Covid-19 visa concession extended by UK Government

The UK’s education and related systems have altered in order to accommodate students in light of the ever-changing circumstances caused by the global pandemic. 

The UK Government has confirmed that they have extended the Covid-19 concessions on Visa rules. 

The extension is in relation to having to be in the UK in order to study in the UK. The new date for the deadline is now extended to April 6th, 2022 as a result of the ongoing implications of the Covid-19 pandemic. The extension has been put in place to help encourage students to be as organised as possible and be ready by the deadline to be part of the next intake.

To explain this in simple terms, this means that international students who are newly arriving to the UK will be able to begin their studies remotely if restrictions and health and visa rules and protocols require them to do so. 

The news was announced by Kevin Foster, The UK’s Minister for Immigration on Thursday, July 1. 

Also announced on the same day by Foster was the new graduate route which allows international graduates who have obtained a degree in the UK to stay and seek work in the UK following their graduation for at least two years.

The idea of the new route being launched is to encourage students and to also highlight and attract some of the best talents and opportunities from around the world which will allow UK businesses and businesses based in the UK to recruit highly skilled and qualified recruits. 

Communities in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland will aim to benefit from the new initiative. For more information on this, you can click here.

The news on the visas comes as it was also recently announced that international students will be eligible to receive a free Covid-19 vaccination whilst studying in UK universities. 

The news comes as normality is doing it’s best to resume and colleges and universities across the country can get back to old ways and welcome students back into classrooms, lecture halls and on campus while also welcoming international students safely in the process.

International students have also received an extension on the application for the new UK post-study work visa. 

The original date was changed as a result of the pandemic and has now been extended to the later date of September 27th, 2021. This applies to international students who have begun their studies in autumn of 2020.