The UK has announced a new Graduate Visa that will allow international students to remain for two years after completing degree programs, a reversal of a policy introduced in 2012 and a move welcomed by the international education industry.
The new post-study work rights system for international students was unveiled by Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, yesterday. The restoration of two-year post-study work rights for international students reverses a policy introduced by Johnson’s predecessor, Theresa May, when she was Home Secretary in 2012.
The new Graduate Visa will not be subject specific and applies to all programs. Students will need to have successfully completed a degree from a trusted UK higher education provider which “has a proven track record in upholding immigration checks and other rules on studying in the UK”, the government said.
UK education associations, institutions and agents have long argued that the removal of post-study work rights damaged the sector and blunted growth while competitor countries expanded. Universities UK published economic modelling last year that claimed the UK economy had lost out on UK£8 billion in export revenue. Earlier this year, StudyTravel Magazine published a special article on work rights, where agents highlighted the impact of the UK removing post-study rights.
Source: StudyTravel Magazine