Commencing on 1 July 2021, the Graduate Route enables international students who have completed an eligible UK course of study to stay in the UK for up to 3 years to work or to look for work.
What are the requirements of the Graduate Route?
First, you need to meet the validity requirements. This means you must make a valid application by using the specified application form, paying the required fees, providing biometrics and identity documents, etc. You must also be in the UK, and must have permission as a student to make a valid application. There may be other validity requirements depending on your circumstances.
Secondly, you need to meet the suitability requirements. Essentially, this means your application must not fall for refusal under general grounds of refusal, and you must not be in the UK in breach of the UK immigration laws, subject to certain exceptions.
Third, you need to meet the eligibility requirements. The eligibility requirements are these:
- You need to have last been sponsored by a Student Sponsor which is a higher education provider on the Home Office’s register of licenced sponsors, with a track record of compliance on the date of your application.
- You need to have successfully completed a UK Bachelor’s or postgraduate degree, or other eligible professional course during your last grant of permission to study, and your education provider must have notified the Home Office, by the date of your application, that you have successfully completed your course of study.
- You need have spent a minimum period of time studying in the UK. The minimum UK study period will depend on the length of your course. If you have completed a course lasting 12 months or less, you need to have studied the entire course in the UK. If your course lasted more than 12 months, you need to have spent at least 12 months studying in the UK.
Do you need an employer to sponsor your application under the Graduate Route?
The answer is no. You do not need anyone to sponsor your application under the Graduate Route. In other words, you do not need a job offer or a Certificate of Sponsorship to apply.
How long will your permission to stay in the UK be and can you apply for extensions of permission to stay or indefinite leave to remain?
Successful applicants will be granted permission to stay for 2 years, unless they have been awarded a doctorate, in which case they would be granted 3 years. It is not possible to apply for an extension of stay or indefinite leave to remain under the Graduate Route. However, you may be able to switch into other categories leading to indefinite leave to remain, such as the Skilled Worker, Start-up, Innovator and Global Talent routes.
What kind of work can you undertake?
As indicated earlier, you can apply under the graduate Route to take up work or to look for work. You are allowed to work as an employee or if you prefer you can establish your own business as a self-employed person. You are also allowed to undertake voluntary work. If you choose to work as an employee, you will be able to accept employment positions at any skill level and there are no minimum salary requirements. You are also allowed to change jobs and employers.
Can your dependants apply to stay with you under the Graduate Route?
Your dependent family members who are already in the UK and have permission to stay as your dependants under your current permission as a student can extend their permission with you as your dependants. However, it is not possible to apply for new dependants to join you, except that your dependent children born in the UK during your stay as a student or a Graduate migrant would be able to apply.
What is the cost of application?
The Home Office application fee for the Graduate Route is £700. This is the fee per applicant, and it is the same for the main applicant and dependent applicants. Each applicant will also need to pay Immigration Health Surcharge of £624 for every year of stay.
Contact us
If you would like to obtain further information or legal representation regarding your application for permission to stay under the Graduate Route, please contact us on 0203 940 5959 or at yd@redstonesolicitors.co.uk and we would be more than happy to help.