UK is considering reviewing its post-study visa policy from two years to just six months.
This means that international students will no longer be able to stay for two years in the UK on post-study visa if they don’t have a sponsored job.
They must have a sponsored job within six months of graduation.
Foreign students, including Nigerians, studying in the United Kingdom, must leave the UK just after six months of their graduation if this policy starts.
What the UK Government is saying:
United Kingdom Secretary of State for the Home Department, Suella Braverman, proposed the plan to “reform” the Graduate Visa route.
The review seeks to cut the period of stay allowed for international students under the aforementioned visa route.
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However, the Department for Education (DfE) strongly opposed the proposition.
UK’s education department sources said they are attempting to block the changes, noting that such a review will make the UK less attractive to international students.
Implication of the policy:
The current Graduate Visa route requires students get a skilled job within six months after graduation or leave the country.
Foreign students studying in the UK usually secures job that qualifies them to stay back in the Great Britain via the post-study visa.
The UK government wants to reduce the number of international students coming into the country and so, is looking at several ways to achieve this.
The proposition to reduce the UK post-study visa from two years to six months is one of the many ways it plans to achieve this.
Another of such regulation is on eligibility of students to bring their dependents to the UK.
The proposal only allows foreign students who have opted for postgraduate research-based courses like a PhD or postgraduate courses that are at least two years long to bring dependent family members to the UK.
According to Office for National Statistics (ONS), international students who got post-study visa in the UK in 2021 alone was 486,000.
The Times’ reports that Indians have outnumbered the Chinese as the largest cohort of foreign students last year.
“This uptick has been attributed to the aforementioned visa route, introduced two years ago which Indian students dominated with 41 per cent of the visas granted.
“The statistics published last week also showed that there are 680,000 foreign students in the UK while the government’s 2019 Higher Education Strategy had targeted to reduce the number of overseas students to 600,000 by 2030. Notably, they achieved this target last year.”
Currently, the UK has about Figures 680,000 foreign students in the country, according to the news agency PTI.
Nigerians Fear:
Nigerian students studying in the UK are currently most disturbed about this development and the reason is not far-fetched.
In 2022, the number of Nigerian students in the UK with dependents, surpassed those from other countries.
Equally, Nigeria became the third largest country with sponsored study grant in 2022, increasing from 57, 545 to 65, 929.
Meanwhile, Nigerians, have taken to Twitter to voice their concerns about the proposed post-study visa.
The UK is considering cutting down the 2 years post study visa to 6 months.
You’d have 6 months to get a job with certificate of sponsorship or risk deportation. That’s the plan
UK isn’t the only option; Try Portugal, Austria, France and many more
— ＤＯＣＴＯＵＲ (@wakawaka_doctor) January 26, 2023
It used to be 2 years post-study visa but now, it is being proposed to be only 6 months.
I cannot imagine what position this puts people who just moved to the UK in.
I see the exodus redirecting somewhere else and to be honest?
The UK steadily projects as if they’re doing —— 👑S.A.L.A.K.O🕊 (@UnkleAyo) January 26, 2023
I just hope that policies won’t work. However it’s best to consider other countries, since UK wan frustrate people.
— AYENI MAYOWA O. (@Mayodsaint) January 25, 2023
Everyone wants to go to UK, it’s absurd now! is there no other country you can go. These guys have seen that your intentions are suspicious
— Aremu Oba (@MustaphaKinging) January 25, 2023
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