The UK is home to a number of global tech companies and offers excellent growth and development opportunities. Moreover, its low unemployment rate makes it a desirable place to build a successful career. So, if you are looking for the best job opportunity in this country after pursuing education, look into Post Study Work Visa UK.
There is a growing interest among Indian students to pursue world-class education and stay back in the UK after graduation. In order to cater to this, the UK government introduced a new Post Study Work (PSW) visa route for international students.
The Graduate Route allows international students who have completed an undergraduate or Master’s degree in the summer of 2021 to stay and look for work in the country after their studies. International students can stay in UK for up to two years after their graduation or three years after their PhD.
This is a non-extendable visa. However, it cannot be renewed once the initial period of 2 or 3 years is complete. During their stay in the UK, graduate students can look for sponsorship from a company that is licensed to sponsor a work visa.
If you want to know more about Post Study Work Visa UK for Indian students, continue reading.
What Is Post Study Work Visa In UK?
The PSW Post Study Work Visa UK is a non-extendable work permit that allows you to stay in the UK and work at any skill level for two years after graduating with an undergraduate or a Master’s degree or three years if you are a PhD graduate. You can switch to a skilled worker visa at the end of your PSW visa UK, which is a route to settlement.
Also known as the Graduate route, it is a new work visa that will allow international students to work in the UK after they have completed their studies. It is open to all international students who have completed an eligible course in the UK. This includes Bachelor, Master and PhD courses.
All international graduates from a list of universities that the UK government has recognised as licensed sponsors are eligible to apply for a Post Study Work Visa UK. This means you can work in the UK without needing to find a sponsor.
Why Apply For A Post Study Work Permit In UK?
UK is one of the top study destinations for international students and offers excellent job opportunities. This is why many students stay back in the country after their academic programs to look for employment opportunities.
If you are studying in the UK and planning to apply for post study work permit, you can use the Remigos service to get the necessary funds to pay for application charges. We provide quick, safe and affordable money transfer from India to UK.
Here are some reasons why you must apply for a UK PSW.
- Great Career Prospects
- Thriving Job Market
- Low Rate of Unemployment
- Flexible Working Hours
- Growth Opportunities
- Big Chance to Gain Work Skills
- Easy to Find Jobs
- Great Opportunity to Settle in UK with Your Family
Types of Post Study Work Visa UK
If you’re an international student in the UK and planning to stay here after your studies, you can apply for a UK post study visa. Apart from this, there are 4 types of long-term work visas available in the UK. They are based on the type of work you want to do and how much money you are willing to earn.
- Skilled Worker Visa
If you’re an international student who has already completed your studies and wants to work in the UK. Then the skilled worker visa is an excellent option. A points-based system is used to assess applicants for the visa. However, they must accrue a total of 70 points to be granted leave to remain.
- Health and Care Worker Visa
The health and care worker visa is a new visa route that aims to help doctors, nurses, and other health and adult social care professionals get work in the UK. To be eligible for this visa, you must be offered a job by an NHS employer, an organisation providing medical services to the NHS or an organisation providing adult social care.
- The Intra Company Transfer Visa
The intra company transfer visa allows multi-national companies to move their key staff from overseas to a branch or subsidiary in the UK. This can be a crucial part of a global strategy as it allows the transfer of expertise to a country with a greater need for that skill set.
- International Sportsperson Visa
The international sportsperson visa route allows elite sportspeople and qualified sports coaches to come to the UK to work. The visa holder will need to be endorsed by the sport’s governing body, be sponsored by a UK-based sporting club or organisation and meet the required financial requirements.
- Minister of Religion visa
The minister of religion visa is for people who wish to work in a role with a religious organisation. This can include ministers, missionaries, or members of a church or other religious community.
Post Study Work Visa UK for Graduates
If you are a graduate and want to stay in UK after completing your education, you can apply for the Post Study Work Visa UK. It allows you to look for employment in the UK for up to two years after your studies are complete. PhD graduates can stay for 3 years after graduation.
Previously, bachelor’s or master’s graduates could only stay in the UK for four months to look for a job after graduation. The UK wants to develop its STEM-related fields. Moreover, it hopes that this Graduate Route will help international students stay in the country for a longer period of time to look for suitable jobs.
It is valid for students starting their course online in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Moreover, allowing them to remain in the UK for up to two years after they have graduated.
It is important to note that this visa cannot be extended. It will not count towards settlement rights, and graduates can only apply for this route once in their lifetime.
Eligibility Criteria to Apply for a Post Study Work Visa UK (Graduate Route)
Graduate Route Visa is a new work permit that allows international students. Especially, who have successfully completed their degree to stay in the UK and work or look for work at any skill level.
Here are the eligibility criteria to apply for a Post Study Work Visa UK (graduate route).
- You should be in the when applying for the visa.
- You must have a Tier 4 (General) student visa.
- You must have studied an eligible undergraduate or postgraduate course in the UK.
- You must have studied in the UK for a minimum of 12 months.
- Your time period of the course must be equal to the duration of your study if it is shorter than 12 months.
- Your education provider should confirm your course completion.
What You Can and Cannot Do With a Post Study Work Visa UK for Graduates?
Things you can do with a Post Study Work Visa UK for Graduates
- Search for work
- Work in most the jobs
- Be self-employed
- Do some voluntary work
- Continue staying in the UK with your children and partner
- Travel abroad and return to the UK
Things you cannot do with a Post Study Work Visa UK Graduates
- Work as a professional sportsperson
- Apply for the benefits like public funds, or the State Pension
How to Apply For a Post Study Work Visa UK (Graduate Route)?
You can apply for the Graduate Route visa if you are an international student who is about to complete a UK degree. Also, if you are in the final year of a UK master’s course.
There are 3 main stages to the process of getting a work permit after study in UK: application, assessment, and settlement. The first step is to fill in the online application form and upload all of your required documentation.
After you submit your application and pay the fees, the authorities will contact you to discuss the next steps in your case. You will then need to attend an interview.
Here are some details about the PSW visa application.
- Apply for a work visa up to 3 months before your scheduled start date.
Submit a work visa application online with proper documents and an application fee.
- The visa processing time is 8 weeks from within UK and 3 weeks from outside the UK.
FAQs
What Are The Charges for Graduate Route Post Study Work Visa in UK?
The application fee for a PSW visa is GBP 715, while the healthcare surcharge is GBP 624 per year.
What Are The Documents Required to Apply for UK Post Graduate Work Permit (Graduate Visa)?
There are a few important documents that you must provide for your application. Here is the list of documents you need for your graduate visa application.
- A valid passport
- CAS reference number
- Biometric Residence Permit
- Proof of relationship with your partner or children
- A letter from your sponsor
Can You Get UK PSW For 4 Years?
No, you cannot get UK PSW 4 years. With the new Graduate route, undergraduate or master’s graduates can now stay for two years. Moreover, PhD graduates can stay for three. If you want to stay in UK for an extended period of time, look for a job and switch to a skilled visa.
Conclusion
If you are an Indian student looking to study and settle in UK, then a post study work visa UK could be the best option for you. It will give you a chance to stay back in the country after your studies and build your career. This is an opportunity for ambitious and goal-oriented students to explore career options in their preferred fields and gain transferable skills. A post study work visa for UK is a new visa route. Moreover, it allows international students to look for a job or work in the UK for two years after graduating from a course and for three years after PhD degree. This will help you build your career in one of the world’s largest and most vibrant economies.
