UK Graduate Visa Holders: Profiles and Earnings

Explore the profiles and earnings of UK Graduate Visa holders, including their qualifications, career paths, and financial prospects. Understand the benefits and opportunities associated with holding a Graduate Visa in the UK.

Indian nationals represent 42% of all issued graduate visas, according to data that highlights who is utilizing the Graduate Route and how they are benefiting from it.

On the same day the Migration Advisory Committee published its review findings on the UK Graduate Route, the Home Office released data analyzing the journeys of those using it.

The data reveals details about individuals entering and leaving the route, which was introduced in July 2021, including their origins, post-visa activities, and early earnings insights.

However, the Home Office noted, "it is too early to say whether the behaviors of the early adopters of the scheme will be indicative of the behaviors of later cohorts."

The proportion of students granted further leave to remain in the UK after their studies more than tripled from 18% in 2019 to 56% in 2023.

In 2023, over half (56%) of students who completed their studies had further leave to remain. Among these, 32% used the Graduate Route, while 18% utilized other work routes.

Between the launch of the Graduate Route in July 2021 and the end of 2023, 213,250 main applicants and 45,836 dependents were granted graduate visas.

US graduate visa holders who worked for at least one month had significantly higher median annual earnings during the financial year ending in 2023.

Analyzing the origin countries of main applicants, the data revealed that the top five nationalities account for almost three-quarters (74%) of graduate visas issued, with Indian nationals comprising 42% of graduate visa grants in 2023.

“Indian students were proportionally more likely to switch to the graduate route, accounting for 42% of graduate visa grants but only 23% of Student visa expiries between 2021 and 2023,” the report stated.

Conversely, Chinese students were less likely to switch to the route, making up only 10% of graduate visa grants (22,191) despite 30% of student visa expiries.

Nigerian nationals represented 11% of all graduate visas (23,648), Pakistani nationals accounted for 7% (14,337), and US nationals made up 4% (7,493).

Painting a picture of those entering the Graduate Route by age, the Home Office noted that visa holders tend to be in their mid-to-late 20s, with more than half (58%) between the ages of 24 and 29.

Regarding post-visa activities, data showed that 63% of the 25,469 individuals whose graduate visas expired by the end of 2023 had switched to another route. Of these, 46% switched to a work route: 33% to a Skilled Worker visa, 9% to a Skilled Worker – Health and Care visa, and 4% to other work routes.

Additionally, 7% returned to study, 6% switched to a family visa, and 5% transitioned to other routes.

Furthermore, 17,080 individuals switched out of the Graduate Route despite still holding valid leave at the end of 2023. The majority (12,549) moved to work routes, including 8,485 into Skilled Worker visas and 3,245 into Skilled Worker – Health and Care visas.

Brian Bell, chair of MAC, noted an expected decrease in the number of students using the Graduate Route from 2024 due to the ban on dependents from January 2024, which had "mechanically reduced" the number of graduate visa holders, as approximately 30,000 dependents joined the route in 2023.

The Home Office data also provided early insights into earnings and employment by linking visa records to HMRC earnings data.

"Of all graduate visa holders in scope to earn across the whole financial year ending 2023, who were in employment at some point in the financial year, 62% of graduate visa holders were earning in the first month following their visa being granted," the report stated.

"It is too early to determine whether the behaviors of the early adopters of the scheme will be representative of the behaviors of later cohorts."

Meanwhile, 10% began earning in the second month following their visa being granted, with this proportion continuing to decrease over subsequent months, as highlighted by the Home Office data.

Since the Graduate Route’s launch in 2021, the median monthly pay for visa holders gradually increased from £1,227 to £1,937 by 2023.

Analyzing earnings for the financial year ending 2023, the median annual earning for the 73% of graduate visa holders who were employed for at least one month was £17,815

Notably, for the 27% of graduate visa holders who were employed throughout the entire year, the median annual earning was higher at £26,460. The data highlighted that 46% of those employed for the full year earned between £20,000 and £29,999.

Meanwhile, 41% of those who earned for at least one month in the financial year ending 2023 earned less than £15,000, and 9% of those who were employed for the full year earned less than £15,000.

Among the top nationalities granted graduate visas, those from the US who worked at least one month had a noticeably higher median annual earning during the financial year ending 2023, with earnings at £21,135.

In contrast, those from Pakistan had much lower median annual earnings at £14,402, closely followed by those from China at £15,762.

The data also analyzed which sectors attracted graduate visa holders, with the administrative and support services sector being the most popular, employing 25% of the visa holders.

Meanwhile, 16% went into the health and social work sectors, followed by 14% into scientific and technical activities.

Graduate visa holders were least likely to be employed in the real estate, transportation, and storage sectors, each attracting just 1% of the visa holders.

Those working in finance and insurance earned the most, with the sector having the highest annual earnings for the financial year ending 2023. The median earning in this field was £34,846 for those who worked the entire year and £27,879 for those who worked at least one month.

Source: thepienews