International students at British universities fear the government’s plan to offer two-year post-study work visas to future students could leave them worse off if the extra time is not given to them too.
Last week the government said foreign students will be offered a two-year work visa after graduating from a British university. But the new policy will only apply to those graduating from summer 2021, according to the announcement.
The current immigration policy, controversially put in place by Theresa May in 2012, gives students just four months to find work after graduating.
Over 16,000 people have already signed a petition calling on the government to extend the new visa rules to international students currently studying in the UK.
The petition states: “There are thousands of international students currently studying in the UK and gaining valuable skills.
“Since the current students do not have the post-study work visa for two years and [need] sponsorship from an employer, it will be difficult for them to get a job. […] Employers would definitely think about waiting for six more months, so they can hire other students who have the two year post-study work visa” .
The Guardian spoke to current international students about their concerns:
‘It’s impossible for international students to get jobs at the moment’
Umair Qamar, from Pakistan, recently graduated from De Montfort University with a master’s in cyber security. He wants to find a job before his visa runs out.
“I’ve been applying for jobs since I came to this country. It’s been a difficult and disappointing experience. I’ve lost count of how many positions I’ve applied for, but my CV is all over the UK. I’ve had lots of rejections because the company didn’t want to sponsor students. It’s almost impossible for international students to get jobs at the moment. But I’m still trying.
“I’m happy to hear other students will get the two year visa. But I want to point out that it would benefit the government to extend the deadline for current students, too. We are very dedicated and work hard. The recent change means there is hope.”
‘I’m confused about who is eligible for the extension’
Muhammad Junaid Asif Sahi, from Pakistan, is doing a master’s in transport planning and engineering at Edinburgh Napier University.
“The current four-month bracket for students is a mere formality and a bureaucratic way of saying, ‘get the degree and go back home’, because companies want someone they can hire without hassle.
“I’d like to stay in the UK but I don’t know if I’ll be able to. It’s all so confusing. Some reports say students graduating in 2020 will get the extension, but others say you have to graduate in 2021, so I don’t know who will be affected. This makes me feel nervous about my future. If the UK government has decided to let international students stay longer, why wait a couple of years to implement it?”
‘I worry current students could be worse off’
Hassan Sheikh did an undergraduate degree at the University of Manchester and is due to begin a master’s this year.
“We’ve been told the extension applies to students graduating in 2021 and after and it’s unclear whether it will apply to those graduating in 2020. If it doesn’t apply to those of us graduating then, I worry employers will wait a year to hire international students so they don’t need to deal with the hassle of sponsoring visas. In that sense I think current students like me could now be worse off than before the announcement was made. Because it just puts us in the middle of nowhere.”
‘I wish I’d delayed coming to the UK, so I’d have two years too’
Jessica Martins, from Brazil, has just handed in her dissertation for her master’s in corporate communications, marketing and public relations at the University of Leeds. Her visa is due to run out in January.
“I think the extension should also be available for people who are currently here. I’m happy new students will have the opportunity to stay longer. But it’s also frustrating for me, because I would have liked to stay too. I don’t regret coming to the UK, but I spent a lot of money and I’m not sure whether my degree will help me to get jobs back home if I don’t have work experience. If I’d known this would happen, I would have waited two more years to come to the UK.”
‘I was forced to leave the UK and it was the worst day of my life’
Laura*, from the US, graduated from King’s College, London with a master’s in European politics in 2018. She was forced to leave the UK four months later after being unable to find work before the deadline.
“Leaving the UK was the worst day of my life. I ended up on the floor of Gatwick, sobbing. I couldn’t stand up because I was crying so hard. I had made a home, I had a boyfriend, I had a social circle, then I had to leave. When I got back to America, I was depressed and suicidal.
“Both my degrees focused on UK/EU relations and I got a distinction for my dissertation, which was on Brexit. I feel my qualifications could be useful to British employers as the country prepares to leave the EU. But I sent over 100 applications and companies told me it was too risky to hire foreigners.
“As angry as I am, I want to go back to the UK because I’m now in professional limbo. The hostile environment has to end some time and this is a welcome first step. When I heard the announcement it was the first time in my life that I cried from happiness. For the first time I feel there’s a chance I could get my life back again.”
‘The extension is a good first step, but there are other challenges’
Riddi Viswanathan, from India, is a former international student and International Student Officer at the University of Manchester and now works for the university.
“I’ve been fighting for this extension for five years, so I’m delighted to hear the government has made a U-turn. The current four months isn’t long enough and puts enormous pressure on people. I’ve seen students struggle, staying up all night to do their dissertation just so they can apply for jobs during the day. I graduated a year ago and many companies rejected me because they didn’t want to sponsor my tier two visa. I became involved in politics specifically to change this.
“But I’m afraid the good news will undermine other challenges international students face. Tuition fees, already high for international students, could rise further for those from the EU. There’s no certainty around the settlement scheme, EU funding, or the future of Erasmus after Brexit. While for non-EU students, the cost of getting a visa has risen, along with the immigration health surcharge. It also doesn’t help current students, who feel stuck in the middle. And so extending the post-study work visa is one good step, but it’s not the end for international students.”
* Laura’s surname has been omitted at her request.
