When an international employee joins on a Graduate visa, they often arrive mid-journey in a longer immigration lifecycle. Understanding where the Graduate visa fits — and what it means for right-to-work checks, visa expiry tracking, and eventual sponsorship — is essential for any HR or people ops team working in the UK.
This guide covers the Student-to-Graduate visa switch in detail, including what HR teams need to verify and how to prepare for the subsequent Skilled Worker application.
The Graduate Visa: A Snapshot
The Graduate visa is a post-study route allowing international students who complete a UK degree to remain in the UK for up to 2 years (3 for PhD graduates) without needing employer sponsorship. Introduced in 2021, it replaced the earlier Tier 1 Post-Study Work visa.
Key parameters:
- Duration: 2 years (Bachelor's/Master's), 3 years (PhD)
- Work rights: Unrestricted — any employer, any role, no salary floor
- Switching: Can extend or switch to Skilled Worker or other routes from within the UK
- One-time use: Cannot be used more than once per individual
Eligibility Requirements (What the Individual Must Meet)
For HR teams performing right-to-work checks on Graduate visa holders, or advising international candidates, the eligibility criteria are:
- Completed a qualifying course at a UK Higher Education Provider with a valid Student sponsor licence
- Currently in the UK on a valid Student visa at time of application
- Funds of at least £1,270 held for 28 consecutive days
- Application submitted before current Student visa expires
The university must hold a compliant Student sponsor licence at the time the student completes their course. This is worth checking — a handful of institutions have had licences suspended or revoked. Cross-reference via the Register of Licensed Sponsors.
Right-to-Work Implications for HR Teams
A Graduate visa grants unrestricted right to work in the UK. This means:
Right to work status: VALID
Employer sponsorship required: NO
Role restrictions: NONE
Salary floor: NONE
When conducting a right-to-work check on a Graduate visa holder, you will typically see a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or, increasingly, an eVisa record accessible via the UKVI online service. Always use the online right-to-work checking service (share code system) for biometric or online-status documents — do not rely on a physical BRP alone for ongoing employment.
Expiry tracking is critical. The Graduate visa has a fixed end date. If the individual transitions to a Skilled Worker visa, they will receive a new BRP/eVisa with a new expiry date. Your HRIS or HR system should flag upcoming visa expiry dates at 90, 60, and 30 days to allow time for either:
- Initiating the Skilled Worker sponsorship process
- Or confirming the individual has obtained another leave extension independently
The Skilled Worker Transition Pathway
The majority of Graduate visa holders who remain long-term in UK employment will switch to a Skilled Worker visa. The transition involves:
- Employer must hold a sponsor licence — if your organisation doesn't yet have one, the application typically takes 8 weeks and costs £536 (small employer) or £1,476 (medium/large)
- Role must meet the Skilled Worker criteria — minimum salary thresholds apply (from £26,200 or the going rate for the SOC code, whichever is higher), and the role must be at RQF Level 3 or above
- Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) issued — HR or the immigration team assigns a CoS via the Sponsor Management System (SMS)
- Individual applies to switch — this can be done from within the UK while on the Graduate visa; no need to travel abroad
The Graduate visa can be a smooth runway into employment, but the Skilled Worker application must be submitted before the Graduate visa expires. Applications submitted while the Graduate visa is still valid create "section 3C leave" — meaning the individual can continue working while the new application is processed.
Systems and Process Checklist for HR Teams
Pre-hire:
□ Confirm candidate holds Graduate visa (check share code)
□ Note exact visa expiry date in HRIS
□ Confirm organisation holds a sponsor licence (if Skilled Worker transition planned)
Ongoing:
□ 90-day flag: begin Skilled Worker route assessment
□ 60-day flag: initiate CoS assignment if sponsoring
□ 30-day flag: confirm application submitted or leave secured
Sponsor Licence:
□ Verify licence active via Register of Licensed Sponsors
□ Assign SMS key contact for CoS management
Finding Licensed Sponsors (For Candidates)
International graduates who are not yet employed often need to identify which UK employers are licensed to sponsor Skilled Workers. The official register contains over 100,000 companies but provides limited search functionality. Tools like ImmigrationGPT offer a searchable interface over the register, allowing candidates to filter by company name, location, or industry — useful for targeted job searches before the Graduate visa expires.
Common Compliance Pitfalls
- Failing to re-run right-to-work checks when an employee switches visa — a new check is required each time leave is extended or the visa category changes
- Missing the Graduate visa expiry date — if a sponsored application is not submitted in time, the employee loses right to work and the employer faces an illegal working penalty
- Using the physical BRP as the sole right-to-work document — UKVI now requires the online check service for eVisa holders and for BRP holders whose leave extends beyond December 2024
This article is for general information and HR guidance purposes only. It does not constitute legal or immigration advice. UK immigration rules are subject to change. Consult a regulated immigration adviser for case-specific guidance.
For tools to help with UK immigration research and sponsor register searches, visit https://immigrationgpt.co.uk.
Top comments (0)