The UK government has reduced the Graduate Route visa duration from two years to 18 months for Nigerian students, sparking concerns about the impact on international students.
This change is part of a broader crackdown on “systemic abuse and mission drift” in international education, asylum, and family immigration, with the Home Office stating, “Migration must be controlled and compliant.
“Our reforms will close the back doors and shut down abuse across the system.”
The new policy will offer a tighter pathway to work visas and fewer rights to bring dependants, with the UK government citing abuse of the system as a reason for the change.
“The Graduate Route has not met its original objectives. It has become a loophole for unsponsored work and a magnet for abuse,” the document said.
Only institutions meeting “enhanced compliance standards” will retain international recruitment licenses, while universities with low progression-to-work rates or engaging in misleading recruitment practices will face sanctions.
The UK government aims to restore credibility, reduce numbers, and deliver an immigration system the public can trust, with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stating, “This is about rebuilding integrity.
We’re making it clear that the UK welcomes global talent — but not at the cost of public confidence or border control.”
Some experts argue that the UK should instead increase the graduate visa duration to three years to maintain its leading role in international education, as Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, suggests.
Hillman believes this would help address skills shortages and attract the brightest and best talent.