The UK Student Visa is primarily designed to allow international students to study at UK institutions, but it also carries limited work rights. For employers, HR directors, and business owners, this presents both opportunities and risks. Students can fill part-time and seasonal roles, and in some cases may provide a pipeline into longer-term sponsored employment after graduation. At the same time, employers must be alert to strict limits imposed by immigration law and ensure compliance through robust right to work checks and HR processes.
What this article is about
This guide provides UK employers and HR professionals with a comprehensive overview of hiring Student Visa holders. It explains the scope of permitted work under the visa, how to carry out right to work checks, the employer’s duties when engaging students, and the risks of non-compliance. It also examines strategic workforce planning considerations, such as managing student workers, preparing for post-study work options like the Graduate Visa, and retaining talent through Skilled Worker sponsorship. All guidance reflects current Home Office rules as at August 2025.
Work Permissions Under the Student Visa
1. Term-Time Restrictions
Student Visa holders enrolled in degree-level courses at recognised higher education providers are permitted to work up to 20 hours per week during term time. For students on below-degree level courses, the limit is 10 hours per week. These limits are strict and apply across all employment combined, not per job. Exceeding them constitutes a breach of visa conditions and could place both the student and the employer at risk. The Home Office defines a “week” as running from Monday to Sunday, so employers must ensure scheduling and payroll align accordingly.
2. Vacation and Full-Time Work
During official vacation periods set by the institution, students are allowed to work full-time. Employers should request written confirmation from the university of these holiday dates, as academic calendars can vary. For postgraduate research students, there is usually no formal vacation entitlement; they may only work full-time once their course has officially ended, unless the institution provides written confirmation of specific holiday entitlement.
3. Prohibited Employment
Certain types of employment are expressly prohibited under the Student Visa route, regardless of hours worked. These include:
- Self-employment or engaging in business activity
- Working as a professional sportsperson or sports coach
- Employment as an entertainer
- Taking up a permanent full-time role
4. Dependant Work Rights
Where a student is accompanied by dependants (partners or children), their work rights are broader. Eligible dependants of postgraduate students on courses of nine months or longer are permitted to work without restriction (except for self-employment as a professional sportsperson or coach). This means dependants may take up full-time, permanent roles. Employers should distinguish between a student’s limited permissions and a dependant’s broader entitlements, ensuring right to work checks reflect the individual’s actual visa type.
Section Summary
Student Visa work rights allow for limited part-time work during term time and full-time hours during vacations, with strict prohibitions on self-employment and certain professions. Employers must also differentiate between students and their dependants, as the latter may enjoy wider work entitlements. Understanding these parameters is the first step in ensuring lawful engagement of international students.
Employer Compliance Duties
1. Carrying Out Right to Work Checks
Employers must confirm that every worker has valid immigration permission before employment commences. For Student Visa holders, this is typically evidenced through a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) or a digital immigration status accessible via the Home Office’s online service using a share code. Employers must:
- Check the visa expiry date
- Confirm the permitted working hours during term time
- Retain evidence of the right to work check, either as a copy of the BRP or a digital confirmation from the Home Office service
- Retain a copy of the student’s official academic term and vacation dates, where working hours are restricted
2. Monitoring Working Hours
Employers have a duty to ensure Student Visa holders do not exceed their permitted hours. This requires internal monitoring, such as:
- Recording all hours worked across multiple sites or branches
- Preventing students from holding combined contracts that exceed visa restrictions
- Training line managers and HR teams to recognise term-time vs vacation limits
Failure to monitor hours could result in the student breaching their conditions, exposing the employer to liability.
3. Record-Keeping Requirements
Home Office compliance guidance requires employers to keep clear and accessible records. For Student Visa holders, this may include:
- A copy of the student’s term and vacation dates issued by their education provider
- Signed contracts of employment confirming hours of work
- Payroll records demonstrating adherence to visa limits
Such documentation provides evidence of compliance in the event of a Home Office audit.
4. Risks of Non-Compliance
If a student is found to be working in breach of their visa conditions, the employer risks:
- A civil penalty of up to £60,000 per illegal worker (increased from £20,000 in January 2024)
- Revocation of their sponsor licence, if applicable
- Criminal prosecution if knowingly employing a student in breach of conditions
- Reputational harm from enforcement action or media exposure
Section Summary
Employers hiring Student Visa holders must go beyond initial right to work checks and actively monitor hours worked, retain evidence of compliance, and remain alert to visa expiry dates. Failure to meet these duties can expose employers to significant financial, legal, and reputational risks.
HR and Workforce Planning
1. Common Roles for Student Workers
Many employers engage international students in roles that naturally complement their limited working rights and academic commitments. Typical engagements include part-time retail and hospitality roles, seasonal work during peak periods, administrative support with flexible hours, and internships or work placements that align with their studies.
2. Structuring Hours and Contracts
Contracts for student workers should clearly state maximum permitted hours during term time and explain how shifts are allocated to avoid breaches. Employers should implement controls to ensure the weekly limit applies across all employment combined, not per job. Practical steps include using HRIS caps to prevent scheduling above 20 (or 10) hours, capturing actual hours worked on payroll, and running exception reports to flag potential breaches.
Where a work placement is an assessed, integral part of the course (often called a “sandwich placement”), it is not subject to the 20-hour limit. Such placements must be authorised by the education sponsor and will usually be limited to a set proportion of the course length, unless a statutory exception applies. By contrast, ordinary internships outside the assessed course remain subject to the standard term-time limits.
3. Managing Dependants in Employment
Where you hire dependants of Student Visa holders, their permissions typically allow full-time, permanent work (with standard prohibitions such as professional sportsperson). HR teams should confirm the dependant’s own immigration status at onboarding, retain the right to work evidence on file, and distinguish their entitlements from the principal student’s restricted hours.
4. Transition to Graduate Visa or Skilled Worker
Employers seeking to retain talented student workers should plan for post-study options. The Graduate Visa permits work without sponsorship for a limited, non-extendable period and does not count towards ILR. For longer-term retention, transitioning to the Skilled Worker route will require a sponsor licence and compliance with role eligibility and salary thresholds in force at the time.
Section Summary
With clear contracts, scheduling controls, and accurate record-keeping, employers can integrate Student Visa holders effectively while staying compliant. Distinguish course-integrated placements from ordinary internships, verify dependant permissions separately, and plan early for Graduate and Skilled Worker pathways to retain talent lawfully.
Business Benefits and Future Planning
1. Recruiting International Talent
Employing Student Visa holders enables organisations to access a global pool of talent already studying in the UK. These individuals often bring language skills, cultural awareness, and international experience. For sectors with high turnover or seasonal fluctuations, such as hospitality, retail, and social care, student workers can fill immediate gaps while contributing to workforce diversity.
2. Graduate Visa Implications
The Graduate Visa route allows eligible students to remain in the UK to work for two years (or three for PhD graduates) after completing their studies, without requiring employer sponsorship. For employers, this offers a low-cost way to retain skilled graduates and to assess their performance before considering sponsorship. However, the Graduate Visa is non-extendable and does not count towards Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). Employers must therefore anticipate longer-term immigration planning if retention beyond this period is desired.
3. Skilled Worker Sponsorship
Transitioning from Student or Graduate Visa status to the Skilled Worker route enables employers to retain international talent on a longer-term basis. This requires the employer to hold a valid sponsor licence and comply with UKVI sponsorship duties, including meeting minimum salary thresholds and role eligibility requirements. Employers should weigh the costs of sponsorship against the value of retaining trained and high-performing staff. Proactive licence applications and workforce planning can minimise disruption when Graduate Visa permission comes to an end.
4. HR Best Practices
Employers should embed immigration compliance into their HR frameworks. Best practice measures include:
- A written compliance policy covering Student Visa workers and dependants
- Training for HR staff and line managers on monitoring hours and recognising visa conditions
- Regular audits of right to work documentation and payroll records
- Workforce planning that incorporates visa timelines and sponsorship strategy
Section Summary
Employers should view compliance with Student Visa conditions as the foundation, while strategically planning to maximise the benefits of international recruitment. By leveraging the Graduate Visa and Skilled Worker routes, and embedding immigration oversight into HR policies, businesses can build a sustainable talent pipeline.
FAQs
Can students work full-time in the UK?
Student Visa holders may only work full-time during official vacation periods or after their course has officially ended. During term time, strict weekly limits apply: 20 hours for degree-level students and 10 hours for sub-degree level students. For postgraduate research students, vacation entitlement is limited and usually must be confirmed by the sponsoring institution.
What are the risks if a student exceeds their working hours?
If a student works beyond their permitted hours, they will be in breach of their visa conditions. Universities may report breaches to the Home Office, which can lead to visa cancellation. Employers may face civil penalties of up to £60,000 per illegal worker, loss of a sponsor licence, and reputational damage. It is therefore vital to monitor working hours carefully.
Do employers need a sponsor licence to hire students?
No sponsor licence is required to employ a Student Visa holder within their permitted work limits. However, if the employer wishes to retain the individual after graduation under the Skilled Worker route, a sponsor licence will be necessary.
Can a student switch to a work visa with the same employer?
Yes. Students may switch into other visa categories, including the Skilled Worker route, from within the UK after completing their studies. This allows employers to retain talented graduates, provided the role and salary meet Skilled Worker requirements.
How do right to work checks differ for students?
Right to work checks for Student Visa holders must go beyond verifying identity. Employers must confirm visa expiry dates, permitted working hours, and retain evidence of term and vacation dates from the student’s education provider. These additional checks are essential to demonstrate compliance with Home Office guidance.
Conclusion
Hiring international students can help organisations meet staffing needs and access diverse skills, but the Student Visa is not a work visa. Employers must treat immigration compliance as a core HR responsibility: conduct robust right to work checks, confirm and retain term and vacation dates, monitor hours across all roles, and keep clear records. Breaches can result in visa cancellation for the student and significant penalties for the employer, including civil fines up to £60,000 per illegal worker and potential sponsor licence ramifications.
Used strategically, student hiring can form part of a longer-term talent plan. The Graduate Visa offers a limited, non-extendable period without sponsorship that does not count towards ILR, giving employers time to assess graduates and prepare for Skilled Worker sponsorship where appropriate. By embedding immigration oversight into HR policies and planning early for post-study routes, employers can minimise risk and build a sustainable pipeline of international talent.
Glossary
| BRP (Biometric Residence Permit) | A physical card issued to visa holders confirming their immigration status, conditions of stay, and right to work. |
| CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) | A reference number issued by an approved education provider confirming a student’s place on a course, required for the visa application. |
| Graduate Visa | A post-study route allowing international students to work in the UK for two years (or three with a PhD) after completing their course. It is non-extendable and does not count towards Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). |
| IHS (Immigration Health Surcharge) | A fee paid with visa applications granting migrants access to the UK’s National Health Service. |
| ILR (Indefinite Leave to Remain) | Permanent residence status in the UK, allowing individuals to live and work without immigration restrictions. |
| PBS (Points-Based System) | The UK’s immigration framework under which routes such as the Student Visa and Skilled Worker Visa operate. |
| RTW (Right to Work) | The legal entitlement of an individual to undertake employment in the UK, which employers are required to verify before hiring. |
| Skilled Worker Visa | A sponsored UK work visa route allowing overseas nationals to take up eligible roles, subject to minimum salary thresholds and employer compliance duties. |
| Term-Time | The official academic period during which students are restricted to working limited hours per week. |
| Vacation Period | Official academic breaks during which students may work full-time, as confirmed by their education provider. Postgraduate research students may have no defined vacation entitlement. |
Useful Links
| GOV.UK – Student Visa: Work Conditions | Visit GOV.UK |
| GOV.UK – Right to Work Checks | Visit GOV.UK |
| DavidsonMorris – Student Visa UK | Visit DavidsonMorris |
| Xpats.io – Student Visa UK | Visit Xpats.io |
Author
Gill Laing is a qualified Legal Researcher & Analyst with niche specialisms in Law, Tax, Human Resources, Immigration & Employment Law.
Gill is a Multiple Business Owner and the Managing Director of Prof Services - a Marketing & Content Agency for the Professional Services Sector.
