How to get up to 2 years working visa in UK
- Posted by carpaedu
- Posted in Blog, International Policy
How to get up to 2 years working visa in UK
Currently, graduates with bachelor’s or master’s degrees can look for work for only four months, which is why many international students and especially Nigerian students had hesitated traveling to the UK for higher education. However, Starting next year, all international graduates could qualify for a two-year period to work in the UK, they could increase their chances of finding long-term employment after studying.
The measure goes beyond the last immigration white paper of the Ministry of Interior, which proposed extending the limit of four months to six months and the limit for those with doctorates to one year.
Its worth mentioning that in 2012, Theresa May as home secretary said the two-year post-study work visa was “too generous” which led to a significant drop in international student enrollments.
Under the new policy, visas would not be limited in numbers and would allow graduates to apply for employment regardless of their skills or the subject they studied. The government said part of the goal was to recruit talented graduates in disciplines such as math, engineering and technology.
The secretary of education Gavin Williamson, said: “The important contribution that international students make to our country and to our universities is both cultural and economic. Their presence benefits Britain, so we have increased the period of time these students can stay in the United Kingdom after their studies”, he also emphasized that British universities thrive on being open global institutions. Introducing the graduate route ensures our prestigious higher education sector will continue to attract the best talent from around the world to global Britain.
It will be noted that the previous 4 months visa arrangement put the UK at a “competitive disadvantage” in recruiting international students.
“The introduction of a two-year post-study work visa is something Universities UK has long campaigned for and we strongly welcome this policy change, which will put us back where we belong as a first-choice study destination,” Alistair Jarvis, the chief executive of Universities UK, pointed out.
The Department for Education (DfE) said the new immigration route would be available to international students “who have successfully completed a course in any subject at undergraduate level or higher at a higher education provider with a track record of compliance, and have tier 4 [visa] at the point the route is introduced,” starting from next year.
The DfE said the route would allow students to look for work at any level, and allow them to later apply for longer-term work visas. “Those on the route will be able to switch on to the skilled work route if they find a job which meets the skill requirement of the route,” the DfE said.
Last year around 460,000 international students graduated from UK universities, not including those from within the EU. The government aims to grow the number to 600,000 over the next 10 years
SUMMARY
- Apply to study in the UK at Undergraduate level, or postgraduate level although postgraduate study would be most advantageous
- Chose a course bordering on mathematics, engineering or technology.
- Have a tier 4 [visa] at time time of entry into the United Kingdom.
- Graduate with good grades.
- Apply for a job.
- Extend your visa.