UK eases visa rules as H-1B norms get stiffer

London:Students from foreign countries in the UK will get more flexibility in switching over to work visas, as new immigration rules are introduced from January 11.

The announcement comes amid H-1B visa regulations getting stringent with each passing day. As per the new rules, students from abroad can switch over to Tier-2 visa as soon as they pursue their course.

As per the current norms, they must wait until they procure a degree to register for the Tier-2 visa. This resulted in a significantly small timeframe for students to find a job in the UK.

For example, students going for higher education, like a PG degree course, had to wait for till their thesis was marked or till the time they received a degree and after completion of their course, they could apply for a work visa.

“The new rule will enable them to apply for a Tier-2 visa a few months earlier than what would otherwise have been possible,” says a newsletter by EY-UK, one among the big 4 business consultancies.

London mayor Sadiq Khan earlier suggested that a post-study work visa should be definite from the Tier-2 route and should also empower students to work in the UK for 12-24 months, after their graduation.