Boris Johnson government announced the opposite of the Post Prime Minister and Home Secretary of Britain; Theresa May’s termination of post-study work permit after graduation of international students for the last 7 years. Boris Johnson, the current Prime Minister, conveyed that this move would let international students “unclose their caliber and commence their career ambitions in the United Kingdom from 2020 onwards.”
Universities in the UK for international students perceive the new Post-Study Work Permit of Boris Johnson as a welcoming approach for their institutions which was abolished by Theresa May in 2021. Even, Gavin Williamson, the education secretary about study in the UK, said: “It is a witness to their world-class universities that an immense number of international students from abroad are willing to study at their prestigious higher educational institutions. As a consequence, most of the international students will now shift their higher study destination from the USA, Canada, and Australia to the UK.
1. Difference between Prior and Current PSW in the UK
Old PSW
The PSW visa of this version was established by earlier British Prime Minister Theresa May, who in 2012 was also UK’s Home Secretary. Previously, from 2012 to 2019, international students pursuing undergraduate or postgraduate degrees were allowed to work in the UK for a tenure of only four months after their graduation. Once these four months were terminated, they were bound to leave the UK. Moreover, if and only if they met all the requirements in order to apply for a Tier 2 (General Work Visa), they could get a chance to remain in the UK.
New PSW
The New Post-Study Work Permit (PSW) was reintroduced on September 11, 2019, which will act as a new graduate route to permit eligible students to work or search for work for a period of two years after completing their under-graduation or post-graduation courses. The new immigration route can be availed of by international students who have completed a full course in graduation or post-graduation level commencing from 2020-2021 under Tier 4 (General Student Visa). The job-seeking period for international students graduating from UK universities has increased from four to twenty-four months.
2. Post-Study Work Permit Current Policy Amendment
There are recent policy changes that have been made by the UK Home Office in the new post-study work permit route. Earlier, as dictated by Theresa May in 2021 was that the number of students who can apply for the PSW route was only limited to 10,000 international students. However, now, this limitation has been uplifted on the new PSW route, and many international students are now allowed to apply for the PSW route with their own caliber. This decision was taken bearing in mind that the brightest mind in the UK could settle, benefiting the national economy. Amongst others, Johnson declared that the regulations would alter in order to encourage the world’s leading scientists to get settled in the UK.
3. PSW Subjects
Subjects that are mostly preferred for the current PSW route are mainly STEM, which means: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. On the contrary, you are permitted for the new Post Study Work Visa with any subject degree from the government enlisted UK Universities.
4. Eligibility of New UK PSW Visa
There are certain conditions for eligibility check under new UK PSW which are-
- Already commenced his/her first academic year in 2020/2021 at the earliest.
- Hold a valid UK immigration status as an International Student at the time of application.
- Successfully accomplished a degree in any subject at undergraduate level or postgraduate level at government-approved UK Higher Educational Institutions.
5. Numbers and Facts of International Students in the UK
The United Kingdom is still ranked 2nd by the international students after the United States of America as the higher education study destination. Every year around 400,000 international students go to study in the UK and the rate of students increases to 3.6% compared to the preceding year. Recent data shows that international students from South Asian countries like India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives account for 38% of the gross international student enrolment at universities in the UK.
The UK Home Office report exhibits that those international students bring in tremendous positive social results to the UK as injection of nearly £26 billion into the British economy every year for which the reintroduction of PSW policy has been put forward by the current UK Prime Minister: Boris Johnson.
6. Route to ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain)
After completion of a 1-year Master’s degree in the UK or 3 years Bachelor’s degree, you can apply for PSW to work in the UK for 2 years by remaining on Tier-2 (General) Visa in order to search for jobs. Then, international students need to stay for another 3 years doing the job as sponsored by any UK government enlisted employer. After remaining in the UK for 5 consecutive years, international students can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain which is the most sought way for students internationally.
The reintroduction of a 2-year post-study work student visa is an issue which UK universities have campaigned for the last 9 years for and they whole-heartedly welcomed this important policy change, which they perceive will put back the UK again to the top study destination for international students and ensure that “only genuine, trustworthy international students are qualified.” This will open up a gateway for international students willing to study in the UK from Bangladesh from 2020 onwards.
Before getting PSW, you need to complete the total process of study in the UK. Career Paths can assist you to provide all kinds of guidance like application process, visa application, interview, and so on.
