UK post-study work visa rights of international students are safe amid COVID-19 pandemic

A ray of hope in these tough times for international students! The UK Home Office has confirmed that international students will remain eligible for post-study work rights upon graduation if they start or continue their studies online in the academic year 2020-2021.

International students will be eligible to access the graduate immigration route as long as they are in the UK by 6th-April-2021 and complete their final semester in the UK. The announcement will help the UK maintain its status as a preferred study abroad destination among international students.

‘If students are required to either continue their current studies or commence a new course by distance or blended learning due to Covid-19, they will still be eligible to switch into the Graduate route on a concessionary basis if they spent some time studying outside the UK,’ states the guidance issued by the Home Office. 

It further states ‘Students will benefit from this concession if they enter the UK before 6 April 2021 and complete the final semester of their studies in the UK,’ it says.

The UK Home Office said the Graduate Visa route, commonly known as post-study work visa and designed for overseas students to be able to work or look for work for two years after completing their studies, will apply to the 2020-21 intake as long as they are physically present in the UK by 6th-April-2021.

The graduate route was announced in September 2019 by the UK government to adjust the immigration system as it was leaving the European Union.

As the social distancing rules are in place, a number of UK universities have indicated plans for incorporating online as part of their studies along with in-person classes. University groups have been lobbying the UK government to address the impact of the COVID-19 on the country's higher education sector.

The closing of language testing centers and embassies have caused concern globally about delays in processing the plans of students planning to study abroad. Post-study work visa rules play an important role in attracting international students.

Also Read: UK Post-Study Work Visa Rules Relaxed for International Students

New post-study work visa for international students in the UK

International students studying at the UK universities will be able to apply with the new Graduate Immigration Route from this autumn. This will allow them to stay and work in the UK for a period of two years. The newly announced Graduate Immigration Route will be available to students who completed their degree at an authorized higher education institute and have a valid Tier 4 visa at the time of application.

Successful applicants applying through this route will be able to stay and work in the UK at any skill level for two years. Also, graduates who found skilled jobs and who qualify for skilled work visas will be able to switch visas to continue working in the UK.

The new visa rules announced in September 2019 will be open for candidates from the summer of 2021. So, students who are starting their degree this autumn and also have a valid Tier 4 visa will be eligible to apply to the new category.

Earlier there was confusion about the new visa, so, recently the UK government published updated guidance confirming those studying through distance learning because of the pandemic will be eligible to apply for the Graduate route provided they will be in the UK by 6th-April-2021.

Due to current restrictions, there are students who are not able to come to the UK as per the normal schedule, whereas most of the UK universities have announced that term will start approximately on the usual time this autumn. Considering this, it is an important piece of information for prospective students.

Read more

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• How is Coronavirus affecting Study Abroad Students?