International students in the UK will soon enjoy more flexibility in switching over to work visas, with new immigration rules set to be introduced from January 11.
As per the new rules, foreign students can switch over to Tier-2 visa (or skilled worker visa) as soon as they complete their course. According to current norms, they must wait until they obtain a degree to apply for the Tier-2 visa. This gave students only a small time frame to find a job while still in the UK.
For example, students opting for higher education, such as a PG degree, had to wait for their thesis to be marked or a degree to be awarded after completing their course before they could apply for a work visa.
“The new rule will enable them to apply for a Tier-2 visa a few months earlier than what would otherwise have been possible,” explains a newsletter by EY-UK, one of the big 4 business consultancies.