Tier 1 Post-Study Work Visa 2023

If you are an international student looking to study or work in the UK, you will need to apply for a study work visa before your arrival there. While the process can seem daunting, you’ll find that it’s not as hard as it looks once you start the application process and get the hang of things. This guide will explain everything you need to know about applying for a study work visa in the UK, including how much it costs, where to use it, and what you need to bring to your appointment. Let’s get started!

However, The UK government introduced a new post-study employment visa in September 2019 for overseas students who graduate from UK universities. The visa was introduced seven years after the expiration of its predecessor.

The Graduate Immigration Route, as this new immigration policy is formally named, will let overseas students who graduate in the summer of 2021 or later stay in the UK for an additional two years.

Graduates will be permitted to work or search for jobs in the UK throughout those two years. Once they get employment, they may apply for a work visa and start settling down.

What is a study work visa?

To have legal permission to live and work in the United Kingdom for an extended period, one must apply for a study work visa. A study work visa allows individuals outside of Britain to travel here and gain skills and qualifications without needing an employer's sponsorship. After this is done, they can then apply for permanent residency. It’s also possible to get a study work visa for those that already live in the UK but want to take on more hours or change their job. One needs to ensure that one meets all of the requirements before applying so as not to be rejected. These include having at least £18,600 per year before tax earnings and enough savings that you do not rely on benefits from public funds while living here.

Who can get it?

Study work visas are only available to international students studying at an institution with Tier 4 sponsor license. International students who want to stay and work following their studies can apply for this visa but must have completed their course and received their award. There is also a condition that says that you have obtained qualifications equivalent to at least a lower second-class degree level or higher qualification or be in a field with a national shortage of skilled workers.

What Are the Requirements for the Graduate Immigration Route in the UK?

The main requirements for obtaining a UK post-study work visa include:

• You must be graduating in the summer of 2021 or afterward. This means all students from the 2020/2021 academic year and those on two-year courses that began in 2019 will benefit from the visa.
• You must be graduating from an undergraduate level program or higher.
• You must have a track record of compliance.
• You must have a valid four-student visa at the time of application.
• You must have a full degree – not from a short-term course, language course, etc.
• You must have a degree from a licensed visa sponsor university.

How to Apply for a UK Post Study Work Visa?

Although there are still no official guidelines for the application process, if you intend to apply for the UK Post Study Visa in the future, you have to:

1. Fulfil all the requirements, as detailed above.
2. Apply before your Tier 4 visa expires.
3. Submit a new application to the UK Home Office, including payment of all the relevant application fees and an Immigration Health Surcharge. The fees for the Graduate Immigration Route will be disclosed in the meantime.

You will likely not be able to start an application until 2023 when your graduation date nears. In the meantime, you should check with the UK Home Office for the latest developments and updates regarding the post-study visa application.

When Will the Post-Study Work Visa for the UK Become Effective?

It's anticipated that the Graduate Immigration Route will become operational in the summer of 2022. Therefore, applicants who will graduate in 2020 will not be accepted.

Since the new visa policy hasn't been put into effect yet, there aren't any specific instructions or criteria. Do I Still Qualify for a Post-Study Work Visa in the UK if I Distance Learned Because of COVID-19?

Yes, as long as they return to the UK before 6 April 2023, students compelled to pursue blended or remote learning during the Covid-19 epidemic will be entitled to utilize the post-study work visa. They must stay in the UK for at least one semester.

To obtain a post-study work visa for the UK while pursuing online learning, you must:

• Arrive back in the UK by 6 April 2023
• last semester in the UK has been completed.
• possess a current Tier 4 student visa

satisfy all other requirements for the new graduate visa

The university should sponsor the graduates for a post-study visa.

No, candidates for the UK's two-year post-study employment visa do not require a sponsor during this time. Their employer will act as their sponsor once they have a job.

When I already have a student status, may I apply for a post-study work visa?

The Graduate Immigration Route is only available to current UK students who will graduate in the summer of 2021. Unfortunately, you cannot apply for the post-study work visa if you graduate before that time and your Tier 4 student visa expires.

Am I allowed to settle in the UK with a post-study work visa?

No, the graduate immigration route (post-study employment visa) will not count toward residence or settlement in the UK. Only a UK work visa, which counts toward your home and accommodation, may be obtained with this visa.

See the several categories of UK work visas:

• General Work Visa Tier 2
• Exceptional Talent Visa, Tier 1
• Graduate Entrepreneur Visa, Tier 1

Can a Post-Study Work Visa be Extended?

You can't, sorry. Only two years are allotted for the post-study work visa. You cannot extend the post-study work visa further if, during that period, you have not filed for a skilled work visa or obtained a job.

Can Someone with a Post-Study Work Visa Have Dependents?

Dependents probably won't be permitted to apply at the same time as the primary visa holder for the post-study visa, even though the complete rules of this visa are yet unknown. There is an exemption if the dependents are already in the UK on a Tier 4 Dependent visa.

After Brexit, would EU citizens still require a post-study visa?

Since the UK is currently in its Brexit transitional phase till the end of 2022, EU residents are still permitted to work and study there without a visa.

The laws might alter starting in January 2021, however, to treat citizens of EU and non-EU nations equally. As a result, EU nationals who wish to pursue higher education in the UK must apply for both the Tier 4 visa and the post-study visa.

EU citizens who intend to continue living in the UK after Brexit have until June 30, 2021, to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme.

Reasons Behind the New UK Post Study Work Visa

The UK’s new post-study work visa (the Graduate Immigration Route) is an attempt on the British government’s side to “attract the best and brightest” of international students, according to Home Secretary Priti Patel.

The new visa supports the UK government’s International Education Strategy, which aims to reach 600,000 international higher education students by 2030 and boost education exports to £35 billion.

Official Related Links You Need

You have the best Guide on Immigration, Education, and Employment details for you to Get more out of what you need to know, and it is all free of charge: 

Get More Guide - https://bit.ly/ABROAD-IMMIGRATION-CENTER

Immigration - https://bit.ly/IMMIGRATION-CENTER

Education - https://bit.ly/EDUCATION-CENTER

Employment - https://bit.ly/EMPLOYMENT-CENTER

US Immigration - https://bit.ly/US-IMMIGRATION

Final Thought 

Studying and working in another country is one of the most rewarding experiences. It helps broaden your horizons, improve your language, and advance professional skills. If you need more information on applying for a study work visa, contact me directly! I am happy to help! The process can be long and complicated, but it is worth it in the end. Feel free to contact me anytime with questions or concerns about this process!