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After completing my masters, can I rejoin my current company in UK?

25 Aug 2026 · Answered by Rakshitha Muthukumar · 2 min read
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Yes, you can rejoin your current UK employer after your masters, either through the unsponsored Graduate Route visa giving two years of work rights, or directly through a Skilled Worker visa if your company holds a sponsor licence and meets the 33,400 pound new entrant salary threshold.

Rakshitha Muthukumar
Rakshitha Muthukumar Verified
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Yes, you can rejoin your current company in the UK after finishing your masters, as long as you switch out of your Student visa before it expires. You have two realistic routes, and choosing between them depends on whether your employer is ready to sponsor you right away.

Your Two Visa Routes Compared

RouteSponsorship neededDurationSalary threshold
Graduate Route VisaNo, you apply independently2 years (18 months if applying on or after 1 January 2027)None
Skilled Worker VisaYes, company needs a sponsor licenceTied to your job33,400 pounds as a new entrant, 41,700 pounds standard

Your Step-By-Step Action Plan

  • Check whether your company already holds a valid sponsor licence on the official UK register of licensed sponsors.
  • Open the conversation with HR 2 to 3 months before graduation, and be clear about whether you need the independent Graduate Route or a Certificate of Sponsorship.
  • Do not work full-time hours on your Student visa while waiting for results, since this breaks immigration rules; you can only go full-time once your new visa application is submitted.

My Advice

Pitch the Graduate Route to your employer as a no-commitment trial period, since it costs them nothing and lets them evaluate you before committing to sponsorship. Start this conversation with HR the moment your final exams are scheduled, not after your results, so there is no gap in your legal right to work.

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