Waive UK visa fees for overseas teachers coming to work in the UK

We believe the UK’s education sector is in the grip of a significant recruitment and retention crisis. Not all students have the subject specialists they deserve. We believe overseas teachers play a vital role in bolstering our falling teacher numbers; yet may be expected to pay to do so.

This petition closed on 13 Feb 2026 with 191 signatures


Reticulating Splines

You may be interested in these active petitions

1. Keep 5 year route to ILR for Existing Ancestry Visa Holders - 2,128 signatures
2. Keep 5-year ILR for Health and Care visa holders to protect the NHS - 3,109 signatures
3. Keep the 5-Year ILR pathway for existing ECAA visa holders - 10,205 signatures
4. Apply to Rejoin the EU as soon as possible to increase growth in the UK - 32,670 signatures
5. Protect the Function of the Architect in UK Law - 3,010 signatures

We believe that any overseas teacher employed in the UK state education sector should have their annual working visa fees waived once their employment status is confirmed. Without their labour, we believe our education system would be in an even greater crisis. We believe they should not have to pay for the privilege of working here and educating our children and young people in the state sector. For many overseas teachers these fees cause financial hardship.


Petition Signatures over time

Constituency Data

Reticulating Splines