MAC Rapid Review of Graduate Route

As part of the Government’s plan to lower net migration, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has been tasked to review The Graduate Route, with a report due to be published by 14th May 2024.

Whilst details are yet to be shared regarding the report’s content, individuals and employers may be affected.

What is the Graduate route?

The Graduate route is for Student visa holders who are completing an undergraduate, postgraduate or doctoral degree in the UK.

This allows them to stay in the UK for three years post-graduation (PhD students) or two years for all other cases, to give them time to find high-skilled employment following their degree.

Who is eligible for the Graduate route in the UK?

At the time of writing, you can apply for a Graduate visa if:

• you’re currently in the UK;
• your current visa is a Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa;
• you’ve studied a UK bachelor’s degree, postgraduate degree or other eligible course for a minimum period of time with your Student visa or Tier 4 (General) student visa; and
• your education provider (such as your university or college) has told the Home Office you’ve successfully completed your course.

Why is the Graduate route changing?

As part of its attempt to review net migration, the UK Government is keen to discover if the Graduate route is meeting its planned purposes, including but not limited to:

• attracting and retaining talented international students;
• supporting success in UK higher education;
• contributing to meeting the UK’s education exports target; and
  supporting businesses to recruit highly qualified international staff.

In the Home Secretary’s commissioning letter to the MAC, it is stated that concerns have arisen around:

• Graduate route migrants switching to the Skilled Worker route for jobs below graduate level, with the majority being sponsored as carers;
  creation of a demand for degrees, in particular shorter-term Masters degrees, driven by the work opportunity of the Graduate route, rather than the worth of the educational qualification.

What happens next?

The MAC will publish its report on 14th May 2024 – following this, the Home Office will consider the presented findings and make subsequent changes to the Graduate route.

Based on the reasons for these changes, we expect that the findings will result in a reduced number of avenues for use of the Graduate route.

As always, Five Star will continue to report on any further updates and how these may affect individuals or employers.

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