Employment after study
UKBA updated the regulations on many of the immigration tiers relating to employment on 6th April 2012. Due to the updates in the immigration fees and regulations, the application forms also changed on 6th April - please ensure that you are applying on the most uptodate version of the form. To keep yourself informed of changes in the immigration system, refer to the UK Border Agency website for further information on immigration categories for employment.
If you are considering applying to stay in the UK for employment after your studies have ended, you may be interested in one of the following immigration categories:
The Tier 2 (General) visa category is for those who have been offered a graduate level job with an employer who is registered with UKBA as a Tier 2 sponsor.
The UKBA Register of Sponsors contains details on which employers are registered under Tier 2. The salary for the job must be a minimum of £20,000 per year and you must have received a Certificate of Sponsorship from a registered employer in order to apply. There are further requirements to be met including English language and maintenance requirements.
Please note that, if you have a Student or Tier 4 visa and intend to apply to switch to the Tier 2 (General) category from within the UK, you must have:
- successfully completed and passed a UK recognised bachelor or postgraduate degree, Postgraduate Certificate in Education or Professional Graduate Diploma of Education or
- have completed a minimum of 12 months study in the UK towards a UK PhD during your current period of leave;
For full details on the current requirements and how to apply from abroad, please refer to the UKBA website. You may also find this UKCISA information sheet useful for your reference.
This category of visa is for people who are internationally recognised as world leaders (or as potential world-leading talent) in the fields of science and the arts, as endorsed by a "designated competent body".
Initial applicants are required to score 75 points in total under the attributes category. There are 4 designated competent bodies and they assess whether the above statements apply to you and therefore whether to endorse your application under Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent). The designated competent bodies are:
- Arts Council England – for arts and culture applications;
- The British Academy – for humanities and social science applications;
- The Royal Society - for natural sciences and medical science research applications; and
- The Royal Academy of Engineering – for engineering applications.
There is a limit of 1,000 Tier 1 (Exceptional Talent) endorsements between 6 April 2012 and 5 April 2013. If you qualify to make an application under this category, this must be done from outside the UK.
For full details on the current requirements, please refer to the UKBA website.
UKBA describe this category as being aimed at those who have been identified by UKBA-approved Higher Education Institutions as having developed world class innovative ideas or entrepreneurial skills.
More information can be found on the UKBA website.