Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to relax visa-based barriers to work for students who may need to remain longer in the UK to complete their studies as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.

Work related restrictions for Tier 4 students who are employed or volunteering in NHS Trusts as Doctors, Nurses and Paramedics have been relaxed. Students who are working in these roles for an NHS trust are currently able to work full-time.

Students who aren’t working for the NHS can also work full-time where their sponsoring institution has suspended all studies. If an institution is continuing to offer tuition via distance learning, students continue to be restricted in working hours in the normal way.

Where students are unable to complete their courses within the initial validity of their leave, they will be able to apply for further leave within the UK to complete their studies and will be exempt from demonstrating the academic progression requirement.