OXFORD

DEVELOPING YOUR CAREER IDEAS
B
VISA OPTIONS FOR
WORKING IN THE UK
To stay in the UK to work after your studies, overseas students
will need permission in the form of an immigration visa, unless
you are an EEA or Swiss national. The rules about working in the
UK are complex and change frequently, so be sure to check for
full and up-to-date information.
The University’s Visa and Immigration Advisers give regular
talks at the Careers Service on the current work visa options
and can also cover individual queries. Check our event
calendar on CareerConnect for details. Regrettably, The
Careers Service’s staff cannot advise on visas.
Up to date information on all your visa options is available
through the webpages of:
] Oxford University: www.ox.ac.uk/students/visa/work
] UK Government: www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/
work-visas
] UKCISA: the UK Council for International Student Affairs:
www.ukcisa.org.uk/information--advice/working/workingafter-studies
TIER 2 VISAS
Under Tier 2, licensed employers can sponsor applicants for
for applying in the UK for a Tier 2 visa for recent graduates
and DPhil students who have completed at least a year of
their course. To qualify under this scheme you must have
requirements. You will need to discuss with a prospective
employer whether they are willing and able to sponsor you.
The salary offered must be both at the appropriate level for
special arrangements for students, your employer is exempt
from undertaking a Resident Labour Market Test. It is also
possible to apply under Tier 2 later from outside the UK, but
this is more restrictive for both you and the employer.
UKCISA provides useful information about applying under
register to see whether an employer is a Tier 2 licensed
sponsor. See: www.gov.uk/government/publications/registerof-licensed-sponsors-workers
TIER 4 - DOCTORATE EXTENSION
SCHEME
Tier 4 (Doctorate Extension Scheme) allows DPhil students
nearing the end of their studies to stay in the UK for one year
sponsored by the University and apply in the UK before you
TIER 1 - GRADUATE ENTREPRENEUR
Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) is for graduates who have a
genuine and credible business idea for development in the
UK. Oxford University can endorse applicants each year and
applications are made via The Careers Service. We advertise
details of the application process via The Careers Service’s
blog and in our newsletters. Students considering a Tier 1
application may want to discuss their business idea with our
Entrepreneur in Residence: see Business Mentoring (p.34).
OTHER OPTIONS
Nationals from some countries may have other access to
other routes for working in the UK, including a scheme for
Commonwealth citizens with a grandparent born in the UK,
and the Tier 5 visa (Youth Mobility Scheme), both of which
you must apply for from your home country.
www.careers.ox.ac.uk 29