11th September 2019
The government has announced that it is to reintroduce a post-study work visa for international students studying in the UK in a move welcomed by the education sector. There is no clear indication as to when this plan will be implemented but the government confirms that ‘international graduates in any subject, including STEM, will be able to stay in the UK for two years to find work’.
In order to benefit, students will need to ‘have successfully completed a degree from a trusted UK university or higher education provider which has a proven track record in upholding immigration checks and other rules on studying in the UK.’
At the moment, education providers that are a) registered with the Office for Students and b) hold a Tier 4 sponsor licence are able to establish that they have a track record of compliance. Establishing such a track record triggers access to privileges for international students they sponsor.
The education provider must meet the following two tests:
They must have passed a Home Office ‘Basic Compliance Assessment’ (BCA) for four consecutive years. Each year via the BCA the Home Office checks the providers international student enrolment and course completion rates (as defined in Document 3 of the Tier 4 Sponsor Guidance) and also checks how many students to whom the provider has issued a CAS have been refused permission to enter or remain in the UK. A provider that does not pass its annual BCA risks its sponsor licence being revoked.
They must also have met the Home Office’s rules on ‘Educational Oversight’ (which are designed to assess educational quality via a Home Office approved third party) consistently for four consecutive years.
We will provide further information on the scheme as we hear it.
Sarah Henry
Director of Immigration Services
Solicitor
Sarah.henry@granitelegalservices.co.uk
