Foreign students in the UK may benefit from a change in study visa policy.Now they can stay in the country for two more years after graduation to look for a job.

The new measure, announced on Wednesday the 11th of September, by the Interior Ministry, reverses a decision taken in 2012 by then-secretary of the portfolio, Theresa May, who later became prime minister. The previous measure required foreign students to leave the UK within four months of graduation.

The change applies to international students at higher education level who will begin their studies next year. In 2018, the United Kingdom had 450,000 foreigners under these conditions.

To fit the new rules, students must study at an institution with a record of maintaining immigration control. There are no restrictions on the type of work a foreigner can perform after finishing school.

For Indian Shreya Swamy, the proposal is a “big step” but “late” as the move will not help students already living in the UK. Swamy is pursuing a master’s degree in the country. She says she is struggling to get a job because of the current policy, which only gives her four months to get a job. Jobs for foreign students “are almost nil,” she says, also blaming her lack of experience. “I feel really helpless and almost sorry to study in the UK, because I will end up coming home with a very expensive diploma.”

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that with the change, students could “unlock their potential” and start their careers in the country. For his part, Foreign Minister Sajid Javid added that the government “should have reversed this silly policy years ago.”

But Alp Mehmet, director of Migration Watch UK – a group that advocates immigration control – criticized the government’s action, calling it “setback”. “Our universities are attracting a record number of foreign students. So there is no need to downgrade the student visa, making it a way to work here,” he added.