International students in the UK say they are facing increased anxiety and uncertainty over their ability to work in the country after their graduation.

This insecurity comes after the Home Secretary, James Cleverly, announced on 4 December 2023 that there would be a number of upcoming changes to visa rules. Now, international students await the announcement of changes being made under the rapid review of the Graduate Visa route, which will be published on 14 May.

The proposed review looks to require international students to be earning a minimum of £38,700 as graduates in order to be sponsored for a Skilled Worker Visa. This is a significant increase on the previous salary threshold, set at £26,200.

Anticipating these proposed changes, one student, studying at Manchester Metropolitan University, who wished to remain anonymous, emphasised the anxiety that this review had caused for them and other international students. 

They said: “It really puts me into a very high level of stress actually, and I believe a lot of other friends too. You don’t even know if in the next six months you will be here, which is very unfortunate.” 

Sayuri Ito, a third-year student at the University of Leeds, currently completing a placement year, is also facing uncertainty after realising how the potential changes being introduced to the Graduate Visa route could restrict her employment options.

She said: “When I applied to university, I was just thinking I’d go to somewhere outside of Japan, and it was a bit 50-50 on whether I’d go back. But after studying in English for so long I don’t really see how I can go back to Japan and work in Japanese. I did all my studies in English, so any specific term that I’d have to know I know in English.”       

Hafiezudin Rosdi, a final year student at Sheffield Hallam University, who had previously hoped to work in the UK after graduating, has also been forced to reassess the options available to him.

He said: “My plan B previously was to obviously go and work in Malaysia however, that plan B is turning into a plan A.

“Ideally it would be nice to sustain a job in the UK but obviously considering the increased wage and everything the plan B is looking like a plan A.”

Hasif Hadafi, a first year accounting and financial management student at The University of Sheffield, has also started to grow anxious of what the proposed changes could mean for his future.

He said: “I’m a first-year, so I didn’t think it would affect me. “But then later I was like, actually this is very serious, even for first years, as it affects the visa and my opportunity to work here.

“Not many companies want to give out that much money to new graduates so it will be hard for us to find a company that will be willing to give that much for someone who doesn’t have any experience and who just finished studying.”

Ahmad Azim, a first-year student also studying at the University of Sheffield, has likewise been forced to start considering how the visa changes could impact his future in the UK.

He said: “It’s already hard enough to get a job as an international student, or find a place of work. So when I heard about the rise in the minimum wage it just increased my doubts on if I could sustain a job here.

“So it just really altered my future plans going forward if I was actually going to pursue a job in the UK or just go back to Malaysia and work there.”

Anticipating the uncertainty currently being experienced by many international students, Manchester Student Union is one organisation that is attempting to ease stress, through offering information and support to students during this period.   

Looking at the experiences of international students in Manchester, Robert Beale, Activities and Culture Officer for Manchester Student Union, said “the biggest emotion that [international] students are experiencing is just uncertainty.”

He said: “There’s so many students studying right now who thought that the picture upon their graduation was going to be entirely different.” 

As a result of this, Manchester Student Union has recognised the concern which these proposed changes may be causing for some students and has organised FAQ sessions to try and give more guidance to students on the changes.