Everything you should know

The UK government has recently announced a new post-study work (PSW) visa policy that will allow international students to continue living in the UK for minimum of two after their graduation from universities approved in the UK. This comes as great news, particularly since it gives current and prospective students the opportunity to start off their careers and set long-term goals for themselves in the UK.

Since the UK looks to welcome 600,000 international students per year by 2030, this graduate route contributes greatly to this plan as it is designed to attract international students to study in the UK.

However, there are still many questions regarding the UK post-study work (PSW) visa. Many international students might still have doubts as to how the PSW visa works, who is eligible for it, which students can apply, what happens when the visa expires, if sponsors are required and so on. In this article, we take a quick but comprehensive look at everything graduates and prospective students need to know about the new PSW work visa.

How does the PSW visa work?

International students who have completed an undergraduate degree (or above) are eligible to apply. With this route, Bachelor’s and Master’s students can stay in the UK to work for up to two years after graduation while Doctorate students can stay for three years.

Thanks to the flexibility of this system, students do not need a job offer in order to apply. Neither is there a salary limit and students are free to switch jobs when they need to.

Having said that, the PSW visa does not count for settlement so if you wish to stay in the UK permanently, then you may have to apply for a work visa which doesn’t count towards settlements sooner.

What are the benefits of the UK Post-Study Work (PSW) Visa?

There is no doubt that a UK degree is valuable. But getting UK work experience is priceless. The UK is an amazing place to kick-start a career and securing a job with a recognised organization makes the experience immensely valuable. Here are some quick benefits:

• Rights to work full time and earn a good return on investment
• Opportunity to apply academic learning at the workplace
• Gain transferable skills
• Better networking with professionals
• A greater chance for the Tier 2 work visa by employers
• Flexibility to switch to other visa types

Which category of students can obtain this visa?

Students can apply for the UK Post-Study Work (PSW) Visa when studying for an undergraduate degree, a Master’s degree or a PhD. At the same time, these students can also work while studying if they choose to.

Are there any eligibility requirements?

All international students can apply for the PSW visa, provided that they hold a Tier 4 student visa and have enrolled at a UK institution.

Does the choice of university affect the qualification for the UK PSW visa?

As long as you are a graduate of any one of the licensed sponsors, you are eligible. A licensed sponsor is a school that the government of Britain identifies as a trusted institution. Since the government regularly checks institutions to ensure that they uphold the immigration and visa check policies, the list of licensed sponsors may change from time to time.

What type of sponsor is needed for a UK PSW visa?

For other visa types, the sponsor can be parents or an employer. However, for the PSW visa category, a sponsor is not required. In this case, the ‘sponsor’ will be the institution you graduated from. If the selected institution is on the list of recognised universities, then the student is good to go.

Does an online course due to COVID-19 change things?

With the COVID-19 global pandemic forcing universities to transition to online or distance learning, the questions arises – ‘Am I still eligible if my courses are online?’

With regards to the PSW visa policy, universtiies in the UK take the stance that students who study part of their course online and spend less than 11 months in the UK because of that should not miss out on the Graduate Route. They also confirmed that those studying by distance or blended learning wil be eligible to apply for the PSW visa provided that they can complete the final semester in the UK.

What happens when the 2 years PSW visa expires?

Once you have secured a job after graduating, you may want to stay beyond the two year validity period. In this case, start the process of securing a Tier 2 visa before your PSW visa expires. The Tier 2 visa is the general work visa or the skilled work visa. A requirement for this visa is having a job that pays £30,000 or more annually, that is contingent on the type of job or the industry you work in.

Some important points about the UK PSW visa

• Students should to make a separate application and pay the application and Immigration Health Surchage fees
• Can not extend the PSW visa
• You can only apply for the PSW visa once
• This visa allows students to work full time and undertake self-employment professions
• There is no need to secure any sort of sponsorship for this visa
• This visa is applicable for students who graduate in the Summer of 2021 or later.

Thanks to the PSW visa in the UK, the future does indeed look promising to a Sri Lankan student. If you are looking to pursue further studies in the UK and also gain the advantage of working there.

Now is a great time to apply to study in the UK. If you have a UK degree under your belt already, the doors to the international job market is wide open for you.

However the two year PSW visa offers students the additional incentive of allowing you stay in order to get into a career with the help of your university.

We hope that we have helped you to find answers to your questions regarding the PSW visa in the UK. You may feel free to contact our expert UK visa consultants if you require any more clarifications.