Recently graduated and looking

Students celebrate their graduation ceremony on the steps of Cape Town University where a giant picture of Nelson Mandela hangs down on December13 2013, in Cape Town. Mandela, South Africa’s first democratically elected president, and Nobel Peace Prize winner, died at his home in Johannesburg on December 5, 2013. AFP PHOTO / RODGER BOSCH (Photo […]

Recently graduated and looking to live and work in the UK?

The Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur immigration route is definitely one of the most exciting routes for South Africans graduates, who are looking to establish a business in the UK. It offers many advantages, including the fact that dependants may accompany the main applicant.

Recently graduated and looking

Students celebrate their graduation ceremony on the steps of Cape Town University where a giant picture of Nelson Mandela hangs down on December13 2013, in Cape Town. Mandela, South Africa’s first democratically elected president, and Nobel Peace Prize winner, died at his home in Johannesburg on December 5, 2013. AFP PHOTO / RODGER BOSCH (Photo […]

One of the most exciting immigration categories available to South African graduates, both from UK and overseas higher institutions, is the Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur route.

This route allows non-EEA graduates to stay in the UK after their graduation. In order to qualify you must be identified by an authorised UK Higher Education Institution or the UK Trade and Investment (for overseas graduates), as a person who has developed genuine and credible business ideas and entrepreneurial skills, with the view to establish a business in the UK.

In order to apply to be endorsed, the applicant can lodge an application with the relevant institution.

Every year there are 2,000 places available to graduates under this category. Non-EEA applicants graduating from UK Higher Institutions are eligible for 1,900 places, and applicants who graduate from overseas higher institutions are eligible for the remaining 100 places.

Apart from this endorsement, candidates will also have to fulfil an English language and a maintenance fund requirement. If successful in your application, you will be granted an initial leave to remain for a period of one year, after which you will be able to apply for an extension for another year. The maximum period allow under this category is two years.

After two years in this category you should be eligible to apply as a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur). Other benefits include the fact, that apart for the business or businesses you have established, you may take other employment, provided that this is not as doctor or dentist in training or as a professional sportsperson. You will also beallowed to study further subject to certain conditions.

Your spouse/civil partner/ unmarried partner/ same-sex partners, and dependant children will be allowed to accompany you, provided they meet the relevant requirements.

Whilst this category does not, in itself, lead to Permanent Residence, it does provide an applicant with up to two years’ Leave to Remain in the UK, which may facilitate future applications to enter an immigration route which will lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain.

For more information on this exciting immigration route, contact your BIC consultant today. www.bic-immigration.com or info@ bic-immigration.com

 

Image by Jens Schlueter/Getty Images