International Graduate Scheme Visa

IGS - International graduate scheme
IGS allows non - EEA graduates who completed and acquired a degree, Master's degree, PhD or postgraduate diploma or certificate on or after 1st May 2007 to work in the UK for up to one year.

Overview

Graduates have an opportunity to continue to do so on completion of the period providing that they can satisfy relevant requirements of appropriate immigration category.

The International Graduates Scheme (IGS) was launched with the aim of encouraging graduates of UK further or higher education establishments to pursue a career in the United Kingdom.

Those who complete their courses on or after 1 May 2007 can apply regardless of the subject they have studied.

Those who finished their courses before 1 May 2007 may still apply under the old Science and Engineering Graduate Scheme rules.

IGS is a transitional route which enables students who have studied in the UK to access the labour market and gain work experience in the UK.

During their leave under IGS participants can take any type of employment or self-employment. If they want to remain here beyond their leave under IGS in order to pursue their career, they can switch into various employment or self-employment categories, if they meet the relevant requirements.

Note: There is a possibility to switch IGS into a Work Permit, HSMP, Sole Representative or Business visa and after 5 years you will be able to apply for Indefinite Leave To Remain in the UK which means you can live and work in the UK without any restrictions.

To be granted leave under the scheme, applicants must :

Have successfully completed a relevant course at a recognised or listed UK institution of Higher or Further Education on or after 1 May 2007. A relevant course is:
a Bachelor's degree course; or
a Master's or PhD course; or
a postgraduate certificate or diploma. And must:
Have completed their course in the last 12 months;
Intend to work during the period of leave granted under the scheme.
Be able to maintain and accommodate themselves and any dependants without recourse to public funds;
Intend to leave the UK at the end of their stay (unless granted leave as a work permit holder, highly skilled migrant, business person, innovator or student).
Applicants can apply for IGS before their degree certificate is issued. If they do not have a degree certificate, they can provide a letter from their institution confirming that they have completed the course at the required level.

Applicants who have been sponsored by a government or international scholarship agency will need to obtain written permission from their sponsor before applying for IGS.

Applicants may switch into the scheme whilst in the UK if they have valid leave as a student. This includes leave as a student, a student nurse, to re-sit an examination, or to write up a thesis.

Alternatively you can apply to return to the UK from abroad under the scheme no later than one year after you complete your course (as shown by the date your relevant leave as a student expires). Entry clearance is mandatory for those returning to the UK under the scheme.

What we can do for you

Submitting an application to the UK immigration authorities can be a very complicated, time consuming and sometimes stressful process.

There are usually extensive and detailed rules for each category and it is absolutely vital, therefore, that your application is presented with the correct supporting documents. An incorrectly presented application can either be held up by requests for further information or, at worst, even be refused. Our professional immigration advisers will be happy to assist you with your application to save you from all the hassle and stress.

Our services and Fees
There is number of options available to applicants who will be applying for IGS:

Postal service - we will submit an application to the Home Office on your behalf by post. In this case we should normally receive a result from the Home Office within 3 months. Our fee in assisting you with postal application is £235 and Home Office fee £395.

Same-day visa service - we will submit an application to the Home Office on your behalf in person. This service is often called a same day service as you will receive a result from the Home Office on the same day of our submission. This service is available for you every Friday; however other days may be possible.Our fee in assisting you with premium service is £880 and Home Office fee £595.

Applying overseas - For those who wish to apply for IGS in their country of residence and wish us to represent their case in British Consulate our fee is £450 and consulate fee to British Consulate.
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