Nigerian students affected as UK slashes graduate visa from two years to 18 months

Nigerian students will feel the effects of the UK’s move to shorten the post-study Graduate Route visa from two years to 18 months.

The new policy is part of sweeping immigration reforms aimed at addressing what the UK Home Office has called “systemic abuse and mission drift” in international education, asylum, and family migration.

Announced in an Immigration White Paper released on Monday, the UK government confirmed the shortened visa duration alongside tighter pathways to work visas and new restrictions on bringing dependants.

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The Home Office stated on its website, “Migration must be controlled and compliant. Our reforms will close the back doors and shut down abuse across the system.

“The Graduate Route — previously offering two years of post-study work rights — will now offer only 18 months, with a tighter pathway to work visas and fewer rights to bring dependants.

“The Graduate Route has not met its original objectives. It has become a loophole for unsponsored work and a magnet for abuse.”

Under the new rules, only institutions that meet “enhanced compliance standards” will be allowed to continue recruiting international students.

Universities with low graduate progression-to-work rates or found to be using misleading recruitment practices will face sanctions.

The policy shift is expected to affect thousands of international students, particularly Nigerians, who represent one of the largest foreign student populations in the UK.

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