After finishing her master’s degree in education last December, Harley Hu began looking for a full-time job in the United Kingdom. The search proved to be far more gruelling than she had expected.
“I sent out maybe 200 or 300 CVs,” the 25-year-old told the Post. “It took half a year to find something stable.”
After six months of juggling part-time work as a Chinese language tutor, Hu has now secured a full-time role in teaching. But the job only provides a temporary respite, as her employer does not sponsor skilled worker visas.
That means Hu will need to find another solution to stay in the UK after her two-year post-study work visa expires in late 2026. “It’s really tough,” she said. “If I can’t sort it out, I’ll have to prepare to go back to China.”
UK government data reveals a sharp contrast between the trajectories of Chinese international students and those from other nations after graduation.