US graduate visa programme is in serious doubt, USIT confirms

Worrying news for anyone hoping to head Stateside next year.

Student travel company USIT have warned customers not to sign up for their 2018 graduate visa programme for the United States. In an announcement on Facebook Live on Wednesday, Melanie Young of USIT said that, as it stands, “all bets are off” as regards the 2018 graduate visa programme, which is currently under review and could be in danger of not going ahead. Young said that anyone that has already signed up for the 2018 programme will be refunded and that there are still limited places available on the 2017 programme for anyone who can travel on or before December 31. Anyone who has already booked the 2017 programme has been assured that their places on the programme are safe. Speaking on Wednesday, Young said:

“Previously we’ve been telling anybody who’s been looking to travel on the 2018 programme to wait until we open up. “We have learned recently that the 2018 programme is now under review. “(The) US State Department, Department of Labour, Department of Homeland (Security), have put the graduate visa under review, which we’ve just basically learned, which is quite worrying for 2018. “Where we have previously been telling anybody out there 'hold off booking for 2018', we’re now saying all bets are off for 2018. Please don’t book on to the programme thinking you’re going to be travelling in 2018, it’s uncertain if the programme is going to be ahead, we’re waiting for the review to be completed by The White House. “This is contrary to what we have been telling you recently… now that information is unfortunately not going to be correct because we don’t know if the programme is going to be running for 2018. “We were of the understanding that this programme was going to run for three years to bring us up to 2020; this has just basically come upon us now that the graduate visa is under review. We have been telling people ‘its fine for 2018’ but now this has come up. “Please don’t book onto our programme for 2018, we’re not going to stand over it, but anyone that has booked for 2018, obviously you’ll be refunded. “We still have about 100 places left for 2017 so our advice to you, if you’re thinking of going in January, February, March, our advice would be, to book onto the programme as soon as you can (only 100 places left) and your travel must be on or before December 31.”

You can see the announcement in full in the video above; anyone who might be affected or has any questions relating to the graduate visa programme is urged to contact USIT via email or via their Facebook page.