If you are already studying abroad or considering it, you should look ahead at the options once you graduate. Let’s discuss the visa situation in the UK after the completion of your degree in the UK. 

Post Study Work Visa
After you have completed your degree, you will receive a post-study work visa. This visa allows you, as a graduate, to search for any kind of job within your domain of study and will allow you to stay in the UK for up to two years. This generally means that for two years, immediately after you graduate, you will be able to work in any role that you find. 

General Work Visa

After the Post Study Work visa expires, and if you want to stay in the UK for longer, you will have to then apply to transfer to a General work visa, also called the Tier 2 visa. For a general work visa, you will need to receive a sponsorship certificate from your employer enabling you to present the required documents to the Government of the UK. 

There are some general conditions that you will have to fulfill; this means getting paid at least £30,000 per year or around 28 lacs per year. However, the salary requirement for certain jobs and degrees can be on the higher end as well. 

When to apply for a sponsorship?

A good time to apply for a visa is 3 months before your post study work visa ends, and before you are due to start working in the UK after the two years under PSW. Your employer’s sponsorship certificate will mention details that you need to apply, such as start date, salary and any other information required for you to get a Tier 2 visa.  

A Tier 2 visa lasts for 3 years and can be extended to last up to a maximum of 5 years and 14 days, or the time given on your certificate of sponsorship plus 1 month, whichever is shorter. You can start your stay up to 14 days before the start date on your certificate of sponsorship. For example, if your start date is 15 July – the earliest you can start your stay is 1 July.

What you can and cannot do on Tier 2 general visa

There are several things you can and cannot do on Tier 2 general visa. The things you can do include work for your sponsor in the job described in your certificate of sponsorship, pursue a second job under certain circumstances, perform voluntary work, study as long as it does not interfere with the job you’re sponsored for, travel abroad and return to the UK as well as bring family members with you. The things you cannot do on Tier 2 general visa include owning more than 10% of your sponsor’s shares, get public funds and apply for a second job until you’ve started working for your sponsor. 

Extending your visa

You can extend your Tier 2 visa under certain conditions. These include having the same job as when you were previously sponsored i.e. still working for the employer that sponsored your visa, and still earning an appropriate salary. The Government of UK mandates that you can apply to extend your visa for up to 5 years, as long as the total stay is not more than 6 years. 

Although the visa regulations can be tough to navigate, your employer and experience will help you do so seamlessly. All in all, staying in the UK for up to 6 years, will more than ensure that you reap a return on the investment you have made in your masters’ degree program. To get more information about how to apply to universities abroad for your master’s degree, please visit our website – www.unirely.com.