Visa after degree completion.

Hi,
I am a masters student studying Film production, My visa is due to expire in February 2021, my course was supposed to be completed by September 2020 and the remaining time was for finding a job- due to covid-19 my final semester has been delayed till September 2020 and i will be submitting my final project in January 2021 a few weeks before my visa expires. I want to know if i would be able to get an extension on my visa after January? As I mentioned the 5 months time given to me after my degree completion will cover my study period, will i get another extension to find work and stay further in the UK?

Tkayyy wrote: ↑

Sat May 09, 2020 12:55 am

I want to know if i would be able to get an extension on my visa after January? As I mentioned the 5 months time given to me after my degree completion will cover my study period, will i get another extension to find work and stay further in the UK?

It depends on what your Tier 4 sponsor is planning for you. It is they you need to speak to about this. I imagine you are not the only one of their students in this position.

If your studies have been formally suspended until September, they will need to suspend your Tier 4 visa anyway and you will need to return to your home country (current restrictions permitting), then come back when studies resume.

If the studies have not been formally suspended, just moved to distance learning and a different kind of participation, but the course will take longer to complete anyway, it is likely they will sponsor you for a visa extension for the extra period required.

Tier 4 visas and extensions are always issued for the length of the course, plus the extra "post-study" time, usually 4 months.

These are all questions for your Tier 4 sponsor.

One thing you need to consider, the switch Tier 4 to Tier 2 is not as easy as it sounds.

I have seen a few students who were looking for a Tier 2 after their graduation and they all ended up going home.

When someone has just finished studies and is looking for a first job / junior position to prove himself or herself, not too many employers are keen to deploy a Tier 2 sponsorship for that. Even when they like the candidate, the need of sponsorship comes as a deal breaker.

With the Covid-19 and many losing their jobs, I anticipate that it will be even harder to secure it a Tier 2 sponsorship for an entry level position. Indeed, if in your field of study there is a massive shortage and only a few people graduate each year, that would increase your chances.

My recommendation to you is: start investigating now. Study the market to understand who is hiring, how much they are paying, who has a license... etc.

Also, look around in other countries with a PBS. Don't focus too much on the UK as you may miss other/better opportunities elsewhere.