Hiring Graduate Visa Holders: Employer Guide

Why Hire Graduate Visa Holders

The Graduate Route creates a large pool of talented international graduates with UK degrees who are immediately available to work. Key advantages for employers:

• No sponsorship costs or administrative burden during the Graduate visa period.
• Graduates bring international perspectives and language skills.
• They have been educated to UK standards and are familiar with UK culture.
• Hiring is as simple as hiring a British worker: conduct a right to work check and offer the job.

Right to Work Checks

As with all employees, you must conduct a right to work check before the employee starts. For Graduate visa holders:

1. Ask the employee to generate a share code from their UKVI account.
2. Enter the share code and the employee's date of birth on the employer checking service.
3. Verify the employee's identity matches the information displayed.
4. Record the date of the check and retain evidence.

The check will show the employee's visa expiry date. Set a diary reminder to conduct a follow-up check before this date. See our right to work check guide.

No Sponsorship Required

Graduate visa holders have unrestricted permission to work. This means:

• You do not need a sponsor licence.
• You do not need to assign a certificate of sponsorship.
• There is no minimum salary or skill level requirement.
• The employee can work full-time or part-time.
• The employee can work for multiple employers simultaneously.

This makes hiring Graduate visa holders significantly easier and cheaper than sponsoring a Skilled Worker. See our Graduate vs Skilled Worker comparison.

Planning for the Transition to Skilled Worker

The Graduate visa is temporary and cannot be extended. If you want to keep an employee beyond the Graduate visa period, you will need to sponsor them on a Skilled Worker visa. Plan early:

1. Get a sponsor licence: If you do not already have one, apply at least 3 months before you need it. See our sponsor licence guide.
2. Check the role qualifies: The role must be at RQF Level 3 or above and appear on the list of eligible occupations.
3. Check the salary: The employee must be paid at least the going rate or the general salary threshold, whichever is higher. New entrant discounts may apply.
4. Assign a certificate of sponsorship: See our CoS guide.

The employee can switch from a Graduate visa to a Skilled Worker visa from inside the UK at any time during their Graduate visa. See our Graduate to Skilled Worker guide.

Costs of Sponsoring After the Graduate Visa

When you transition to sponsoring the employee, costs include:

• Sponsor licence (if you do not already have one): £611 for a small or charitable sponsor, £1,682 for a medium or large one. Paid once — licences no longer expire or need renewing.
• Certificate of sponsorship: £525.
• Immigration Skills Charge: £480 for the first 12 months then £240 for each further 6 months (small or charitable), or £1,320 then £660 (medium or large).
• The employee pays the visa fee and Immigration Health Surcharge.

Since 31 December 2024 the licence fee, its administrative costs and the certificate of sponsorship fee cannot be passed to a Skilled Worker.

For a complete cost breakdown, see our Skilled Worker cost guide.

Common Employer Questions

Can I hire a Graduate visa holder for an internship?

Yes. There are no restrictions on the type of role. Internships, part-time roles, and entry-level positions are all permitted.

What if the employee's Graduate visa is about to expire?

If you submit a Skilled Worker visa application before the Graduate visa expires, the employee can continue working under Section 3C leave while the application is being processed.

Can I be penalised for employing someone whose Graduate visa has expired?

Yes. If you continue to employ someone after their visa has expired without conducting a follow-up right to work check, you may face civil penalties.

Questions and answers