The UK Government has confirmed plans to shorten the length of the post-study Graduate visa route from two years to 18 months, as set out in its May 2025 Immigration White Paper.
The Graduate visa allows international students who complete an eligible course in the UK to stay and work (or look for work) without sponsorship.
Reducing the duration of the post-study scheme is part of the government’s wider strategy to cut net migration and tighten post-study immigration controls.
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 exact implementation date has not yet been confirmed. We will update as further information becomes available.
DM 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 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 employers, the new 18-month post-study work limit means acting faster, planning smarter and preparing earlier for sponsorship. For specialist guidance on adapting to the new rules, contact our experts.
Author
Founder and Managing Director Anne Morris is a fully qualified solicitor and trusted adviser to large corporates through to SMEs, providing strategic immigration and global mobility advice to support employers with UK operations to meet their workforce needs through corporate immigration.
She is a recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers as a legal expert and delivers Board-level advice on business migration and compliance risk management as well as overseeing the firm’s development of new client propositions and delivery of cost and time efficient processing of applications.
Anne is an active public speaker, immigration commentator, and immigration policy contributor and regularly hosts training sessions for employers and HR professionals
