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The United Kingdom’s new entrant policy for Tier 2 and Skilled Worker visa applicants, while a topic of concern, also brings potential benefits for international students on a graduate visa. This policy allows international students to be offered sponsorships on a job paying a 70% going rate, a significant reduction from the 38,700 threshold taking effect from the 4th of April 2024. Although the policy limits the eligibility of international students to receive 5 years of sponsorship, it opens doors for them to settle in the UK, provided they secure another sponsorship when the initial one expires.
Under the new policy, applicants can be considered as new entrants for a maximum of 4 years, which includes time spent in any Tier 2 route, the Graduate route, or as a Skilled Worker, whether or not that permission was for a continuous period. This means that international students on graduate visas or post-study work visas, whatever time they have already used on that visa, make up the 4-year time limit.
This 4-year time limit has caused concerns for international students on a graduate visa who wish to settle in the UK through the skilled worker visa. If an applicant is applying for more than 4 years, or if granting the application would mean they would have more than 4 years’ permission in total as a Tier 2 migrant and/or as a Skilled Worker, they cannot score tradeable points as a new entrant. This means they will need to score tradeable points in another way, which could be difficult for them, given their limited opportunities.
It is important to note that an applicant cannot be considered as a new entrant for only part of the time they are applying for. This means that applicants who are applying for a job that exceeds the 4-year limit will not be eligible for sponsorship under the new entrant policy. This has caused frustration for many international students who have invested their time and money into studying in the UK to secure a job and settle in the country.
Furthermore, the new salary threshold of 38,700 has made it difficult for international students to secure a sponsorship job, as employers are hesitant to sponsor them due to many factors about sponsorship. This has caused many international students to lose job opportunities and affected the UK’s ability to attract talented individuals worldwide.
However, there is a way for international students to qualify as new entrants under the 4-year time limit. If the applicant has time left under the 4-year time limit where they could qualify as a new entrant, the Home office caseworker handling their application might contact their sponsor and give them the opportunity to revise the dates on the certificate of sponsorship. If the sponsor agrees, the Immigration Skills Charge and Immigration Health Charge may need to be re-calculated.
It is important to note that an applicant can not be granted a shorter permission than they are being sponsored for, so they would meet the new entrant requirements without the sponsor’s agreement.
In conclusion, the new entrant policy for Tier 2 and Skilled Worker visa applicants has made it difficult for international students on a graduate visa to secure a job and settle in the UK. The 4-year time limit has limited their eligibility for long-term sponsorship, and employers are hesitant to sponsor them due to the limited time available. However, there is a way for international students to qualify as new entrants under the 4-year time limit by applying for sponsorship for less than five years.
The UK needs to continue attracting talented individuals from around the world, and the new entrant policy should be reviewed to maintain this ability.
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