Government announces return of two-year post-study visa

The Government has announced that it will be reinstating two-year post-study visas for international students in the UK. The current visa system, which has been in place since 2012, only permits a much shorter post-graduation stay of four months, during which international graduates have to find a new visa or else leave the country. This latest announcement represents a return to the much more favourable pre-2012 visa regime.

We are very pleased indeed that the Government has decided to make this change. The value of international business students and graduates to the UK is clear, contributing £5bn annually to the UK economy, and bringing vital international skills and perspectives to UK businesses and business schools. In an increasingly competitive international HE environment it is essential that UK universities can attract and retain the world's best and brightest business students, and this policy will be essential in ensuring these students can not only fully enjoy the value of a UK business and management education, but also can apply the skills they learn to supporting UK businesses and boosting the UK economy.

We have lobbied for this change independently, and have supported the excellent work of Universities UK and others, for the past five years. We are grateful for your constant support and will continue to ensure the needs of business schools and their students will be heard in conversations with all levels of Government going forwards.