UK visas and British citizenship advice, research and applications

How to stay in the UK when your Graduate visa expires

The Graduate visa is useful for remaining in the UK after you’ve completed your postgraduate studies but isn’t a long-term solution if you want to create a new life for yourself. Let’s see which visa options you’ll have to choose from that may offer the perfect solution for you to remain in the UK.

Since the Graduate visa can’t be extended, you’ll need to switch to another permit once your studies are over if you wish to stay in the UK. While there are several options to choose from, we will discuss the most popular ones.

Regardless of your choice, each visa we’ll discuss will allow you to qualify for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) and make gaining citizenship possible.

Is the Skilled Worker visa for you?

The Skilled Worker visa allows you to work in the UK for an accredited company. It opens the doors to a career in the UK for graduates whose chosen fields are on the approved list of occupations.

Skilled Worker visa requirements

To qualify for a Skilled Worker visa, you will need to meet the following criteria:

• You must have a job offer from a UK employer that holds a sponsor licence
• Your employer needs to provide a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) showing information about the position you've been offered
• You must be paid a minimum salary of £38,700 per year or the “going rate” for your occupation, whichever is higher
• You will need to be able to speak, read, write and understand English

Eligibility is based on a points-based system where foreign workers need 70 for their applications to be considered. Point values are assigned as follows:

How much does a Skilled Worker visa cost?

Considering you’d be applying while already in the UK and on a Graduate visa, by switching, you’d pay £719. You must also pay the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) fee of £1,035 for each year your visa will be valid upfront. So, if your visa is valid for three years, this would amount to £3,105, granting you access to the National Health Service (NHS) while in the UK.

What if you lose your job?

If you lose your job while under a Skilled Worker visa, you have a grace period of 60 days to find a new employer. Any new employer must hold a valid sponsor licence and provide you with a new CoS, which will be used when making a new Skilled Worker visa application.

You may also switch to a different visa if finding a new employer proves difficult, but remember you'll have to meet any new eligibility requirements. It’s important to note that if you do switch to a different visa type, the time spent on the Skilled Worker visa will not count toward the five-year requirement for ILR.

The UK Ancestry visa: How the past can chart your future

If you were born in a Commonwealth country and one of your grandparents was a UK citizen, the UK Ancestry visa is another solid path to making the UK your permanent home. It allows you to live, work and study in the UK and bring your family.

UK Ancestry visa requirements

To qualify for a UK Ancestry visa, you’ll need to:

• have a grandparent who was born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
• be 17 years of age or older
• be a Commonwealth citizen
• have plans of working in the UK
• apply from outside the UK
• prove you have enough funds to support yourself and any dependants without the need to request public funds

You may still apply if one of your grandparents was born in what is now known as the Republic of Ireland before 31 March 1922.

The cost of the UK Ancestry visa and how long it lasts

It costs £637 to apply for a UK Ancestry visa, and it’s valid for five years. You’ll also have to pay the IHS surcharge, which is £5,175. You may apply for ILR after five years, during which you must not have spent more than 180 days outside the UK during any 12 months.

Your eligibility to be granted ILR will also depend on proving you have enough money to support yourself and any dependants, can and plan to work in the UK, and are still a Commonwealth citizen. You may apply for citizenship after a minimum of 12 months.

The UK Spouse visa: for graduates with partners in the UK

The Spouse visa, officially known as the “family of a settled person” visa, is suited for graduates who are married to or are in a long-term relationship with someone who either has British citizenship or has settled status. Like the Ancestry visa, it will allow you to live, work and study in the UK.

UK Spouse visa requirements

To be eligible for a Spouse visa, both you and your partner must be older than 18 years old and must meet the following requirements:

• Be in a legal marriage recognised by UK law. If you and your partner are unmarried, then you must be able to prove you’ve been in a relationship with them for two years. You can prove your relationship with a marriage certificate, a utility bill or a bank statement from a shared account.
• Have the intention of living together permanently
• Your partner or spouse must have British or Irish citizenship, indefinite leave to remain or proof of permanent residence

Regarding financial requirements, you and your partner must have combined cash savings of at least £88,500. An alternative would be gauging annual income. Since you’re switching to a Spouse visa from a Graduate visa while inside the UK, both yours and your partner’s incomes will be taken into account. You will have to prove that you earn a combined annual income of £29,000.

When making your first Spouse visa application, you must pass an English language test from an approved Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale test provider at A1 level or higher.

The cost of the UK Spouse visa, and how long it lasts

Switching to a spouse visa allows you to stay in the UK for two years and six months. If achieving ILR is your goal, you must renew it to meet the requirement of five years of continuous residency. In this case, you may apply to extend your Spouse visa 28 days before it expires. However, you must still meet the original eligibility criteria and pass a more demanding English language test.

The cost of an application for a Spouse visa is £1,258. Paying the IHS from within the UK, since you’re switching from a Graduate visa, would cost £2,587.50.

Your future in the UK awaits

So, there you have it. Three visa options that can make the UK your new home for your future career or family after completing your studies. Regardless of which one you choose, be sure you meet all the necessary requirements and have enough money saved.

Processing times may vary, and there may be a chance the Home Office requests more information, but with Sable International, you’ll be well on your way to residence and citizenship.

Start a new life in the UK with Sable International. Our experienced migration consultants will be happy to help you every step of the way. Email us at immigration@sableinternational.com or call on +27 (0) 21 657 2180 or +44 (0) 20 7759 5330.