Visa & policy updates for Kerala students.

Direct impact on Indian graduates planning to switch from Graduate Route to Skilled Worker. Health and Care Worker visa retains its lower threshold, so the NHS pathway is unaffected. Combined with the new 10-year ILR rule (also April 2026), settlement now takes considerably longer for most graduates.

• →General threshold £41,700 from 9 April 2026 (was £38,700 since April 2024)
• →Immigration Salary List threshold: £33,400 (was £30,960); new-entrant discount of 80% of going rate still available
• →Health and Care Worker visa retains a lower threshold (NHS roles, care work)
• →Graduate Route stays at 2 years until 31 December 2026, then drops to 18 months from 1 January 2027 — plan the Skilled Worker switch carefully if salary is borderline
• →B2 English requirement now applies to new Skilled Worker applicants from 8 January 2026

If you are on Graduate Route, target sectors that pay £43k+ for graduates: tech, finance, engineering, healthcare science. Cokonet UK desk has the role-by-role salary benchmarks.

A Kerala student starting a UK Masters in September 2026 was looking at roughly 9 years to ILR under the old rules. Under the standard 10-year rule, that same student now faces a ~13-year horizon. Earned-settlement carve-outs may compress this significantly for the right profile (NHS, tech, finance, healthcare science) — but until the final guidance lands, plan for the longer timeline.

• →Standard ILR route now 10 years on Skilled Worker (doubled from 5 years)
• →Stacks with the £41,700 Skilled Worker salary threshold (April 2026) and the 18-month Graduate Route (from 1 January 2027)
• →Earned-settlement carve-outs being consulted: shorter ILR pathway possibly for high earners, NHS workers, shortage-list occupations
• →Consultation closed 12 February 2026; final implementation guidance expected during 2026
• →Settlement fee post-April 2026: £3,226 for ILR application, £1,709 for naturalisation thereafter

If long-term settlement is the goal, compare UK against Canada (3-4 years to PR via Express Entry, no employer sponsorship needed) and Germany (Blue Card to PR in 21 months with B1 German). UK is still strong for global brand value and 1-year Masters, but the settlement runway is now meaningfully longer.

Indian Masters graduates in IT, engineering, and sciences can land Blue Card eligibility with a starting offer of just €43,800. Family visa eligibility comes with the Blue Card.

• →Shortage occupations (Mangelberufe): IT/MINT (mathematics, IT, natural sciences, technology), engineering, doctors
• →Family visa included: spouse can work immediately, no separate work permit needed
• →Permanent residence after 21 months with B1 German (33 months without)
• →Nurses go through the separate Triple Win / Anerkennung pathway, not Blue Card

Cokonet German desk can pre-assess your degree against the Mangelberufe list. We work with hospital groups and IT employers directly, so the salary number is usually known before you accept admission.

Slower processing than the old 20-day SDS target, tougher documentation, mandatory PAL from the province, and only certain college fields lead to a PGWP. Apply 4 to 6 months ahead of intake. Masters programmes are easier than college tracks now.

• →SDS permanently closed 8 November 2024 — regular study permit stream only, with IRCC New Delhi processing 8-14 weeks
• →Proof of funds: CAD 22,895 (about ₹14.4 lakh) — GIC route still accepted but no longer mandatory
• →Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) needed before submitting application; Masters and PhD applicants exempt
• →PGWP English test mandatory since November 2024: CLB 7 for university grads, CLB 5 for college grads
• →PGWP field-of-study restrictions: college programmes outside the eligible-fields list cannot get a PGWP

Apply 4 to 6 months ahead of intake to absorb the slower processing window. Cokonet Canada desk handles the PAL coordination with our partner provinces and has the current PGWP-eligible field list.

Ireland Stay Back visa is 2 years for Masters graduates, with one of the friendliest post-study work routes in the EU. September 2026 intake is the realistic next opportunity for most.

• →Trinity College Dublin: most courses close 1 July 2026, business and law often close earlier
• →UCC: 15 July 2026 for most programs
• →Scholarship deadlines often fall 4 to 6 weeks before application deadlines
• →IELTS requirements: typically 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0). Trinity sometimes accepts 6.0 for STEM

Cokonet Ireland desk has the Trinity and UCC admission committees mapped. We coordinate IELTS, SOP, LORs, and the documentation pack. Best to engage by May for September 2026 intake.

Time to PR runway is more predictable. Regional study still pays off: extra 1 to 2 years of post-study work plus regional PR pathway points. For Indian Masters graduates, the AI-ECTA bonus stacks on top — that takes a coursework Masters from 2 years to 3, and a PhD from 3 years to 4.

• →Post-Higher Education Work stream: 2 yrs (Bachelor/Masters coursework), 3 yrs (Masters research/PhD)
• →Indian nationals AI-ECTA bonus: +1 year to most categories (Masters → 3 yrs, PhD → 4 yrs)
• →Second PHEW regional extension: +1 yr in Cat 2 cities (Perth, Adelaide, Gold Coast), +2 yrs in regional areas
• →English requirement: IELTS 6.0 overall, no band below 5.0
• →Age cap: 35 (Masters by Research and PhD graduates eligible up to 50)
• →Application fee raised to AUD 4,640 (primary applicant) from 1 July 2025, with further uprating to AUD 4,910 in some sources from 1 March 2026 — check the immi.gov.au schedule before applying

Cokonet Australia desk maps your program to the right state and regional pathway. Regional cities are very Kerala-friendly: Hobart, Adelaide, Darwin all have strong Malayali communities.

France becomes one of the most attractive EU destinations for Indian Masters students. 2 years of full work rights post-graduation, with paid internships already built into most programs.

• →APS duration: 2 years for Masters graduates (previously 1 year for many)
• →Paid internships ("stages") of 4 to 6 months are part of most French Masters programs
• →No French language requirement for most English-taught Masters at Grandes Écoles and public universities
• →Tuition at public universities: €243 per year for EU rates, around €3,770 for non-EU (some bilateral schemes lower it)

Cokonet France desk specializes in Grande Ecoles and English-taught Masters. Internship placement is part of the program itself. Start TEF/DELF prep alongside admission to qualify for the French-track internships too.

Malta becomes one of the most cost-friendly EU destinations: half tuition off plus the option to pay tuition only after the visa is approved. EU degree, English-taught, 20-hour-per-week work rights.

• →50% scholarships on select Masters programs (business, IT, finance, healthcare management)
• →Pay-tuition-after-visa option at multiple partner institutions
• →EU degree, English-taught, 20 hours/week work allowed during study
• →Post-study: 6-month job search visa, then standard EU employment pathways

Cokonet Malta desk has the active scholarship deadlines mapped per program. Best for students wanting EU experience without the higher costs of UK or Germany. Connect early for January and September 2026 intakes.