Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, has called for an end to Theresa May\u2019s tough restrictions on international students who wish to work in the UK once they graduate from UK universities.<\/p>\n
Prior to 2012, overseas students were allowed to stay and work in the UK for two years after their graduation until Theresa May started her crackdown on immigration in order to meet the government\u2019s target of keeping annual net migration to \u201cthe tens of thousands\u201d. Therefore, post-study work time was capped at four months once international students complete their studies in the UK.<\/p>\n
Sir Steve Smith, the vice-chancellor of Exeter University and chairman of Universities UK\u2019s international policy network has argued that \u2018Theresa May\u2019s claim that up to 100,000 foreign students were failing to return home, fuelling concerns that post-study work visas were a back door to immigration\u2019, is inconsistent with recent exit information showing 97% of students whose visas expired in 2018 \u201cleft on time\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mr Javid mentioned that Theresa May\u2019s insistence that overseas students can work for no more than six months in the UK after their graduation destroys UK\u2019s universities and is harming for Britain to attract the best global talent and the world\u2019s brightest people.<\/p>\n
In September 2018, British universities called on the government to bring back the post-study work visa.<\/p>\n
As a result, in December 2018, the Home Office announced that they intended to improve the current offer to those who have completed a degree who intend to stay in the UK to work after they have completed their studies, by offering 6 months\u2019 post-study leave to all master\u2019s students, and bachelor\u2019s students studying at an institution with degree awarding powers. Those who have completed a PhD will have 12 months.<\/p>\n
However, the current Home Secretary has promised to go one step further by bringing back the much missed post-study work visa!<\/p>\n