Summary:
- Graduate visas get shorter on 1 January 2027. You get 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026, and 18 months if you apply later. A PhD or other doctoral qualification gives you 3 years.
- A Graduate visa cannot be extended. To stay longer, you may need to switch to another route, such as a Skilled Worker visa.
- Recent graduates may be able to accept a lower salary. The new entrant rules allow a lower salary threshold, but they limit your total stay.
- Plan before your visa expires. You must apply to switch while your current visa is still valid.
The Graduate visa lets international students stay and work in the UK after completing their course. The next step depends on whether the person is still studying or already holds the visa. RZ Immigration Practice advises international students and recent graduates on how to stay in the UK legally.
If You Are Still a Student
The application date determines how long a Graduate visa will last. Applications made on or before 31 December 2026 get 2 years, and those made on or after 1 January 2027 get 18 months. Applicants with a PhD or other doctoral qualification get 3 years of a Graduate Visa.
The Student visa must still be valid when you apply, so check the expiry date first. The application cannot be made until the education provider has reported to the UKVI/Home Office that the course is complete, so students finishing near the end of December should ask their provider when this will happen. A Graduate visa cannot be extended, so it helps to plan for what happens when it ends before applying
If You Already Hold a Graduate Visa
Graduate visa holders can work in most jobs, look for work and be self-employed. The visa cannot be extended, but holders may be able to switch to another route. Applicants must apply before the current visa expires.
Switching From a Graduate Visa to a Skilled Worker Visa
What You Need
Applicants need a job offer from a UK employer approved as a sponsor, and the job must be an eligible occupation. Medium-skilled jobs qualify only in limited cases. The general salary threshold must be at least £41,700 a year or the going rate for the job, whichever is higher, unless a lower threshold applies. Applicants also need to be proficient in English at level B2.
A decision usually takes up to 8 weeks for applications made in the UK, but you can usually get a decision within 5 working days with the priority service (£500 extra per applicant) or by the end of the next working day with the super priority service (£1,000 extra per applicant).
Can a Recent Graduate Be Paid Less?
The new entrant rules can allow 70% of the standard going rate, as long as the salary is at least £33,400 a year (or the going rate for the SOC job code, whichever is higher). These rules may apply to current Graduate visa holders. They may also apply to anyone who held a Graduate visa in the last 2 years and whose most recent visa was a Graduate or Student visa.
Student visa holders studying at bachelor’s level or above may also qualify. The same applies to anyone who held a Student visa at that level in the last 2 years and whose most recent visa was a Student or visit visa. Under these rules, total stay in the UK cannot be more than 4 years. This includes time already spent on a Graduate visa.
Switching Directly From a Student Visa
The student must have completed the sponsored course, or the job must start after the course ends. Full-time PhD students must have been studying for at least 24 months. If you switch directly from a student visa to the skilled worker route, you can benefit from the new entrant rule. The new entrant rules may also apply, with total stay in the UK limited to 4 years.
How Much Does It Cost to Switch?
A Skilled Worker application from inside the UK costs £943 for up to 3 years, or £1,865 for more than 3 years. Lower fees apply to jobs on the Immigration Salary List. The healthcare surcharge is usually £1,035 a year. Applicants who have been in the UK on a valid visa for less than 12 months must also show they have enough money to support themselves (usually £1,270), unless their employer can cover their first month’s costs up to that amount.
Why Choose RZ Immigration Practice?
We meet clients 1:1 at our offices in Wolverhampton, London (Uxbridge) or Leicester, look at any Home Office documents they have, and advise on how to proceed legally. The first in-person appointment is free. If a client decides to go ahead, we explain the process and agree the fee first. Payment is only taken once document processing starts.
We help with the application only. We do not find Skilled Worker jobs. RZ Immigration Practice Ltd is regulated by the Immigration Advice Authority at Level 3 (F202331734). This post is general information, not advice on an individual case. Decisions are made by the Home Office. Rules last checked on 3 November 2026.
