New UK visa exempts graduates from Nigerian universities

The United Kingdom is set to commence issuance of a new visa that allows holders of bachelor degrees, masters and doctorates to travel to the country and work in fields such as science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.

The visa allows applicants to relocate to the UK without a prior job offer or sponsorship but some of the requirements exempt those who graduated from Nigerian universities. UK is one of the choice destinations for many Nigerians seeking to relocate abroad. 

The new visa policy, which is expected to take off on May 30, requires prospective applicants to have graduated from top 50 schools featured in renowned world university ranking. 

According to the UK Minister of Safe and Legal Migration, Kevin Foster, the “High Potential Individual” visa route is targeted at attracting high-skilled foreign university graduates, who will be allowed to work and stay in the UK for two or three years. On the expiration of the visa, the holders can switch to “permits under the skilled worker, start up and innovator, exceptional talent, or scale up route” for continued stay in the UK. Checks by Daily Trust, however, revealed that no Nigerian university features among the top 50 universities in the latest reports of the three global university rankings recognised by the UK government. The government said the list would be compiled annually and would comprise institutions included in the list of “the top 50 universities in at least two of the following ranking systems.”