Post-study work and PR in the UK
What happens after you graduate in the UK: how long you can stay and work, and whether that leads anywhere permanent. These are two separate questions and conflating them is the most expensive mistake in choosing a destination.
At a glance
| Work route | Graduate Route — 2 years (3 for PhD) |
|---|---|
| Permanent residence | Skilled Worker → ILR (5 years) |
| How direct | Moderate |
Immigration rules change frequently and these are summaries, not advice. Confirm the current position on the official source below before making a decision that depends on it.
The two routes are not the same thing
A post-study work visa lets you stay and work for a defined period. It is not permission to settle. Whether it leads to settlement depends on a separate route with its own criteria, and in several countries the answer for most graduates is that it does not.
| UK | |
|---|---|
| Work route after study | Graduate Route — 2 years (3 for PhD) |
| Route to permanent residence | Skilled Worker → ILR (5 years) |
| How direct the path is | Moderate |
Graduate Route lets you work; PR is via sponsored skilled work over time.
What to check before you choose a destination for this
- How long the work route runs, and whether it differs by qualification level.
- Whether it requires a job offer, and at what salary — a threshold is what actually decides outcomes.
- Whether time on the work route counts towards settlement, which several routes do not allow.
- How often the rules change. Post-study work policy is among the most frequently revised immigration policy anywhere, and it can change between your application and your graduation.
Plan the degree on its own merits. A route that exists today may not exist in three years, and a course chosen only for an immigration outcome is a poor fallback if that outcome moves.
UK — FAQs
2 questions
Graduate Route — 2 years (3 for PhD) — confirm the current position on the official source below, because these rules change often.
Not automatically anywhere. It is a separate route with its own criteria, and in several countries most graduates do not meet them.
Choosing a destination on this? A counsellor talks through what the route actually requires, and how likely it is for your profile — free.
Sources
Not re-checked recently — treat the figures as indicative and confirm before you rely on them.