09 May High Potential Individual visa explained
Individuals, who have graduated from the top 50 global ranked university outside the UK, might be able to apply for the High Potential Individual (HPI) as of 30 May 2022. Please note that this route does not lead to Settlement.
In order to apply for a HPI visa, migrants must be age 18 or over and must have been awarded an overseas Bachelor’s or Master’s degree qualification in the last 5 years from a top 50 global university. For the list of 2021-2022 global universities, kindly refer to the official website below:
In addition, the individual’s qualification must have been verified by Ecctis.
Unlike the Skilled Worker route, migrants do not need to obtain a job offer/sponsorship from a UK A-rated company in order to apply under the HPI category. This gives individuals the flexibility to work or be self-employed, as well as to switch jobs or employers in the UK.
However, applicants will need to meet the maintenance requirement, namely £1270 held as a daily minimum balance for a 28 days period preceding the online submission.
Moreover, migrants must also meet the English language requirement set at CEFR level B1 or higher in Speaking, Reading, Writing and Listening.
If the application is successful, individuals will normally be granted leave as a High Potential Individual for 2 years if they have completed a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree or 3 years leave if they have completed a PhD, or other doctorate-level qualification. This is the similar to the leave granted to students who are applying for a Graduate visa in the UK.
Please note that it is not possible to extend permission to remain under the High Potential Individual visa category beyond the period of two or three years. However, individuals may be able to switch into another immigration category before the expiry of their visa.
Contact Our Immigration Team
For expert advice regarding any aspect of the UK visa application, please contact our immigration team on 0203 384 3075.
