The UK government has decided to keep the option for foreign graduates to stay in the country for two years after receiving their diploma to look for work (the Graduate visa term had previously been cut to 18 months). However, this option will only be available to graduates of universities that demonstrate "a high level of compliance with immigration requirements and good graduate employment outcomes."
For graduates of doctoral (PhD) programs, the duration of the Graduate visa remains unchanged — 3 years.
However, there are no exact criteria yet — it is still completely unclear which universities will be able to offer such opportunities to their graduates.
What is the Graduate visa
The «Graduate visa» allowed foreign nationals who had received higher education in the UK to legally stay in the country for employment without a prior job offer from an employer with sponsor status. For British universities, this is one of the main advantages and methods of attracting international students.
That is why, in the Russell Group, for example, keeping the 2-year term for the Graduate visa was met very positively. According to the UK's leading research universities, this will raise Britain's international reputation as an educational hub, stimulate an inflow of foreign specialists, and that will boost the economy. The migration system will become a bit friendlier (though only for highly qualified specialists with higher education — low and medium qualification levels still face numerous obstacles).
Another new initiative aims at the same goal: expanding the HPI (High Potential Individual) program. This option is intended for university graduates from around the world who meet the established criteria, allowing them to come to the UK and find employment. It is proposed to increase the number of institutions included in HPI from 80 to 150, with a proportional increase in the limit of participating graduates.
