Solving the challenge of International students, UK Jobsearch and Visas (Part1)

Before the introduction of the Graduate visa in 2021, the probability of international students finding work in the UK was really low. It was extremely competitive to secure a job with sponsorship. So competitive that only a very small percentage managed it, as the chart below shows. Just 2-3% of all international students in the UK between 2017 and 2020 were sponsored on the Tier 2 visa (now the Skilled Worker visa).

*Image reproduced from Job Ready English's 7 Steps to Getting Hired , using Home Office figures. If you're considering sponsorship, Mike's resources are well worth a look.

Has the Graduate visa made it easier for international students looking for jobs in the UK?

I’m part of a professional network (AGCAS) and a group who specialise in supporting international students with their post-study careers (AGCAS internationalisation group) . We were involved in recent research * with graduates from 71 nationalities who’d studied at 52 UK universities.

The surveys revealed:

• 60% were employed by nine months of graduation (Graduate or Skilled Worker visa)
• 72% were in "graduate level" jobs
• 58% said their expectations of the graduate route visa were met

A big improvement compared to the outcomes for international students before the introduction of the Graduate visa…..But what about the 40% not employed 9 months after their studies? The remaining 42% that said their expectations of the graduate route visa were not being met and the 42% that said they had to apply to 50 jobs or more...

What's going on here?

In my role I work almost exclusively with international students. I know the issue is not finding jobs to apply to, or because they aren’t experienced enough or because they aren’t impressing UK employers (they can, they are and they definitely do). The problem seems to be visa related. One respondent in the AGCAS research said:

“Finding a job was a soul crushing experience at moments. Many recruiters told me I?filled the ‘profile’ they were looking for but asked me to?“fix” my migration situation?before applying for a job.”

And it doesn’t stop there. This video shows posts that I've spotted in the last few weeks, across the UK. The posts are from students and professionals from many UK universities:

Solving the visa problem

I believe most problems have a solution if you spend enough time on them. Look at it from different angles. Seek advice from people with different perspectives. So that’s what I did. I spoke to employers. I spoke to a negotiation expert. I spoke to an immigration lawyer. It's no surprise that I've ended up with quite a bit to say. So much that I've had to split this article into 3 parts. So I hope you're sitting comfortably. Grab a cup of tea, and I will share everything I have found.

The most effective way to get a job in the UK

Before we start to dig into the issue of visas and job hunting, a quick reminder. The very best way to get a job in the UK is to put a lot of time and effort into writing brilliant applications and performing well at interview. Please, please, please ask your university careers services for help. You will save yourself a lot of time and effort if you focus on what UK employers expect. Techniques that may have worked in your home country often don’t impress UK employers. Many international students get rejected over and over and over simply because they don’t understand what UK employers want. Make sure you don't make the same mistake.

Why are visas a problem for some employers?

• UK immigration rules change all the time. Visas are created, changed and removed regularly depending on UK politics and economics. When the economy is weak and UK citizens are struggling for employment, working visas are withdrawn. This constant flux means it’s hard for employers to keep up with what they can and can’t do.?
• Some employers don’t understand the Graduate visa yet, as it’s still quite new.
• With the UK immigration rules constantly shifting, employers worry about employing someone illegally. UK employers have a duty to prevent illegal working by making sure that their employees are allowed to work in the UK.?
• Employing people without the right immigration status to work in the UK may lead to eye-wateringly high fines. Employers can even face prison sentences, closure of the business and seizure of earnings.
• Sponsoring an international graduate requires a licence, which costs the employer time and money. Maybe the process feels complicated and difficult to understand.
• Although the Graduate visa is less complicated than sponsorship, the length (2 years or 3 years for PhD grads) is problematic.

?I have seen this last point about the length of the Graduate visa mentioned frequently. This student who took part in the AGCAS research said:

"I thought a Graduate visa would open the doors of employment for me, but it didn’t. Most of the responses I get after?applying for a job and getting into an interview is that as you are on a graduate visa, you will not be able to work after our training program of 12-24 months as we are not going to sponsor in future either. If you do have any other way of getting a visa along with this job, then we can consider you"

For employers and recruiters, the concern is about a return on their investment (i.e. recruiting and training you).

If you've never thought about return on investment from the employer's perspective, this slide from a presentation by Gradconsult might surprise you:

Is there any hope?

It may be that you've read this far and you are starting to feel a bit disheartened. I understand that. Finding work in the UK is really important to you. You have made a huge investment in time and money to study here. Maybe loved ones have also invested in you. Finding a job is a big deal.

Time for some positivity then!

Look at this recent post from an employer:

Something happened that caused Jake to hire Simran. What was it?

Jake decided that the rewards of having Simran in his team were greater than the risks of hiring her on a visa..

If you can off-set risks and highlight rewards, you will be more likely to convince employers to hire you.

What are the rewards for the employer in hiring you?

Employers and recruiters want someone who 1) has the skills required for the role 2) shares the values and vision of the company 3) really wants this job 4) is passionate about the company.

Your careers service can help you with every part of this (HINT- create tailored CVs and cover letters)

Other rewards for employers in hiring amazing students like you include:

1. Your resilience is through the roof. Bright Network’s 2022 research shows that employers are increasingly hiring with resilience in mind. This is one of the impacts of the pandemic on recruitment. As an international student, you have coped with so much- living far from your loved ones, managing your finances, and navigating the visa regulations just for starters! I am certain you have the resilience of a rubber band (i.e. a lot!).
2. You are a product of a different culture. Why not use this to your advantage? This useful tool from Hofstede Insights allows you to read about and compare culture between different countries. According to Hofstede, Indian culture is higher in power distance than the UK, which means that Indian workers are eager to follow instruction and be directed by their superiors. Chinese culture prioritises success and many Chinese people will choose work over family and leisure. Think about how you could help an employer understand these rewards of hiring from your culture.
3. And so many more. Spend some time thinking about what you have to offer. If you need some more ideas, this excellent blog from FDM explains 12 Reasons Why Businesses Should Hire Graduates in 2022 |

What are the risks in hiring you?

• Cost and time involved in visas
• Accidentally breaking immigration rules from not fully understanding visas
• The risk of losing you (and everything they have invested in you) after two years when your Graduate visa runs out.

Let's come back to these risks in part 3, where I will be sharing insights from an immigration lawyer.

What are the risks if they don’t employ you?

Let's work out what your unique value is as an international student. How could your international perspective benefit them? What do you have that most graduates from the UK can’t offer?

1)?????You are unique. You left your family, your home and even your country to come to the UK. Many of your friends chose not to. What makes you different from others who stayed in your home country? By coming to the UK to study, you have shown that you’re a risk taker, a pioneer, a brave adventurer and explorer of new worlds. This is wonderful! Point out the relevance of this to employers and recruiters. To help you understand more about these skills, check out this list by Study International .

2)?????Your commercial awareness is international.?If you haven’t heard of?commercial awareness?before you can find out more from Bright Network . Commercial awareness is your understanding of how business works, and how it is affected by world events. As an international student, you are in a unique position to talk about an industry from a UK perspective but also from the viewpoint of your home country. You may not know much yet, but I’m certain you could call on friends or family members at home to help you find out more. This will allow you to impress employers with your international commercial awareness!

Try to find out more about relevant topics for your chosen profession in your home country. This might mean tapping into industry research, professional associations, talking to people in your network or asking friends and family for their help. Do anything you can to find out about how related markets or processes work in your home country. Perhaps supply chain technology in your home country is more effective? Maybe advertising uses a different approach? Or the start-up culture in your home country has led to some fascinating innovations that are slow to emerge in the UK? Give this one some consideration as it could be the perfect piece of leverage (more on leverage in part 2 !)

Now what?

It's clear that the Graduate visa has made a big difference in the success rate of students finding jobs in the UK, compared to the old system. But it's not as effective as it could be (yet). Remember it is still very early days for this visa. Employers and recruiters worry about breaking the law and about the logistics of hiring someone on a visa. Return on investment is important in recruitment. In order to off-set some of these risks, you need to highlight the many rewards of hiring you.

But how can we put this knowledge into use? What do we say and when? I think negotiation tactics might help us here....Have a read of the 2nd blog in this series , where I'll be talking to Jack Austin from The Negotiation Club .

*This research was a brilliant collaboration between many organisations who are working to support international students UKCISA - international student advice and guidance - International Student Employability Group