Juliet Jacob 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The United Kingdom has introduced a sweeping immigration reform that will allow international students to convert their study visas directly into Innovator Founder visas without leaving the country — a shift hailed as one of the nation’s most transformative pro-innovation policies in a decade.
Beginning 25 November 2025, international graduates with valid Student visa status can remain in the UK while applying to launch a business under the Innovator Founder route, ending the long-criticised “exit-and-reapply” rule.
“This change removes a major frustration for talented international students who want to build companies here in the UK,” Immigration Minister Seema Malhotra said in a statement to Parliament. “We want the next generation of global unicorn founders growing from British soil.”
Universities and tech accelerators had repeatedly condemned the old policy, which forced even PhD-holding innovators to leave the UK — sometimes for months — before their visa switch could be processed. Critics said the rule weakened Britain’s competitiveness in attracting global talent.
Tech Nation CEO Tom Bewicke welcomed the reform, calling it “a game-changer.” He said the organisation had seen “brilliant student-led teams literally pack their bags because they faced months of forced exile.”
The adjustment reflects recommendations in the UK’s 2025 Migration White Paper and aligns with similar “stay-and-build” pathways in Australia and the United States.
Applicants must still secure new endorsement from approved bodies — Tech Nation, Envestors, or the Global Entrepreneurs Programme — while demonstrating that their ideas are innovative, viable, and scalable.
Universities UK described the shift as “long overdue,” while the Entrepreneurs Network called it “the most pro-innovation immigration moves in years.”
The reform is part of a broader immigration overhaul taking effect this autumn, including tightened suitability rules and a unified refusal framework across visa categories.
About the Author
Mirian Gom 
Chukwu Obinna 
