New changes give greater flexibility to business visitors and allow international students to take up corporate internships after graduation.

The Home Office has announced changes to the immigration rules today which will benefit businesses, international students and skilled workers. The changes to the business visitor route will allow employees to undertake corporate training in the UK where it is delivered by an external company.

Global organisations will be able to bring their own auditors to the UK on a business visitor visa, making it easier for them to complete international audits and business visitors will be able to do a short course of study while they are here.

International students

The changes will also make the UK more attractive to international students by allowing them to take up corporate internships after completing their degree and making it easier for graduate entrepreneurs to take up skilled jobs.

Immigration Minister Mark Harper said:

The UK is open for business: we are building an immigration system that works in the national interest and supports growth. Today’s changes will ensure that the UK continues to attract global talent to work for British businesses and study at our world-class universities.

Immigration reform is working; we have tightened immigration routes where abuse was rife, while still encouraging the brightest and the best to come to the UK.

Individuals on graduate entrepreneur visas will be able to switch to a skilled workers visa more easily under the new rules, ensuring that the best global talent is able to stay in the UK to work. They will be able to switch visas for a job with a “new entrant” salary and the sponsor won’t have to complete a Resident Labour Market Test.