UK plans to tighten Post Study Work Visa rules: Immigration rule change White Paper delayed

LONDON April 9: The UK government is reportedly weighing significant changes to its graduate visa policy as part of its broader strategy to reduce net migration. This move has reportedly sparked tension between the Home Office and the Department for Education, with the former pushing for reform while the latter worries about potential impacts on universities, Financial Times reported.

According to The Financial Times, the proposed reforms would require international students to secure a graduate-level job to remain in the UK after completing their studies.

Under the proposed changes, international students would need to secure a graduate-level job in order to remain in the UK following the completion of their studies. Currently, the graduate visa route, introduced in 2021, allows international graduates to stay in the country for up to two years post-study, even without employment.

One Home Office official told FT, “We have been tasked by the prime minister to bring down net migration and we’re trying to do that.” The same official added it was “really frustrating” that the education department had “lobbied Universities UK to go out there and fight this.”

The graduate visa route, introduced in 2021, currently allows international graduates to stay in the UK for up to two years post-study, even without employment. Research by the Migration Advisory Committee showed that over 60% of those on the scheme were earning below £30,000 after a year, which is below the expected graduate salary benchmark.

Education department officials, however, are concerned that restrictions on this route could negatively impact universities, many of which are under financial pressure. Vivienne Stern, Chief Executive of Universities UK, said, “It would be madness to cut back the route.” She noted that a single batch of international students contributes £40 billion annually to the UK economy. She added that the two-year visa gives students time to gain experience and secure jobs.

Home Office data has further supported its push for reform. In 2024, 40,000 asylum claims came from individuals who previously held UK visas, with around 40% being former student visa holders. A Home Office official said, “We are finding people who are moving from student visas and graduate visas into asylum hotels.” The official said many of these cases appeared to involve “fraud.”

The Labour government, led by Sir Keir Starmer, is expected to present a white paper next month outlining migration policy. Changes to the graduate visa scheme are expected to play a key role.

Research by the Migration Advisory Committee revealed that over 60% of those on the scheme were earning below £30,000 after a year, falling short of the expected graduate salary benchmark. Home Office data has also shown that in 2024, 40,000 asylum claims came from individuals who previously held UK visas, with around 40% being former student visa holders.

Blueprint to cut immigration delayed: Changes to graduate visa scheme expected to play a key role

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s blueprint to reduce net migration has been pushed back until after Easter, reportedly due to minister disagreements over how to appease businesses likely to struggle from the impact of new US tariffs.

The Government plans to publish a White Paper, which it says will lay out plans “to restore” the UK’s “broken immigration system”.

It had been due early this year, but is now not expected until after the local elections in May.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said on Monday: “That work is obviously of critical importance.

“We’ve been very clear that we will take a bold approach to reduce the sky high levels of migration, which quadrupled under the last government.

White paper is a policy documents produced by the Government that set out their proposals for future legislation.