Statistics show that the UK was home to 605,130 international students in 2021. This is a huge untapped pool of talent for employers. In fact, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that employing international students is beneficial for business.
Since the global pandemic, labour shortages in the UK have been on the rise. In particular, core sectors such as construction, hospitality, transport and logistics, and healthcare have been affected. This, coupled with the effects of Brexit, has taken its toll on the labour market. For instance, Brexit saw the mass exodus of foreign workers in a wide range of job roles spanning multiple key sectors. As employers desperately try to fill these roles and plug skill gaps, international students are playing an increasingly pivotal role.
In this article, we’ll reveal 5 ways that hiring international students can benefit your business.
Employing International Students On a Graduate Visa UK
Before we look at the advantages of hiring international students, let’s review the most common route. The Graduate visa offers international students the right to stay and work in the UK for as long as three years after they finish their studies. This visa is part of the government’s points-based immigration system that was introduced post-Brexit. The goal behind the system is to allow the UK to fill labour shortages and skills gaps with highly-qualified international talent.
The scheme entitles undergraduates and master’s students to stay and work in the UK for two years after they complete their studies. This increases to three years for PhD students. As an employer, the Graduate visa is an effective way to tap into a pool of fresh talent.
Now let’s explore how employing international students UK can add value to your business.
5 Benefits of Employing International Students
Employers are always on the lookout for new ways to hire and keep the best of the best. The search can often take up a lot of valuable time and resources. What’s more, it can be costly. But, what if we told you that there is a highly-qualified and accessible talent pool that you haven’t tapped into yet? International students. Often overlooked, international students have a lot of valuable skills that can help a company to thrive.
Here’s a closer look at just 5 of those benefits.
1. Employing international students creates a diverse workplace
Forget about quotas, countless studies have shown that there are huge benefits of having a diverse workforce. Diverse teams not only perform better, but they are also more innovative. When it comes to creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce, many employers look close to home. However, employing international students is another fantastic way to boost diversity.
An international workforce creates an environment that welcomes diverse religions, languages, races, ethnicities, cultures, and mindsets. This gives your business a competitive edge. Internationally diverse teams have the edge when it comes to key soft skills such as problem-solving and technical skills too.
Have you ever heard of the term global and intercultural fluency? According to NACE, It is “the ability to value, respect and learn from diversity. Demonstrate openness, inclusiveness, sensitivity and excel in diverse workplaces.” This is a major driver for employers.
International students tend to have high global and intercultural fluency. Therefore, they can have a significant positive impact on the culture of your business. Great corporate culture manifests itself in many ways, including higher employee engagement and better retention rates.
Want to know more? Check out our handy employer’s guide on creating a more diversity-focused hiring process.
2. Hiring international students is key to breaking into new markets
Most international students speak more than one language. What’s more, they have valuable knowledge of different markets, cultures, and business practices. This is priceless for businesses. In particular, businesses with a plan to expand.
Let’s say your company has plans to conduct business on a global scale. Perhaps it wants to begin by breaking into the Portuguese market. Hiring international students from Portugal will be a huge asset in your expansion plans.
There are also benefits for your clients and customers too. International graduates can offer insights into what engages your new audience. That way, your business can connect with them on a deeper level.
3. You don’t need to sponsor international students
One of the biggest barriers for employers looking to hire international students in the UK is understanding the law. Luckily, hiring international students on a Graduate visa is a very simple process. As an employer, you don’t need to sponsor international graduates or hold a sponsor licence. This is a major advantage because it saves the business additional administrative responsibilities.
The Graduate visa allows employers to hire international graduates on fixed-term or temporary contracts during the two-year period after finishing their studies. Compared to the Skilled Worker visa, this is a much more simple process. For example, under the Skilled Worker visa, employers are required to sponsor the worker for up to five years. They must also pay the minimum salary thresholds for the skillset the worker possesses. With a Graduate Visa, you can hire international graduates in an entry-level position with no salary threshold.
Pro tip: Many employers ask the question ‘Can international students be self-employed in UK?’ The short answer is no. All jobs for international students in the UK must be with an employee contract.
4. Employing international students can plug skills gaps
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, in the wake of Brexit there are an increasing number of skills gaps and labour shortages in the UK. For example, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS). It recently reported that 4.8% of the DCMS workforce had skill gaps. This is true across almost every industry in the UK.
Employing international graduates can help to fill skills gaps in these areas such as data, digital, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), and healthcare.
5. International students hold key skills and are adaptable and resilient employees
Change is a natural part of life. And of business. Following the pandemic, this is truer than ever. As a result, adaptability and resilience are two highly sought-after qualities by employers. International students demonstrate these characteristics in spades. For instance, international students have moved to a completely new country to continue their education. By doing so, they have already shown they are adaptable, flexible, and able to handle change.
Training soft skills such as adaptability, accountability, and independent thinking is tough for employers. That’s why employing international students who have already had to demonstrate these abilities makes so much sense. An adaptable workforce empowers your business to navigate an ever-changing landscape and continue to pivot when challenges come your way.
Final Thoughts
International students are good for the bottom line. Whether it’s full-time employment or part-time jobs in UK for international students, employing international students can help your business thrive. At home and abroad.
Are you an employer looking to hire a student? Developing a student has a wealth of valuable resources for both students and employers. Be sure to check out our services page for information on advertising on our specialist jobs board, creating a company profile, and more!
