New UK visa pilot allows students extend their stay to six months.

         

   A new pilot project has been started at three well known British universities that allows the Indian and other non-EU students a little extra time to find employment after their education ends. It has received a cautious welcome, as it does not address the real issue.

            The Home Office introduced these visa policy updates in July for academic years starting September 2016 and September 2017, under which non-European Union students will be able to remain in Britain for six months after their course ends.

            This pilot is applicable for the postgraduate students at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Bath, and the Imperial College. The closure of the two-year post-study work visa in 2012 was considered one of the key reasons for a sharp drop in the number of Indian students coming to British universities in recent years. Self-financing students used the work visa to recover some of the academic expenses.

Under the current rules, non-EU students are allowed a two-month stay after the course ends; the pilot extends this duration to six months. Official sources said the pilot also seeks to streamline the student visa process for all the non-EU students.

            Employers seeking to hire a non-EU student need to pass a “Resident Labor Market” test, under which they need to demonstrate that, there is no one in Britain or the EU who could do the job advertised. The test makes it extremely difficult and costly for employers to take on international students, and these things are the crux of the issue, not necessarily the time element. Regardless it’s a welcome move, but the actual impact on international student employment rate remains to be seen. Several higher education stakeholders, including universities, have lobbied unsuccessfully with the government to restore the post-study work visa.

          About the author - PROVE (Professional Registry Of Verified Employees) is a new labor oriented service promoted by National Organization for Software and Technology Professionals (NOSTOPS), to help fill in the gap information that the Indian Knowledge worker heading abroad face when it comes to knowing their Rights.