Survey reveals high satisfaction rate for UK’s post-study work visa

Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services conducted a survey that revealed high satisfaction and employment rates among the first batch of students with the UK’s new post-study work visa. Since the launch of the new scheme, the new visa route has been widely credited with boosting international recruitment for UK universities, alongside global market conditions relating to the pandemic. 

In the year 2019, the UK government announced that the Graduate Track Scheme will be launched in 2021 which will allow the international graduates to work for two years without the sponsorship of an employer.

Since the launch of the scheme, the new visa route has been widely praised. It has also started boosting international recruitment for universities in the UK, despite the pandemic and its effect on the global market conditions.

Due to the lack of information on international graduate outcomes, AGCAS along with university partners conducted a survey of graduates who studied at 52 UK universities with over 71 nationalities represented. The study also revealed that the Indian graduates made up the highest proportion of the survey respondents (29%), a statistic that is consistent with national data on higher education visas which shows that a third of visas granted were to Indian students.

A significant number (77%) of respondents were postgraduate students. A post-graduation in the current scenario offers the most economical route into the UK education system. It offers a full visa window of two years for Master’s and three years for PhD students after graduating at the same degree level they applied for.

Also, in the case of graduate students, the standard occupational classification codes determined that students who had obtained employment were placed at the higher-level positions (72%).

Similarly, 29% students secured employment in the country and were placed at the highest level in London. Those who are working remotely are less in number, making up just 4% of the group and the majority stated that their expectations with postgraduate visa were satisfied. 

The survey was helpful to understand the post-study work rights of the comments made by the students during the survey. The students also explained the challenges they have been facing as international graduates due to their immigration status. Many stated that they were being ghosted by the companies for not having stable immigration and also it was difficult to manage their budget due to unemployment.

A high number of students are happy with the newly-launched scheme as it will ease difficulties, especially in explaining their immigration status to their employers. It will give them a valid right to work. 

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