UK Study Visa update: Graduate Route changes for Pakistanis

The United Kingdom has announced major changes to its immigration system, focusing on attracting people who have strong skills and can boost the country’s economy. These new rules affect things like citizenship, skilled workers, migration, and especially international students.

One of the biggest changes is to the “Graduate route,” which allows international students — including those from Pakistan — to stay in the UK after completing their degrees. This route, launched in July 2021, currently gives students two years (or three for PhD graduates) to live in the UK and either work or find a job. It’s an “unsponsored route,” meaning students don’t need a job offer to apply.

Now, the UK government plans to shorten this stay period. Under the new rules, international students will be allowed to stay for only 18 months after graduation.

In a statement, the UK government said, “We recognise the valuable contributions that graduates make to the UK but it is important that those who stay transition into graduate-level jobs and are properly contributing to our economy.”

The government is also considering placing a fee or “levy” on income that universities earn from international students. This money would then be used to improve the UK’s education and skill development systems.

Another major update is about settlement and citizenship. The time required to qualify for permanent residency (settlement) has now doubled — from five years to 10 years.

They also plan to “expand the points-based system to both our settlement and citizenship rules,” meaning future decisions on who can settle or become a UK citizen will depend more on how much someone is contributing to the country.

These changes are part of the UK’s broader “Plan for Change,” and some of them will start rolling out in the coming weeks.

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