Applicants for skilled worker visas no longer need a degree to apply

Applicants are no longer required to hold a degree-level qualification due to changes to skilled worker visas.

Without having to finish their degree, students who are able to obtain a job offer from a business recognised by the Home Office can apply to convert from the student route to the skilled worker route immediately.

The use of universities as a stepping stone by foreign immigration consultants to enable clients to enter the UK and then transition to care employment before they must pay the full cost of tuition has been identified as an increasing practice.

Compared to the graduate route, which requires students to pay high course fees and maintenance for the duration of their education before entering the job market, this route offers a quicker and less expensive road to full-time employment in the UK.

Although this is an entirely legal immigration route, it will have a disastrous impact on university finances because it will cannibalise the population of international students before they graduate.

According to pre-pandemic HESA figures, non-continuation costs the UK higher education sector more than £300 million per year, and more than 100 universities lose more than £1 million per year in undergraduate tuition fees from students who drop out.

A lower wage requirement and the elimination of the resident labour market test were two changes made to the skilled worker visa, formerly known as the Tier 2 visa, to simplify application processes. Candidates who are accepted may work in the UK for a maximum of five years before requesting an extension of their visa or requesting permanent residence.

The most recent immigration statistics don’t specifically mention how many people changed their visa status, but they do indicate a 179% year-over-year rise in the number of skilled worker visas granted for human health and social care activities in Q3. In Q3 2022, there were 21,543 successful beneficiaries, compared to 7,711 in Q3 2021.

At this time of year, there is a big jump in the number of skilled worker visas given out. This is the same time that most students start college in the UK.

Furthermore, there is a link between the January intake and the year-over-year Q1 growth of +67% with 11,139 visas awarded in 2022. These figures don’t include people who have asked to have their visas extended.

Due to the enormous demand, the Home Office currently recommends an 11-week average wait time to receive a decision on skilled worker visas.

Employing international students currently residing in the UK can help fill the labour deficit in critical service industries like healthcare that have been affected by Brexit.