Extend proposed Graduate visa route to 2019-20 batch of students due to COVID19

Due to COVID19 outbreak, the international students graduating in 2020 have suffered extreme disruption academically & professionally-many losing job offers and are in a lot of stress.

NISAU UK requests the UK Government to extend the Graduate visa to the 2019-20 cohort as a humanitarian gesture.

International students are one of the most negatively impacted due to this global catastrophe. From UCU strikes to severe disruption in their education, the current batch has been severely impacted, hampering their overall mental, emotional and financial well-being. Graduating students seem unable to secure any form of meaningful job or work experience. Many have lost existing job offers. The grant of this extension would be hugely welcome and most appreciated during this global crisis.

All students are granted a period of leave after the course completion date stated on a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). The period of leave granted is dependent on the length and type of course studied. Courses at degree level or above, in excess of one year are granted a four-month period at the end of the course.

The Graduate route will enable eligible students to apply for work or look for work for two years after completing their studies. The Graduate route represents a significant improvement in our offer to international students, but as it takes time to introduce a new route we will not be offering it to those who graduate this summer (2020).

The Graduate route will be launched in the summer of 2021. To be eligible for the route, students must successfully complete a degree at undergraduate level or above at a Higher Education Provider (HEP) with a track record of compliance and must hold valid leave as a student when the route is introduced. The status of each provider is listed within the register of sponsors below, HEPs have the status of ‘Tier 4 sponsor – track record’ on the register: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/register-of-licensed-sponsors-students.

All international students who graduate after this point, including current students, will be eligible. Those students who complete their courses prior to the introduction of the route can still benefit from the favourable switching provision into the skilled work route. Presently students switching into the skilled work route from Tier 4 are subject to a reduced salary threshold and their employers are not required to conduct a Resident Labour Market Test or pay the Immigration Skills Charge.