The UK’s High Potential Individual (HPI) visa is designed for international graduates from top global universities to come to the UK for work, without needing sponsorship or a job offer. It aims to encourage highly skilled and qualified graduates to develop their skills and experience in the UK at the same time as to give UK employers the chance to access an international pool of highly talented graduates. The applicant must have been awarded an overseas degree-level academic qualification from one of a selection of top global universities to qualify.
HPI visa holders have the right to work which includes employment, self-employment and voluntary work. Entrepreneurs can set up their own businesses in the UK. The only restriction is not being allowed to work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach.
HPI Visa holders can also study while in the UK, subject to needing an ATAS certificate: ATAS stands for Academic Technology Approval Scheme, the details of which are set out in Appendix ATAS of the Immigration Rules.
HPI visa-holders may be joined or accompanied by a spouse or partner, and any dependent children under 18, subject to the eligibility requirements.
HPI visa holders must fulfil education, English language and financial requirements as set out in more detail below.
The visa lasts either 2 or 3 years depending on the type of degree.
The HPI visa route cannot be extended, nor does it lead to settlement so if you wish to settle in the UK, you will need to switch to an alternative route like the Skilled Worker route which does lead to settlement after 5 years.
You might need to provide a TB certificate or police registration certificate depending on where you are from.
HPI visa holders must be over 18 years old.
Applicants relying on a qualification equivalent to either a UK Bachelor’s or master’s level degree, will be granted entry clearance or leave to remain for a period of 2 years.
Applicants relying on a qualification equivalent to a UK PhD or other doctoral level qualification, will be given permission to live in the UK for 3 years.
HPI visa holders must have been awarded an overseas bachelor’s or postgraduate degree qualification in the last 5 years from a top global university that features on the High Potential Individual visa: global universities list which is updated annually. Their university must have been on the list at the time they were awarded their degree. 20 of the 42 universities currently on the list are based in the USA.
HPI visa applicants must show that they can understand and communicate in English to at least level B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) scale. They will be assessed in each of reading, writing, speaking and listening.
HPI visa applicants will often be able to satisfy the English language requirement through (i) being a national of a majority English-speaking country or (ii) through their degree having been taught in English or having obtained another relevant qualification whilst at school in the UK. Subject to proving their identity and nationality or receipt of the relevant qualification, they will normally be able to easily satisfy this requirement.
Otherwise, unless they have already met the English language requirement in a previous visa application, they will need to pass an approved English language test with an approved provider such as Pearson, Trinity College London, IELTS SELT Consortium or LanguageCert.
HPI visa holders must be able to show that they can support themselves on their arrival in the UK without being reliant on public funds. This normally means being able to show at least £1,270 of cash funds at the date of application which have been held in their bank account for 28 days or more, ending no more than 31 days before the date of their application.
If the applicant has already been in the UK for 12 months and is applying to switch into this route from the UK, they will not need to show any funds.
These requirements relate to an applicant’s character and immigration history and are relevant for all immigration applications to the UK. Failure to meet the suitability requirements will normally result in the application being refused.
Part 9 of the Immigration Rules sets out the various possible grounds for a visa being refused. Examples of refusal grounds include:
It is not permitted to switch from any of the following visas:
It is also not permitted for an applicant to have previously been granted permission under the Student Doctorate Extension Scheme, the Graduate route or as a High Potential Individual.
Whether applying from inside or outside the UK, a valid application form needs to be submitted online, the correct application fees need to be paid, and various documents need to be submitted in support. Depending on where the applicant is from and what type of passport they hold, they either must attend an in-person biometric appointment or will be able to prove their identity online.
The normal processing times once the application has been submitted and biometrics and documents provided is 8 weeks if applying from within the UK or 3 weeks if applying from overseas. Both priority and super priority service are available for this visa application meaning that you can choose to have the application processed within 5 working days or 1 working day for an additional fee.
Other time factors to take into account with these applications is the time it will take to obtain TB certificates/criminal record certificates and/or qualifying statements from ECCTIS.
Examples of the supporting documents which need to be submitted are as follows:
You will need to pay the application fee of £822 and the immigration health surcharge at the full rate of £1035 per year. You may also have to pay a fee to ECCTIS to check the validity of your qualification if necessary. And remember you might also need to show that you have £1,270 available to support yourself upon arrival in the UK, unless you are exempt or pay translation fees for any non-English documents to be translated by a certified translator. All these fees will need to be paid upfront either before or at the time of submitting the application online.
One of the biggest advantages of these visas is the flexibility and the relatively simple application process. Applicants don’t need a job offer nor an employment sponsor to apply for this visa. This gives these highly skilled and high achieving graduates the flexibility to come to the UK and seek employment opportunities at any skill or salary level and in any occupation.
The HPI visa allows visa holders to stay in the UK for up to 2 years (3 years for those with a PhD or relevant higher qualification), which gives them ample time to find work, gain experience, and establish themselves. They are also allowed to bring their family members with them.
The UK is known for its diversity and innovation, with companies ranging from startups to large corporations. It is a hub for cutting-edge industries like technology, finance, and research. This environment can be particularly appealing for those looking to work in dynamic and international settings.
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