The Graduate route is open Today - Post study work visa 2021

The immigration rules were updated this morning to launch the long-awaited Graduate route, which opened for applications at 9am today.

The Graduate route is a new work route for those who have a degree or other relevant qualification from an approved UK Higher Education provider. Applications opened on 1 July 2021. Your application does not need sponsorship or any endorsement by an employer or by your university. It is similar to the old Tier 1 Post-Study Work visa route that ended in 2012.

Most successful applicants can stay for two years under the Graduate route. PhD graduates can stay for three years (The older Doctorate Extension Scheme is closed now and will be replaced by the new Graduate route.)

The new Skilled Worker visa will (Formerly Tier 2 work Visa) include some changes, mostly beneficial and helpful for students who wish to work after studies.

All immigration applications normally will include an immigration health surcharge at £624 per year.

Return of Two year Post-Study Work Visa - 2020

Post study work visa 2020

Last year the UK Government announced the return of two year post-study work visas. 

The new immigration route will allow eligible students at higher education providers, studying any subject, to work for two years after completing their course. From information published so far, we understand that there will be no cap on the number of students who will be able to apply under this route. 

The UK Home Office has confirmed that international students will remain eligible for post-study work rights upon graduation if they begin or continue their studies online in the 2020/21 academic year.

The Home Office has announced key features of the route:

• It will be open to international students who have successfully completed a course of study at undergraduate (RQF 6) level or above at a Higher Education Provider with a track record of compliance, and who have a valid and extant student visa at the time of application;

• The application process will be simple. There will be an application fee and applicants will pay the Immigration Health Surcharge;

• Applicants will be subject to identity, criminality and security checks;

• The leave period granted will be two years and will be non-extendable. Settlement rights will not be accrued;

• Individuals will be able to work, or look for work in any sector, at any level;

• Individuals will be able to switch into the skilled work route if they meet the requirements.
   

Successful students will then (as of 2020) be allowed to stay in the UK for two years after they graduate. During this time, they can job-hunt and work in the UK. Once the two-year period has finished, they can switch to another visa category, such as a Tier 2 Work Visa, or a Spouse Visa.

Reference  - UK Home Office 

All part-time work rights for non-EU students studying at publicly funded colleges to be abolished

It is expected that the scrapping of work rights for non EU students will be enforced from August and the other changes to be implemented in Autumn,

The summary of changes

• Non-EU students at publicly funded colleges lose right to work for up to 10 hours a week, matching rule for those at privately funded colleges
• The length of further education visas will be reduced from three years to two.
• FE college students will not be able to stay and work in UK when they finish their course, unless they leave the country first (will be exempted if they are registered at an institution with a formal link to a university)

• Reference: written statement made by the Minister of State for Immigration

Post Study Work Opportunities – An Australian Perspective

Post Study Work Opportunities – An Australian Perspective

The determination of the Home Office to reduce UK immigration, curtailing Post study work options may be hindering aspirations to attract more international students, but Australia’s newly elected government has no such hang-ups. Being the sixth biggest country in the world, Australia is the third most popular international student destination in the world according to OECD. It has become a rival country in terms of the market share of international students; more students are now opting to study in Australia than UK as post study work benefits are favourable in Australia

The Australian government has speeded issuing visas and extended “after study programes” such as post study work opportunities. Graduating Australians with bachelors' degrees can now stay for up to two years, those with a master's degree can stay for two or three years and those with doctorates can stay for upto four years

The Australian Coalition government plans to develop a national strategy for international education drawing on a report led by National Australia Bank chairman Michael Chaney and commissioned by the previous Labor government. It had predicted that international education could rebound to be worth over A$19 billion to Australia by the end of the decade. In UK, International students contribute approximately £10 billion a year to the economy according to the Department for Business Innovation and Skills.

Due to the increase of tuition fees, many UK degrees now cost around £ 9000. From 6 April 2012, Tier 1 (Post-study work) was closed to all International students – please refer our article ‘Post Study Work Visa......What Next? - Part II for more details. The sense of feeling unwelcome will probably drive away international students to Universities in the US, Australia and the rest of Europe.

It is evident that the Australian opening of new opportunities for Post Study work options will entice new international students whilst the draconian UK visa rules would indeed dissuade potential international students.

Just 119 Graduate Entrepreneur visas granted in 12 months

A visa scheme set up to mitigate the loss of the post-study work route for international students granted just 119 work permits in its first year.

The graduate entrepreneur visa for international students with “world-class and innovative” business ideas was launched in April 2012. It was brought in as the popular Tier 1 post-study work visa, which allowed non-European Union students to work for two years after graduation, was axed – a change that has been credited with causing a huge drop in demand for UK courses from students in some countries, especially India.

Read more here...

Post Study Work Visa......What Next? - Part II

Post Study Work Visa......What Next? - Part II

Consultant Editor - Fahmida Khan 

The new rules that were enforced on the 6th of April 2012 has led to the closure of the PSW route to all new applicants. In the light of this new change this article focuses on the options and alternatives available for new and qualified graduates.

The current immigration rules has outlined the below as potential routes to extend the current leave to remain:

• Tier 4 student 
• Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur 
• Tier 1 Entrepreneur 
• Tier 1 Investor 
• Tier 2 

A graduate who has either just graduated or is under the PSW route could opt to extend their stay as a Tier 4 student provided a valid CAS and sufficient maintenance funds are available to satisfy the points requirements. However careful consideration and attention has to be given to the changes in the new policy guidance that place limitations on the type of course, length of study, continuity of studies, work restrictions, type of the education provider, and bringing dependents - if opting for this route.

The other more favorable route for fresh graduates would be to switch to the Tier 1 route of Graduate Entrepreneur. This is a new category that is intended to retain graduates identified by UK higher education institutions as having developed world class innovative ideas or entrepreneurial skills, to extend their stay in the UK after graduation to establish or more businesses in the UK. This is not applicable for PSW holders or other graduates outside the UK. There is a limit of 1000 places per annum for this category.

The main conditions that need to be fulfilled for this category is to obtain 95 points based on: 

• Letter of endorsement from a higher education institution that has been approved by the UK Border Agency for the purposes of endorsing the application under this route. The endorsement letter should confirm that the candidate has been assessed and the business idea and that the business they pursue is genuine, credible and innovative, and are willing to spend the majority of the working time on developing business ventures. The letter could be used as part of the application within 3 months of the date of issue. 75 points will be awarded for this.
  
• 10 points each will be awarded for English language and satisfactory maintenance funds – please refer the relevant policy guidance for further information. 

Tier 1 Entrepreneur 

Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) is for non-European migrants who want to invest in the UK by setting up or taking over, and being actively involved in the running of, a business or businesses here.

You must score a total of 95 points and meet all the other requirements below:

• Access to investment funds : 25 points 
• not less than £200,000 OR 
• not less than £50,000 if it is from a UK venture capital firm or entrepreneurial seed firm OR 
• not less than £50,000 if applying for leave to remain and have, or were last granted, leave as a Tier 1 (Graduate entrepreneur) migrant. 
• not less than £50,000 if are applying for leave to remain and have, or were last granted, leave as a Tier 1 (Post-study work) migrant; and were registered with HM revenue and Customs as self-employed, or a registered director of a new or existing business no more than 3 months before your application; and are engaged in business activity, other than the work necessary to administer your business. 

• These funds are held in 1 or more regulated financial institutions - 25 points
• These funds are disposable (free to spend) in the UK - 25 points
• You can speak English to the required standard – 10 points 
• You have enough money to support yourself while you are in the UK -10 points 

Please refer the relevant policy guidance for further information.

Tier 1 Investor 

The Tier 1 (Investor) category is for high-net-worth individuals who want to make a substantial financial investment in the UK.

To be able to apply, you must score 75 points by either

• having £1,000,000 or more of your own money for investment in the UK; OR 
• having £2,000,000 or more in personal assets, plus a loan of £1,000,000 or more for investment in the UK. 

Please refer the relevant policy guidance for further information.


Please Note: 

• From the 20th of July 2012, all the regulations laid out in the policy guidance documents have been passed as a parliamentary act and therefore forms an integral part of the Immigration rules. Hence failure to satisfy all the specific requirements would lead to an automatic refusal of your visa application.
  
• Ensure that you are thorough with the policy guidance for the particular the points based route that you opt for. It is a daunting task and would be advisable to seek professional guidance if you are unable to come to terms with the policies and procedures.

All the Best!!

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