Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

BrexitRight to workLatest NewsGraduatesMigrant workers

New graduate visa route aimed at retaining ‘brightest and best’

by Adam McCulloch 11 Mar 2021
by Adam McCulloch 11 Mar 2021 A pre-Covid 19 lecture
Photo: Shutterstock/Monkey Business
A pre-Covid 19 lecture
Photo: Shutterstock/Monkey Business

From 1 July a new graduate visa route will open up, which the government claims will allow the UK to ‘retain the brightest and the best international students’.

To qualify, 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. They must score 70 points, accrued by successfully completing their studies; getting a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or certain professional qualifications like the LPC for lawyers or PGCE for teachers; and being in the UK for a minimum length of time, depending on the duration of the course and subject to exceptions for distance learning between January 2020 and September 2021 (because of coronavirus).

The change was announced as part of new immigration rules introduced in parliament on 4 March.

International workers

Budget introduces elite visa to lure tech entrepreneurs

India deal could see more migrant workers enter UK

Brexit transition period end – what it means for HR (webinar)

Applications for new work visa routes now open

How will employers fare under the new immigration system?

Students on the graduate route will be able to work or look for work after their studies for a maximum period of two years, or three years for doctoral students.

It is intended that the new route will operate for all areas of the UK, ensuring that communities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can benefit from individuals who want to stay after their studies.

Immigration experts say that, potentially, graduate visa holders, for whom no sponsor licence is needed, could provide an important pool of skills for employers unable to sponsor skilled workers.

The same restrictions on dependants apply as for the student route: only partners and children already in the UK as student dependants qualify.

Minister for future borders and immigration Kevin Foster said the changes would ensure that once students “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.”

Chetal Patel, partner at Bates Wells said the changes were “excellent news for students and employers” and welcomed the additional two years to pursue suitable employment after their studies in the UK end.

She added: “Students will have greater flexibility to pursue careers in their desired fields after their studies. Employers will benefit from having access to a larger pool of new international talent without having to pay sponsorship costs.

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

“This sends a positive message as we enter the post-Brexit, post-pandemic era. The UK is open for business and these post-graduates will play an important role in the country’s economic recovery.”

Recruitment and resourcing opportunities on Personnel Today

Browse more recruitment and resourcing jobs

Adam McCulloch

Adam McCulloch first worked for Personnel Today magazine in the early 1990s as a sub editor. He rejoined Personnel Today as a writer in 2017, covering all aspects of HR but with a special interest in diversity, social mobility and industrial relations. He has ventured beyond the HR realm to work as a freelance writer and production editor in sectors including travel (The Guardian), aviation (Flight International), agriculture (Farmers' Weekly), music (Jazzwise), theatre (The Stage) and social work (Community Care). He is also the author of KentWalksNearLondon. Adam first became interested in industrial relations after witnessing an exchange between Arthur Scargill and National Coal Board chairman Ian McGregor in 1984, while working as a temp in facilities at the NCB, carrying extra chairs into a conference room!

previous post
ITV staff complained over Piers Morgan comments
next post
Employment law specialist wins £168,000 in unfair dismissal case

You may also like

Immigration white paper: 10 key points and reaction

12 May 2025

Young people are less work-ready, say employers

7 May 2025

One in seven experience workplace abuse, finds major...

2 Apr 2025

Tech now offering fewer young people job opportunities

21 Mar 2025

Lower socio-economic background graduates ‘overlooked’ in hiring

7 Mar 2025

Foreign students without graduate job could be forced...

25 Feb 2025

Architects call for review of sponsored worker visa...

18 Feb 2025

RAD Awards 2025: R;pple and Havas People win...

30 Jan 2025

Employers support crackdown on unpaid internships

23 Jan 2025

Most Gen Z workers value company ethics as...

21 Jan 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+