UK Reduces Post Study Work Visa to 18 Months Under Graduate Route in 2025

Do you have a plan to study in UK? Dreamt of working after completing your studies from one of the best universities in the United Kingdom? If so, you should know about the major change made by the UK government on the UK immigration visa status - the graduate route. Right now!

As a part of the major policy change, the UK has recently reduced the duration of its post-study work visa, which is also known as – Graduate Route. The time duration has been reduced from 24 months (2 years) to 18 months (1 and a half years) for international graduates.

Under the administration of PM – Keir Stammer, it has been treated as a part of major immigration reform plan. According to the UK government, the change in duration of post-study work visa was necessary because of the country’s social balance and economic reform. On the contrary critics say this could harm the UK’s reputation of being an attractive destination for studying abroad among international students.

Here, in this blog, we will discuss the pros and cons of this major change occurred and what will be the impact on international students-particularly for Indian students, institutes and the UK’s economy.

Read on to know more!

Graduate Route Visa UK: What Is It?

The graduate route is nothing but a status of a work visa/post-study work permit in the UK. It was commenced on July 2021 to pull the students throughout the world. It allows international students to find jobs/work in the UK for 2 years after completing their studies (applicable for undergraduate and graduate degree holders). The best part of this visa is – students need no job offer to apply for this visa, and they could work in any sector they like. 

What’s The New Policy Shift of 18 Months?

The UK government took a dramatic decision to reduce the Graduate Route Visa/Post-Study Work permit from 2 years (24 months) to 1 and a half years (18 months). This means six months have been reduced from the previous policy. The government aimed to cut the net migration that peaked at approximately 1 million in 2023. This reform also includes uplifting the skilled labourers of the UK visa salary threshold increase in 2025 to degree-level candidates. Thus, reducing the immigration salary list increases the settlement period from 5-10 years.

Why did the UK Government make this Decision?

The main purpose is to minimise British immigration. The UK saw a record migration in 2022 of around 745,000. It happened due to the international students and their dependents. The government accepts that international students are valuable to them, but many students pursue low-quality programs. Their sole intention is to stay and work in the UK, rather than opting for quality education. Some policymakers see this change as “generous.”

What Academic Sectors Say About This Change?

Top universities in the United Kingdom, including the British Council, were dead against this UK immigration news, or the policy change. They warned that it could damage the UK’s reputation among international students.

This could bring uncertainty among international students who could change their minds to study in other countries.

International students sometimes pay double or triple the tuition fees paid by a domestic student. This change could drop the enrollment in various institutions.

Many global leaders and business personalities studied in the UK. This change can harm the reputation of the country and its education in international landscape. 

Does This Have Any Impact on Indian Students?

Many believe this could impact Indian students who want to study in the UK. Many also believe this is 18 months in year/1 and a half years of post-study work permit is a short time to gain hands-on experience.

Without any doubt, Indian students are among the largest number of beneficiaries for this Graduate Route. A significant number of undergraduates and graduates apply for this post-study work visa UK to gain practical work experience.

Statistics show over 50k Graduate Route Visas in 2023 were granted to Indian students, which comprises 40 per cent of all visa approvals. The reduction from 24 to 18 months can affect Indian study-abroad aspirants for several reasons:

• This UK 18 or the change of the duration of the post-study work permit may tighten the job search window.
• The return on investment will be harder because of the short duration.
• The country will be less appealing due to the restriction on dependent visas.

In this context, most Indian aspirants who want to study in the UK, may shift their minds to study in Canada. Canada offers a 3 years post-study work permit which is much easier to get for international students. 

Social and Economic Impact on the UK’s Education

According to HEPI, i.e. Higher Education Policy Institute of the UK, international students contribute around GBP 42 billion to the British economy via tuition fees, accommodation charges, taxes and other spending. The change in immigration policy could result in the following:

• Funding for R&D at UK institutes
• Reducing the application of the graduate visa UK
• Job losses in the housing and education sectors
• Fall on innovative works and cultural diversity
• Smaller institutes in the UK that depend on international fees could face amalgamation or closure. 

Suggestions for Indian Applicants

Assuming you are an Indian and want to study in the UK, here are some important suggestions to adapt:

• Plan your career move to the UK early
• Upon completion of your studies, start applying for an internship. Your aim should be to secure sponsorship for a Skilled Worker rather than UK visa requirements, before the 18-month window closes.
• Choose high-demand programmes, like information technology, data analytics, data science, business analytics, STEM, healthcare, nursing etc.
• You can consider alternative countries that offer the same or a higher standard of education, like Germany, Canada or Australia.
• Also, check the UK visa types and fees, because this may change when the policies of the visa/post-study work permit change.
• Stay up-to-date on new policy changes. You can follow the official UK government website or get in touch with an authentic study-abroad consultant. 

The Takeaway

The reduction of the time duration of the post-study work visa (Graduate Route) from 24 months to 18 months shows a turning point in the United Kingdom’s international student policy.  The UK government says it was necessary to cut the duration to manage the migration. Though experts believe, if the UK can’t efficiently manage the new policy, this could backfire the economy of the country. It can lead to fewer skilled and educated graduates living and working in the UK. It can also drop the revenues and diminish international presence.

If you plan to study in the UK or have questions anything about visa policy, universities, courses etc. feel free to contact Education Vibes today!