The new Graduate route opened for applications on 1 July 2021, allowing the UK to retain the brightest and the best international students to continue to contribute to society and the economy post-study.

The Graduate route will be unsponsored, meaning applicants will not need a job offer to apply for the route. There will be no minimum salary requirements nor caps on numbers. Graduates on the route will be able to work flexibly, switch jobs and develop their career as required.   Students who began their studies in January or February 2021 will need to be in the UK by 27 September 2021.

International students must have completed an eligible course at a UK higher education provider, with a track record of compliance with the government’s immigration requirements to apply to the Graduate route. Students on the Graduate route will be able to work or look for work after their studies for a maximum period of 2 years, or 3 years for Doctoral students.

The launch of the new Graduate route shows that the government is continuing to deliver on its key manifesto promise to implement a points-based immigration system, which will attract talent and ensure that businesses can recruit the most highly qualified from across the globe to drive the economy forwards.

The new route will help the government to achieve the ambition set out in the International Education Strategy to increase the number of international students in higher education in the UK to 600,000 by 2030.

Minister for Future Borders and Immigration Kevin Foster said:

“As we rebuild from the global pandemic we want the world’s brightest talent, who aspire to a career at the highest levels of business, science, the arts and technology to see our United Kingdom as the natural place to fulfil their aspirations.

“The changes announced today will ensure once they have received a gold standard qualification from one of our world leading education institutions they can easily secure the status they need to continue living, working and fulfilling their dreams in the UK”.

Coronavirus concessions for students unable to travel to the UK due to the pandemic have also been extended, recognising the continuing disruption many face due to international travel restrictions.

Yet the effects of COVID have meant the scope of this visa may not be all-encompassing as students need to be in the country by 27 September 2021 to take advantage of this, and many students may not be able to do this due to travel restrictions. The introduction of the red, amber, green system created another set of challenges as students from red-list countries needed to attend quarantine in government-sanctioned hotels and this would cost a staggering £1,750 for the 10-days required

As such, mitigations could be put in place to make the positive impact of this scheme more far-reaching. One such mitigation could be removing the requirement for students who received distance learning in the past academic year having to apply for a student visa before they are eligible for the Graduate Route visa.

Image credit: B&B University College