Graduate and healthcare visa

[spybadshah]

Hi all,
I have family member who has completed their MSc in sonography in Sept 2023 and looking for a job currently. They have currently got spouse and 2 children as dependents on the student visa.

Now with IHS fee increasing within 2 weeks, they are looking to apply for that visa by 15 Jan - their student visa expires on 24 Feb 2024 for all 4 of them.

Q1. Can they apply for a 2-year graduate visa now or they have to wait for 28 days before the current visa expires? They got a letter from the university stating a code from the home office to apply for their extension.

Q2. Will the change in rule regarding dependents for healthcare workers also apply to those already in the UK with dependents if they switch over from a graduate visa once they find a job related to sonography?
This rule changes for dependents already here in the UK on other categories seems unfair at short notice.

Q3. if they are lucky to find a job within sonography after 15 Jan (assuming they apply for graduate visa by then) and their decision for graduate visa is pending while they can secure a sonography job (healthcare job), can they withdraw their application to get IHS refund and instead apply for healthcare visa under sponsorship?

Thanks