How to work in the UK after your degree

After studying in the UK, you might choose to stay on to begin your career. But how easy is it, and what are the right steps? If you’re studying at degree level and you are from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you are likely to be in the UK on a Tier 4 General student visa. This allows you to study and work up to 20 hours a week.

After graduating, things change. You will need a different kind of visa and – potentially – support and sponsorship from your prospective employer. We’ve put together a simple guide to help you on your way.

The simplest option is the Tier 2 (General) visa, which you are eligible to apply for if you have been offered a skilled job in the UK and you are from outside the EEA and Switzerland. This visa gives you the right to stay in the UK for a maximum of five years and 14 days.

For this Tier 2 visa, you will need to have an offer of employment from a licensed sponsor (there is a list of eligible sponsors on the gov.uk website); you will then be issued with a certificate with details of your start date and pay. You can apply for your visa up to three months before you are due to start work. Just don’t leave it too late, as it can take up to three weeks to get processed.

The cost of applying for this visa depends on which country you are from, what sector you will be working in, and how long you would like to stay in the UK. It is currently £610 for a three-year visa, and £1,220 for a longer-term one.

The hardest bit can be finding an eligible sponsor. Smaller companies might not be willing to tackle visa complications – just the word ‘visa’ can conjure images of bureaucracy and unnecessary fees. But it’s not as complicated as it sounds. Take advice from your university – there will be advisors on hand who are trained in exactly this process. They can help with job hunting and finding a sponsor, as well as the various forms that you will need to fill in. Larger companies often have a more formal set-up when it comes to visas and, if you are applying for a graduate scheme, then most (such as this one at KPMG) will have clear guidance available.

There are two main alternative visas available - the Tier 1 and Tier 5. The Tier 1 visa is for those who have exceptional talent or promise. It’s aimed at people who are capable of outstanding work in specific fields, including science, engineering, humanities, medicine and fashion. While you don’t need a sponsor, you do need to be endorsed or recognised as an emerging leader.

Tier 1 applicants are likely to become leaders in their field; this is a very selective visa aimed at a small number of people. It is worth noting though, that in 2017 the government doubled the number of endorsements available (from 1,000 to 2,000), probably in response to Brexit and the predicted drop in applications from international workers.

Then there is the Tier 5 Temporary Worker visa, which is aimed at people who want to come to the UK for a short time for work experience or training. There are a number of government-approved schemes that fall in to this category. For example, the Cabinet Office, the Bar Council and the Highways Agency all run approved exchange schemes and you can stay in the UK for up to 12 or 24 months, depending on the scheme for which you’re applying. As with the Tier 2 general visa, you will require a certificate of sponsorship.

During the UK’s time as a member of the EU, overseas students from countries within the EEA have had a straightforward route into the UK, free of visas and copious amounts of admin. But then came Brexit, and everything now feels a bit more uncertain.

The government’s current assurance (as of February 2019) is that there will be no change to the rights and status of EU citizens currently living in the UK until 30 June 2021 (or 31 December 2020 if the UK leaves the EU without a deal). There is an EU Settlement Scheme due to open in March 2019 and there is a useful online tool that can help you through the necessary steps.

So good luck, and happy job hunting!