Working in the UK after Graduation
Work Visas
If you wish to stay in the UK to work after graduation you will need to ensure you
have an appropriate work visa. You can do this either by finding an employer to
sponsor a work visa on your behalf or applying for one of the fixed term work visas
under the new points-based immigration system instead.
Tier 1
The Tier 1 Post-Study Work scheme permits students who have completed their studies
to stay and work in the UK for 2 years. The Tier 1 (General) scheme allows highly
skilled applicants to remain in the UK for 3 years. At the end of this you can apply
to remain in the UK for a further 2 years. For more about who can be classed as
‘highly skilled’ and information on eligibility for the Tier 1 schemes see:http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/tier1/
Tier 2
Tier 2 replaces the work permit scheme and is for individuals whose skills fill
a gap in the UK labour force. Under Tier 2 you are allowed to work in the UK for
3 years. There is also the possibility of extending it to 5 years. You are eligible
for this visa if you: have a sponsor (employer) have a valid certificate of sponsorship
(job offer) meet the points requirement (awarded for various attributes). For more
about your eligibility for the Tier 2 work permit scheme see: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/tier2/general/eligibility/
How can I find a sponsor?
Employers can sponsor you to remain in the UK as long as they have a sponsor’s licence.
The Register of Sponsors document on the Home Office website lists all the organisations
which could sponsor you: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/tier2/general/sponsorship/registerofsponsors/
It is worth noting that after graduation your student visa is still valid for a
few months. This means that you can be employed on the basis of their student visa,
before you have obtained your Tier 1 or Tier 2 permit. You are also eligible to
work in the period between your student visa expiring and your application for Tier
1 or Tier 2 schemes being processed. However, in this period you are only able to
work on a temporary contract.
UK Employers of International Students
Research has been done about companies willing to employ International Graduates.
You can search by type of work, work experience opportunities and whether they will
sponsor you to work in the UK. It is important to note that this information was
gathered before the recession began and so companies many have changed their policy
since then. Access the databases of employers at http://www.uwe.ac.uk/careers/students/international.shtml