UK to Announce New Visa to Attract Talented University Graduates. Job Offer Not Needed. Check Who Can Apply

London: The United Kingdom is planning to introduce yet another visa to attract high potential individuals and fresh university graduates to the country. Likely to be launched on May 30, the High Potential Individual (HPI) visa from the UK is aimed at attracting high-skilled foreign university graduates. These graduates will be allowed to work and stay in the UK for two or three years, depending on their degree level.Also Read – India Could be Transporting Western Military Equipment to Russia: Report

As per a report by Economic Times, the applicants won’t need a job offer or sponsorship to apply for the High Potential Individual (HPI) visa and holders of this visa will be free to come to the UK to work, set up as self-employed and volunteer. Also Read – Cambridge University Launches New Free Foundation Course

“The new High Potential Individual route will make it as simple as possible for internationally mobile individuals who demonstrate high potential to come to the UK,” Minister for Safe and Legal Migration Kevin Foster said in a statement. Also Read – UK to Provide More Military Equipment to Ukraine, Reopen Embassy in Kyiv: Johnson to Zelensky

He further added that the visa process will enable those who have already demonstrated their potential through academic achievement to come to the UK without a prior job offer.

What are the academic requirements?

The applicants must have a degree from a world-renowned university. The British government said it will release the list once a year on the Gov.uk website. The list will include schools that feature on the top 50 in at least two of three renowned rankings:

• Times Higher Education World University rankings
• Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University rankings
• The Academic Ranking of the World Universities

Moreover, the applicants must have been awarded the degree within five years of application.

The degree of the applicant can be in any discipline but has to be equivalent to not less than UK bachelor’s degree.

Is there any English language requirement?

If the applicant’s degree wasn’t taught in English, then they will need to pass at least the B1 level of an accepted English language test.

If their degree was taught in English, they will need a certificate from the awarding body or a university transcript.

However, if the degree was awarded outside the UK, the applicants will need confirmation from Ecctis that the qualification meets the required standard of a UK bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degree.

What are the financial requirements for HPI visa?

The applicants will have to show the equivalent of at least £1,270 in your bank account for a continuous 28-day period no later than 31 days prior to making the High Potential Individual visa application.

If the applicants are a resident in the UK for more than 12 months, they might not need to meet this requirement.

What is cost of HPI visa ?

£715

How long applicants can stay in UK with the HPI visa?

The university graduates with a bachelor’s or a master’s degree will be given the visa for two years. PhD or another doctoral level graduates will get visas valid for three years. The High Potential Individual (HPI) visa can only be granted once and will not be available to those who have already had Graduate visa.