International students make a huge contribution to the UK and bring with them a range of skills and experiences, drawn directly from their studies and from their lived experience in their home country.
In 2022, the UK hosted over 600,000 international students from all over the world. Many are studying higher-level qualifications, providing an important source of highly skilled workers across all regions of the UK.
Since the introduction of the Graduate Route visa and the Skilled Worker Route visa it has never been easier for employers to hire from this rich pool of international talent, but recent HEPI and Kaplan research has shown that only 3% of employers said they had knowingly made use of the Graduate Route visa and 27% of employers said they were not at all familiar with the Graduate Route visa.
In addition, a recent All Party Parliamentary Group for International Students report recommended that the higher education sector should “create a clear strategy for international student employability that supports students and graduates, and provides the knowledge, tools, and skills they need to navigate the various options open to them post study.”
