Investing in the UK’s Future Part 2: Evaluating Countries’ Allure for Post-Graduate Employment

The first blog in this series discussed the various visa options the UK offers to graduates. As countries across the world compete to develop a highly skilled and advantageous workforce, the attractiveness of a country’s visa options continues to be a key factor in the socioeconomic advancement of its workforce.

The second blog in the series provides an overview of some visa options offered to graduates in other countries competing with the UK for skilled migrants.

United States

One notable visa option available to students graduating from US universities is the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program. This program allows graduates to gain practical work experience in their field of study for a specific time, typically up to 12 months.

In certain cases, students in STEM fields may be eligible for an additional 24-month extension. Once in OPT status, a common route to remain in the US is the H-1B specialty occupation visa if they have a job offer with a US employer.

However, the process requires the employer to register in a lottery with an annual cap on the number of visas available. Graduates with a U.S. master’s degree or higher are included in both the regular cap of 65,000 and the advanced degree cap of 20,000. This provision aims to prioritize individuals with higher qualifications, providing a better chance for advanced degree holders to secure an H-1B visa.

In addition, selected graduates can apply for a cap gap extension, which addresses the gap between the expiration of their OPT status and the start date of their H-1B employment.

Canada

Students graduating in Canada can apply for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) valid anywhere between eight months and up to three years. The length of the PGWP is generally granted for the same length of the study program the graduate completed in Canada, and not longer.

Upon completion of their PGWP status, the graduate can apply for a new form of Canadian work permit. Some work permits require a labour market impact assessment (LMIA), whereas others are LMIA exempt.

Whether or not a graduate qualifies for an LMIA exempt work permit depends on a wide range of factors including their country of nationality, job position and duties and work experience. Certain foreign nationals who are citizens of a country with whom Canada has an international trade agreement can obtain LMIA-exempt work permits.

Currently, the most common route to permanent residence (PR) in Canada is through the Express Entry system (this system is used in all the provinces except the Province of Quebec), which allows individuals to express interest in becoming permanent residents.

Express Entry profile applicants receive a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score based on factors including age, work experience (both inside and outside of Canada), education and ability in Canada's official languages. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducts a draw and invites applicants to apply for PR approximately every 2 weeks. On each draw, IRCC sets a minimum CRS score and issues Invitations to Apply (ITA) for PR to applicants who meet or exceed that score.

Graduates from Canadian universities may also be eligible to apply for PR through various provincial nomination programs (PNPs).

Each province has its requirements to obtain a nomination certificate, which can then be used to apply for PR at the federal stage. In Ontario, for example, graduates from Canadian universities with a job offer in a skilled occupation who intend to live and work in the province permanently can register an Expression of Interest (EOI) for a nomination certificate.

Canada’s approach to retaining global talent is an exemplary model for other nations, including the UK.

Australia

Graduates from Australian universities may apply for a 485 visa – known as a Temporary Graduate visa – which is designed for graduates who qualify as relevant to an occupation on Australia’s skilled occupation list.

Under the Graduate Work stream (for applicants who have recently graduated with qualifications relevant to certain occupations), visa holders are permitted to remain in Australia for a further 18 months to gain work experience. This was temporarily increased to 24 months for applications made on or before 2 September 2023.

Under the Post-Study Work stream (for applicants who have recently graduated with a degree from an Australian institution), visa holders are permitted to remain in Australia for between two and four years depending on their qualifications. 

Under both streams, Hong Kong and British National Overseas passport holders are eligible to stay for up to five years. There is also the 407 Training visa, which allows holders to be nominated by an approved sponsor to complete relevant workplace-based training. 

Most Australian visas under the General Skilled Migration (GSM) scheme are based on a points-based system that considers factors such as the English language, Australian qualifications, occupation demand and work experience.

European Union

When discussing options for recent graduates (who are not EU nationals) in the EU, there is the Students & Researchers Directive (Directive (EU) 2016/801). This directive allows recent graduates to remain in the EU country for a minimum of nine months for job-seeking purposes and/or setting up a business. 

The implementation of this directive differs on national levels, meaning that some Member States could have opted for more favourable treatment of recent graduates.

For instance:

• Some Member States decided to extend the minimum nine-month period, such as Portugal (12 months), Poland (12 months), Spain (12 months) and Germany (18 months).
• Some Member States also decided to accept job-search permit applications from student permit holders of other EU countries (with some local conditions applied), such as Portugal, the Czech Republic and Germany.
• And finally, some Member States foresee facilitations for recent graduates that have found a job, for instance, a reduction of salary thresholds or labour market test requirement waivers, including Austria, the Czech Republic, France and Germany.

Looking ahead

In its 2018 report, the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) highlighted the undeniable economic advantages brought by international students to the UK. These benefits encompass contributions to local economies, subsidisation of domestic students’ education and research and the enrichment of university communities.

The UK’s appeal to graduates persists, and as the MAC undertakes another review of the Graduate visa, there is value in drawing inspiration from successful programs implemented by other nations.

Despite the government’s continued emphasis on reducing net migration, bolstering the UK’s capacity to retain highly skilled talent remains crucial for maintaining competitiveness in the global market.

Need to know more?

For details or questions related to your options as a graduate, please contact Director Olga Nechita at [email protected], Associate Huma Malik at [email protected] and Immigration Paralegal Elizabeth Collier at [email protected].

This blog was published on 28 February 2024, and due to the circumstances, there are frequent changes. To keep up to date with all the latest updates on global immigration, please subscribe to our alerts and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram.