graduate Route will open for applications on 1 July 2021, giving the UK the opportunity to support the brightest and best international students to contribute to society and economy post studies.
Read here complete requirements of the Graduate Route Visa
UK authorities have set a target of 600,000 for international students of higher education by 2023, the graduate route will help achieve these numbers.
If you are an international student and looking for this route, you will require an eligible course at United Kingdom’s higher education provider, with a track record of complying with government requirements to apply on the graduate route. Candidates on the Graduate route will be eligible for work or searching for work after completing their education for a period of 24 months, or 36 months for Doctoral students.
Key benefits of the route for international students
- Three is no need for a sponsor
- International students will not require a job offer to apply
- There is no minimum salary requirements nor caps on numbers
- On this path, graduates will be able to work flexibly
How to apply and process?
The “Graduate Route” will be available to international students who have valid student visas at the time of application and have successfully obtained an undergraduate level or higher degree from a higher education provider with a track record of compliance. Once the right job is found, the graduates will be able to convert this visa into a skilled work visa (the new points-based visa stream). The new route will be launched on July 1, 2021, which means that any eligible student who graduates after this date will be able to apply for this route. This includes students who have already started their courses. A new visa application will be required for the graduate route. This will include payment of visa fees and immigration health surcharge.
Read here more about UK’s new policy for TIER 4 Student Visa.
Purposes to launching this Graduate route
The basic purpose of this new graduate route are:
- It will attract talent and ensure that highly skilled people from around the world are recruited to run the business to develop the country’s economy.
- The launch of the new graduate route is proof that the government is working to continue delivering its key manifesto on implementing a points-based immigration system.
- The Graduate Route will be useful for the whole country of the UK and will make every possible effort to ensure that communities in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland will earn benefit from talented individuals who want to stay after their education.
According to Kevin Foster (Minister of Future Borders and Immigration) “As we rebuild from the coronavirus, we are looking to international brightest talent, who aspire to a career at the top level of science, business, the arts, and technology to see our UK as the natural place to fulfill their aspirations.” The changes announced today will ensure once they have obtained a global standard qualification from one of our world-leading education institutions s they can easily secure the status they need to continue living, working, and fulfilling their dreams in the UK.”
Coronavirus updates regarding this route
Coronavirus concessions for students unable to travel to the UK due to pandemic have also been extended, acknowledging the ongoing barrier due to the controversial international travel restrictions.
Guidelines for international students
If you have started your studies in the 2020-2021 academic year, you will be able to participate in this route even if you began your degree online in your home country due to due to travel restrictions. A candidate who started their studies at the end of 2020 will now have time until 21 June 2021 to enter the UK (updated from 6 April 2021) in order to be eligible for the Graduate route.
Furthermore, the applicants who started their studies in January or February 2021, will need to be in the United Kingdom by 27 September 2021. The Graduate route comes as the authorities also unveiled plans to launch another new immigration route that will assist start-ups and speedy growing firms recruit the talent they need to innovate and grow at budget 3 March as part of a range of measures for highly skilled immigrants. As part of the route, top skilled applicants with a job offer from an authorized high-growth firm will qualify for a visa without the requirement of sponsorship or third-party endorsement.