A brighter future of studying and working in the UK
Today's article focuses on the brighter future prospective students can create for themselves and their families by studying in the UK. The financial contribution of international students to the UK economy continues to increase with each passing year and the current figures show that international students’ net worth to the UK economy is worth over £25 billion. In view of these substantial financial contributions international students make to the UK economy, it is imperative that prospective international students appreciate the benefits they can derive from studying in the UK.
The critical question now is how can prospective and current Tier 4 (General) students position themselves to derive the maximum benefit in the UK after investing their funds, time and energy by studying in the UK? One practical benefit is that students may come to the UK with their spouses and children. A key requirement is that students can only bring their children aged under 18 years old and the student’s course of study must be at postgraduate level and last for at least 9 months duration, or the student must be a government-sponsored student and the course’s duration must be of at least six months.
The prospect of working in the UK whilst studying at a UK university or college is an attractive opportunity for international students. Students must bear in mind that their eligibility to work in the UK while studying depends on two major restrictions: those set by the universities/colleges and those by the Immigration Rules. First, universities/colleges may limit the hours that the students can work, and as such limits should be complied with. Therefore, international students must ensure that their universities/colleges do not have any restrictions on working. As a general rule, students studying full time at degree level or above are allowed to work 20 hours per week during term-time and they may work full-time during vacations. Students therefore must make an informed decision regarding the type of course they wish to study (e.g. full time or part time) as this will in turn impact the number of hours they can work per week.
The major benefit to non-EEA nationals of studying in the UK is transitioning to a worker in the UK, from investing in studying in the UK into earning in the UK. The fundamental reason for individuals investing in their education is to give themselves a better future. Students can achieve this outcome by transitioning to work in the UK.
Currently, a Tier 4 (General) Student may be able to switch to a working visa. There are different types under the working categories of the UK Immigration Rules such as: Tier 2 General visas, Representative of Overseas Business visas, Innovative visas, Start-Up visas, Tier 5 Minister of Religion visas, just to mention a few. However, for our purposes, we will concentrate on switching from Tier 4 (General) Student visa into the Tier 2 General Work visa.
Under the new UK Immigration Rules introduced on 29 March 2019, Tier 4 (General) Students can apply to switch into the Tier 2 General Work 3 months prior to the expected completion date of their studies. This rule only applies to students applying within the UK and students must apply prior to the expiry of their current Tier 4 (General) Student visas. Students must, however, be aware that in order to meet the requirements to switch to Tier 2 (General) Work visa, they must have last been granted leave to enter or remain as a Tier 4 Migrant or have last been sponsored either by a higher education provider or an overseas higher education institution to undertake a short-term study abroad programme in the United Kingdom. In order to successfully switch from Tier 4 (General) Student visa into a Tier 2 General Work visa, students will need to be offered a role at the appropriate level with the appropriate salary, and when students obtain a visa under this category, the student will then be able to work full time and enjoy some of the benefits of his or her investments in studying in the UK.
There is another impending work visa category designed purposely for Tier 4 (General) Students, which is expected to be implemented in the autumn of this year when the government is expected to overhaul the UK Immigration Rules. This new category known as the 2-Year Post-Study Work Visa will in effect allow international students , depending on their qualification, to work for two years in the UK. After studying in the UK for two years, international students may then apply for a further work visa. This is an attractive opportunity for international students who wish to build a career in the UK.
In summary, there are monumental benefits international students can derive from studying at either a UK university or college. There are ample opportunities for students to work in the UK after their course has concluded. International students should bear in mind that after working in the UK for a certain period they may be eligible to apply to settle in the UK and eventually obtain British Citizenship.
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