The Graduate Immigration Route (GIR) was introduced on July 1st, 2021, allowing all international students in the UK enrolling after July 2021 to remain in the UK for two years upon completing their course. The GIR, formerly known as the post-study work visa, was initially introduced in 2007 before being discontinued on April 6, 2012. It was then reintroduced in 2021 under the name GIR. However, within just 3 years of its reintroduction, the UK government has ordered a review for multiple factors.

 Growing numbers

So why is the UK government reviewing the GIR visa? Since the scheme’s introduction in 2021, there has been tremendous growth in the number of students studying and applying for GIR.  The UK Home Office has reported that it has issued 1,75,872 GIR visas since the route's introduction in 2021. UK Home Secretary James Cleverly recently ordered the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC), an independent, non-departmental body that advises the UK government on migration issues, to review the impact and usage of the GIR by international students.

The Migration Advisory Committee has been tasked with examining five key areas:

1. Determining evidence of abuse: The government wants to ensure that the GIR is not being used by international students as a means to gain entry into the UK through the backdoor, especially for those who are not genuinely interested in study in the UK.

2. Identify which universities are issuing the most GIR visas and how the numbers have increased.

3. Assessing whether the GIR is actually helping international students find suitable opportunities in the UK.

4. Analysing how the UK benefits from the GIR regarding skillset and contribution to the economy.

5. Most importantly, determining whether the GIR is attracting the best and brightest students from around the world, which was the primary objective of introducing the visa.

Date of final decision

While the Migration Advisory Committee has been given a deadline of May 14 to submit their review to Home Secretary James Cleverly, it is unlikely that we will have a final decision soon after. The government has not announced a date for the final verdict, but it is predicted that it may come out in July or even later, as the government might need time to examine the review report from MAC.