Post-study work visa eligible for Indian students in UK amid COVID-19 crisis

LONDON June 20: The students will have to be physically present in the UK by April 2021 to complete the final semester, in order to avail the benefits of the visa.
Due to the worldwide lockdown initiated to control the spread of novel coronavirus, many Indian students who were pursuing higher education from the UK returned back home.

As they came back to their home country, the students were worried about the status of their current visa, and the post-study work visa.

Putting their concerns to end, the UK Home Office has assured the students that the Graduate Visa route, commonly referred to as a post-study work visa, will apply to the 2020-21 intake.

However, the students will have to be physically present in the UK by April 2021 to complete the final semester.

“Students will normally be expected to undertake their studies in the UK to be eligible for the Graduate route.

However, 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,” notes the Home Office guidance issued this week.

The students will only be avail these benefits if they enter the UK before 6 April 2021 and complete the final semester of their studies in the UK,” the guidance read.

The Graduate visa allows students to remain in the UK for two years after graduation to work, or look for work. The visa was earlier allotted for three months, post completing of the course.

However, starting from this year, the time period was increased to two years. Some organisations are lobbying the UK government to further extend the time period to three to four years to match their competitive countries such as Australia and New Zealand.