A new migration briefing shows Nigerian students are the most likely international graduates to remain in the UK after completing their studies, despite stricter immigration policies and proposed settlement reforms.
Nigerian students are the most likely international graduates to remain in the United Kingdom after completing their studies, despite tougher immigration rules and plans to make permanent settlement more difficult. A new briefing on international student migration found that about 78 per cent of Nigerians who first arrived on UK student visas in 2020 still held valid visas at the end of 2025, the highest proportion among the major nationalities examined. According to the report, Indian students ranked behind Nigerians, with 58 per cent still holding valid visas after five years, while students from countries such as China and the United States were significantly less likely to remain in Britain. The findings indicate that more international graduates are choosing to stay in the UK by switching to visa categories that allow them to continue living and working after completing their studies.
Vanguard reported that the report showed that among all migrants who entered the UK on study visas in 2020, 41 per cent still had permission to remain by the end of 2025. Of those, 26 per cent had moved onto work visas, six per cent remained on study visas, while 59 per cent no longer held valid visas, suggesting they had most likely left the country. It also noted that only 25 per cent of students who arrived in 2019 still had valid visas five years later, highlighting a growing trend of graduates remaining in the UK for longer periods after finishing their education.
According to the report, staying longer in the UK does not automatically place graduates on the path to permanent residency. It explained that time spent on student visas and Graduate Visas does not count toward the standard five-year residence requirement for indefinite leave to remain. Instead, those years are counted under a separate long-residence route that requires 10 years of lawful and continuous residence before migrants can qualify for settlement. The report added that the UK government’s proposals announced in November 2025 would double the standard settlement requirement to 10 years. As of June 2026, however, it said details of how and when the proposed changes would take effect remained unclear.
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