Current UK visa regulations for international MBA students

If you’ve shortlisted a UK MBA programme as one of your top choices (or perhaps a few different ones), you’ve likely heard a lot of chatter about staying on in the UK after graduation. 

 And, you may even have a few concerns about getting into the country as an MBA candidate in the first place. 

It’s not as tenuous as you might think, but you do need to be aware of a few things.

UK visa restrictions don’t hamper serious MBA candidates

However, as about 50% of MBA candidates choose schools based on where they would like to work² after graduation, there is something you need to know. Unless you hold an European Economic Area (EEA) or Swiss passport, you no longer have two years to secure employment; you have six months. 

Top UK employers are aware of these restrictions³ and appear to be doing their best to ensure they make offers quickly. But, you still need to keep this in mind if you hope to remain in the UK after graduation.

MBA visa tiers – what candidates need to know

There are a few different UK visa tiers that will apply to international candidates in the UK, both during and after their studies. 

If you hold an EEA or Swiss passport, you will need to apply for a UK residence card (and that will necessitate liaising with your MBA admissions office).

These MBA visa tiers apply to international students outside of the UK, EEA or Switzerland:

It’s important to remember that every admissions office will have different procedures, and you may have to provide additional documentation based on your country of origin when applying for a UK study visa. It’s imperative that you get in touch with your university early to make the process as painless as possible. 

Job opportunities in UK for MBA graduates

To secure a Tier 2 visa, the sponsoring company currently needs to prove that there is no one in the UK or EU able to fill the position, or that you’re a recent graduate from a UK university - and you’ll need to be paid a minimum of £30,000 annually⁵.

The sponsoring company must also hold a license to sponsor Tier 2 visa employees⁶.

Motivated graduates are usually able to fill these requirements with licensed companies so long as they begin their search for work in the UK after their MBA early enough in the year.

The career services department at every reputable UK business school is the first and best resource MBAs have, but the onus remains on the candidate (not the school) to reach out to this department, communicate their post-MBA job desires and pursue opportunities. It’s in the school’s best interest for all their students to be gainfully employed (or starting their own successful companies), but it’s not their responsibility.

Currently, there is a cap on the number of Tier 2 skilled-worker visas which is one reason to hustle to secure job opportunities in the UK for MBA graduates. But, this may soon change. The immigration white paper released on 18 December 2018 proposes scrapping these limits⁷. However, Brexit also means that EU graduates will likely be joining the Tier 2 pool.

When these new regulations come into play and what changes depend somewhat on the final Brexit deal. With possible deal extensions on the table and growing calls for a new referendum, it’s tough to gauge future visa and job opportunities for MBA graduates. But, even under the currently strict regulations, talented grads seeking employment in the UK have typically been able to secure it.