The Graduate visa will be reduced to 18 months for applications made on or after 1 January 2027. If you have a PhD or other doctoral qualification, the grant remains three years.
Reform of the Graduate Route was first announced in the May 2025 Immigration White Paper and has since been confirmed in the October Statement of Changes. It will take effect from 1 January 2027 for new Graduate route applications.
UK Graduate Route Reduction from 2027
The Graduate visa allows international students who complete an eligible course in the UK to stay and work (or look for work) without sponsorship for two years, or for three years if you have a PhD or other doctoral qualification.
The change will take effect for applications from 1 January 2027. Applications made on or before 31 December 2026 continue to receive two years.
For non-PhD graduates applying from 1 January 2027, permission will be 18 months; PhD graduates remain at three years. Applications submitted by 31 December 2026 still receive two years.
DMS perspective
The Government’s decision to cut the Graduate visa route from two years to 18 months is the latest move in its tightening of post-study migration. The government has indicated that the route is not intended as a long-term work visa, but rather as a temporary bridge into skilled sponsored employment. However, there is concern within the education and business sectors that the reduction could make the UK less attractive to international students, potentially affecting university revenues and graduate recruitment pipelines.
The reduction from two years to 18 months will directly affect employers’ graduate recruitment strategies. The original two-year period gave employers greater flexibility to assess international graduates before deciding whether to sponsor them under the Skilled Worker route. With a shorter timeframe, organisations may now need to accelerate hiring decisions, particularly for roles involving extended onboarding, training or probationary periods.
Of course, the Graduate visa was never designed to be a long-term solution, but the original two-year window offered valuable time for employers to assess international talent without the immediate pressure of sponsorship. That flexibility now shrinks, meaning firms will need to fast-track recruitment decisions, tighten onboarding timelines and potentially commit to Skilled Worker sponsorship far earlier than planned.
The implications also extend beyond HR logistics. Reducing the post-study route may well dampen the appeal of the UK as a study destination, particularly for students weighing up more generous options like Canada or Australia. This is clearly bad news for universities and their international tuition income, and for employers too, especially in sectors like STEM and finance where international graduates help bridge skills gaps.
And while the Government insists this route was never meant to be a backdoor to long-term work, the message to business feels increasingly sharp: adapt to tighter controls or miss out on talent.
Need assistance?
For graduates and employers, the new 18-month post-study work limit means acting faster, planning smarter and preparing earlier for sponsorship. For specialist guidance on adapting your plans given the upcoming rule change, contact our experts.
