UK's Graduate Route visa to stay unchanged; relief for Indian students

Everyone recognises that Indian students are phenomenal. Indian alumni are leading globally, including at the World Bank and beyond," says UK's Lord Karan Bilimoria

The UK's Graduate Route visa for post-study work will remain unchanged, Sir Steve Smith, the UK government’s International Education Champion, confirmed this week. Announced during the third India-UK Achievers Honours event held at the House of Lords in London, Smith assured that India was a priority for the country.

 

“India is an absolute priority for developing stronger relationships,” said Smith, reinforcing the UK’s commitment to fostering educational ties with India.

 

During the event, lauding Indian students' impact on the UK, Lord Karan Bilimoria, President of UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA), said, "India is seen as a superpower, and everyone recognises that Indian students are phenomenal. Indian alumni are leading globally, including at the World Bank and beyond.”

 

 

Graduate Route visa and student attraction

 

Introduced in July 2021, the Graduate Route visa allows international graduates to stay and work in the UK for two years after completing their studies. This initiative has seen great interest, particularly among Indian students, who constituted nearly half of all Graduate Route extensions in the year ending June 2024, with 67,529 Indian nationals benefiting from it.

 

Post-study work opportunities have become a vital factor attracting Indian students to UK universities. “There is no limit to the number of international students coming to the UK, and the Graduate Route will remain unchanged under this new government,” Smith said, emphasising a welcoming stance on student migration.

 

Labour government’s approach to education and immigration

 

The Labour Party, in government since the July election, is currently revising the UK's International Education Strategy. While Smith’s assurances aim to calm concerns about potential changes, the Graduate Route visa faced scrutiny under the previous Conservative administration. A review by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) had supported retaining the visa, despite political debates over immigration.

 

In May 2024, UK government released a blueprint outlining the need to balance student recruitment with stricter immigration controls. The document included proposals to tighten the recruitment process to ensure that UK universities focus on genuine students, deterring those intending to use education as an immigration route.

 

Proposed measures include:

< Tighter compliance standards for institutions recruiting international students

< Mandatory commitment to a quality assurance framework for agents

< Increased financial maintenance requirements for international students

< Standardised English language assessments

< Restrictions on remote study, mandating face-to-face courses

 

Home Office actions impact student visa applications

 

Home Secretary James Cleverly announced a drop in student visa applications following new restrictions, including the removal of rights for most student dependents to accompany them. In the first four months of 2024, student visa applications fell by nearly a quarter.

 

“We have taken decisive action to deliver the largest cut in legal migration in our country’s history,” said Cleverly. He noted that applications for key routes, including Skilled Worker and Health and Care visas, had fallen by 35% in the first seven months of 2024.

 

Indian students remain the largest international cohort

 

Despite stricter visa rules, Indians continue to lead in UK university enrolments, accounting for 26% of all students from outside the EU in the 2022-23 academic year. According to Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data, the number of Indian students has risen by 145,650 over five years, largely driven by the Graduate Route’s work opportunities post-graduation.

 

However, concerns have been raised by the National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) UK, with founder Sanam Arora urging clarity amid fluctuating policies. “The HESA figures are two years out of date. We must not let these mask the current picture, and it’s critical the uncertainty around the Graduate Route is put to rest,” said Arora.

 

Visa applications fall amid stricter dependent rules

 

Home Office data shows that visa applications for main applicants and dependents across key UK routes, such as the Skilled Worker, Health and Care, and Study visas, dropped by 35% or 187,900 in the first seven months of 2024 compared to the same period last year. Notably:

< Student visa applications fell by 16% or 30,300

<  Dependent visa applications under the Study route dropped 81%, a decrease of 55,000

<  Health and Care dependant applications saw a 71% fall or 53,100 fewer applications

 

The Labour government’s tightened approach has caused applications to fall significantly. “Immigration brings many benefits to the UK, but it must be controlled and delivered through a fair system,” a Home Office spokesperson said.