SOURCE:The Economic Times
The United Kingdom is home to the best institutions around the world. The UK has always been one of the most popular destinations for students pursuing higher education. But education is worth the effort only if it’s fruitful in terms of the job it provides. For students who plan to immerse themselves in the culture of England while studying and also to focus on securing their future in England, England now provides students with A Post-Study Work Visa for 2 Years from 2020-21. The rule applies to all the international students who successfully take a Bachelors’s and any degree above it. It remains the same for all the disciplines.
The official Website of UK Council for International Student Affairs has updated the Graduate Route.
On 11th September 2019, UK Prime Minister ‘Boris Johnson‘ announced this policy for students who said this change would “unlock their potential.” It will be applicable from the academic batch of 2020-21. Currently, most international students are given a 4-month post-study work visa and six months post-study work visa for the students in 27 universities under the pilot scheme. Under this policy, many employers restrain to employ international students due to the limited work time with them.
It is not the first time this rule has been invoked as it was dismissed in 2012 by then Home Minister, ‘Theresa May‘ who believed it was “too generous” and introduced the international Post-study visa rule that is followed in Britain currently. According to The Times of India, This decision led to a steep drop in the number of Indian students in Britain which was around 55% from 51,218 in 2010-11 to 22,757 in 2011-12. The previous rule reduced the attraction of the UK as a study abroad country for students.
Table of Contents
Key Factors of the Proposal
The reintroduction of this proposal states a more pragmatic approach to the situation of employment of International Students. These are some of the critical points that the policy encompasses:
- The proposal will cover all students who have completed Bachelors, Masters, Ph.D. or MPhil from the UK
- It will be applicable for the students starting as the batch of 2020-21 Academic Year
- There will be no cap on the number of students applying for students who apply for the new undergraduate route.
- There is no restriction on the type of job profile that a student works in.
- In 2 years, the students can even look for a job, without any fear of being evicted because of unemployment till they either update their work visa or migrate from the country
Other Key Points to Remember
- The students who graduate and their leave expires before the introduction of this Visa policy will not be eligible for it.
- Home Office head of Student Migration Policy, Paul Jeffrey confirmed that it is highly possible that these regulations will be applied to the students who graduate from summer 2021 onwards.
- This Post Study Work Visa will be given for two years and would be a separate visa, that will require a new visa application (including payment of the visa fee) and payment of the Immigration Health Surcharge. The fees will be announced later.
- This Post Study Work Visa is non-extendable and does not count towards the settlement period.
Additional Information for Students
Any student who wishes to go for the January Intake of 2020 and also wants to get the Post Study Work Permit for 2 years needs to join a course of more than one year i.e. either Elongated Programs(more than 1 year) or Sandwich Programs*(Integrated Programs (1+1 year)) so that the program continues to the Summer of 2020 and only then the student will be able to get the Post Study Work Visa.
*The Sandwich Program can only continue to 1+1 year if the students is able to grab the internship within the designated time( in the first year or few months extra), Otherwise, the program will automatically convert to the one year Masters and student might not be able to grab the Post Study Work Permit.
What is in it for Indian Students?
With the reinstation of this policy, Indian students can benefit abundantly as potential students and employees in the UK
- Indian students are considered a great asset in the fields of medical and Engineering
- As the employability rate in India is low, students getting the opportunity to work in the UK gives them a more secure future
- The student loans are easily paid when students are employed in the UK itself
- Indian students highly contribute to the cultural and economic status of the Universities and country as a whole
Sanam Arora, Founder & Chairperson, National Indian Students & Alumni Union UK, rejoices at the moment by tweeting, “After years of campaigning, we at @NISAU_UK are DELIGHTED that the 2-year post-study work visa is BACK!!!
The requirement of a 2-year post-study work visa was highly campaigned for almost six years by many Universities and International students in the UK to improve the condition of international students in the UK.
The Guardian mentions that the government aims to expand the number of international students in the UK to 600,000 in the next ten years which was around 460,000 last year.
This proposal is seen as a pathway to boost the number of overseas students, especially after Brexit and focuses on the skill set of students in every field, including Maths, engineering, and medical science. This can be seen as a historical moment for students who plan to study in the UK.
FAQs
1. What is a Visa Cap?
Ans. A Visa Cap is a limit on the number of people who can be approved for a visa.
2. What is the UK Visa fee?
Ans. A standard UK visa application fee for two years is Rs.30,218.
3. Is IELTS required for student Visa?
Ans. IELTS or TOEFL is required for student Visa in the UK.
4. Why is this policy being reintroduced?
Ans. The policy is being reintroduced as the current policy resulted in a steep decline in the number of International students directly affecting the economy and culture in the UK, especially after Brexit.
5. Is an interview compulsory for a UK student visa?
Ans. An interview is a compulsory round for students to apply for higher studies in the UK.
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