UK eyes 18-month graduate visa to cut migration

The UK government on Monday unveiled a wide-ranging immigration white paper that includes major changes to the Graduate Route, reducing the visa period from two years to 18 months for international students after graduation.

The white paper, published today, also introduces tighter rules across study, work, and family visa categories, as part of efforts by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s administration to lower migration numbers and raise enforcement standards.

Speaking on the new measures, Starmer said, "Enforcement will be tougher than ever and migration numbers will fall."

The paper confirms the reduction of the Graduate Route duration but does not go as far as restricting it to graduates with specific job offers, as previously speculated.

Instead, it notes the government is "setting out reforms… [that] strengthen the requirements to work and contribute for those graduates who stay on after their courses have been completed", though no exact changes are detailed at this stage.

In addition, the government is considering a new charge on income earned by universities from international students.

A 6% levy is used as an example in the white paper, with further details expected in the Autumn budget. If introduced, the levy would be used to fund the wider education and skills sector.

The white paper also proposes tougher rules to stop abuse of the student visa system. It outlines changes to the Basic Compliance Assessment, which evaluates institutions that sponsor international students.

The government said the current rules are too weak, exposing the system to misuse, and it will now raise the minimum pass rates, including a 95% course enrolment rate and a 90% course completion rate for compliance.

To help monitor institutions, a new Red-Amber-Green rating system will be introduced. This will highlight which schools meet standards and which fall short.

Institutions that fail to comply will face specific restrictions, such as limits on international student numbers and enforced improvement plans.

The Agent Quality Framework will also become mandatory for institutions working with international recruitment agents. Meanwhile, the white paper proposes stricter English language requirements for various visa applicants.

This includes requiring dependants of international students to demonstrate a basic understanding of English and progress to higher levels over time if they intend to extend their stay or seek permanent residency.

For workers, the required English level will rise from B1 to B2 under the Common European Framework.

"When people come to our country, they should also commit to integration and to learning our language and our system should actively distinguish between those that do and those that don’t," Starmer said.

The short-term English language study route will also face new oversight.

A review will assess how accreditation bodies are approved and renewed, following concerns over high visa refusal rates for applicants in this category.

The route currently allows individuals aged 16 and above to study English in the UK for 6 to 11 months at accredited institutions without requiring a sponsor.

The paper reflects a broader government push to reduce migration levels.

According to the government, net migration in the year ending June 2024 dropped to 728,000, down from 906,000 the previous year.

The decrease is partly due to earlier rules banning dependants from joining students in postgraduate taught courses.

Other changes in the plan include raising the skill threshold for work visas back to graduate level (RQF6), reversing policies that had made it easier for lower-skilled workers to enter the country.

For roles below this level, visas will only be granted temporarily and under strict conditions, especially in sectors deemed critical to national strategy.

The government is also scrapping automatic settlement and citizenship rights after five years of residency.

Migrants will now need to stay for ten years unless they can demonstrate a "real and lasting contribution to the economy and society."

A fast-track option will be created for those deemed "high-skilled, high-contributing individuals," such as nurses, doctors, engineers and AI professionals.