Nigerians hoping to study and work in the United Kingdom may now face new hurdles following the UK government’s announcement of sweeping immigration reforms. Among the changes, the popular graduate visa route has been cut from two years to 18 months, reducing the time international students can stay in the UK after completing their studies.
The UK Home Office unveiled the changes as part of a broader crackdown on what it described as systemic abuse of student and work visa pathways. Authorities say the graduate route has strayed from its original goal and is now being used as a backdoor for unsponsored employment.
In another major shift, the qualifying period for foreign nationals to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK has doubled from five to ten years. Additionally, the immigration skills charge paid by employers sponsoring migrant workers will increase by 32 percent. Only applicants with a university degree will be eligible for skilled worker visas, while roles below that level will have limited access based strictly on labour shortages.
The UK government also announced stricter compliance rules for universities recruiting international students. Institutions with low graduate employment rates or found engaging in misleading recruitment practices may face sanctions, including suspension of their sponsorship licenses.
Officials argue the changes are necessary to reduce the country’s dependence on international recruitment, which they say has come at the expense of domestic training and skills development. The reforms aim to refocus the system on attracting highly skilled individuals who can boost growth in strategic sectors.
The British High Commission in Nigeria responded to the new policy by reaffirming the UK’s strong ties with Nigeria. In a statement, it said the UK remains a top destination for Nigerians to work, study, and settle, and values the contributions they bring. The commission added that it would work with Nigerian government partners once more information about the implementation becomes available.
