Hong Kong graduates in the UK
West India Quay promenade and North Dock, Canary Wharf. Photograph: Acabashi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped
Check BN(O) first: it may mean you need no sponsor. Then the hunt: the CV, agents, Big 4 and banks.
3,281 Hong Kong nationals were granted BN(O) permission inside the UK in the year to June 2026. Source: Home Office, main applicants.
The Season
- Graduate scheme applications From August 2026 to January 2027 Most open September or October, banks from August; many deadlines fall in November and December.
- Spring weeks and insight programmes September 2026 to January 2027 For first-years, and second-years on four-year courses; most applications fall in autumn, programmes run around Easter.
- Summer internship applications (summer 2027) From August 2026 to January 2027 For penultimate-year students; many review applications as they arrive and close early.
- Assessment centre season November 2026 to April 2027 First rounds follow deadlines; final assessment days run from November into spring.
- Graduate visa lengths A Graduate visa applied for on or before 31 December 2026 usually lasts 2 years. For applications made on or after 1 January 2027, it is scheduled to last 18 months.
Today, 9 October
This edition is for Hong Kong students and graduates in the UK, and for anyone in Hong Kong weighing a UK degree; the editions index has four more.
Check BN(O) before you think about sponsors
| The BN(O) check | In the rules |
|---|---|
| Who can apply | You may apply for a BN(O) visa if you are 18 or over and either a British national (overseas) or the child of one, born on or after 1 July 1979 |
| Work and settlement | On a BN(O) visa you can work and study, extend as many times as you need, and apply to settle after 5 years in the UK |
Those two lines from gov.uk decide whether an employer needs to sponsor you at all; the conditions in full are on the BN(O) visa pages on gov.uk (opens gov.uk).
You can: work (except you cannot work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach)
| Your status | What it means for the hunt |
|---|---|
| BN(O) covers you | You are applying with a right to work, and you can say so on the first line of every form |
| BN(O) does not | The Graduate visa is the usual route once a UK degree ends. A Graduate visa applied for on or before 31 December 2026 usually lasts 2 years. For applications made on or after 1 January 2027, it is scheduled to last 18 months. |
If BN(O) does not apply to you, Hong Kong passport holders aged 18 to 30 can apply for a Youth Mobility Scheme visa, but they must be selected in the ballot before they apply; ukvisasponsorguide.com has the Youth Mobility rules by country (opens ukvisasponsorguide.com).
Your CV: put the right to work up top
Nationality, unless you want to show that you do have the Right to Work in the country in question
That is Oxford’s list of what to leave off a UK CV, and its exception is your case: state your status where a recruiter looks first.
| On the CV | What to write |
|---|---|
| Heading or contact details | The type of visa you hold, its end date and any work restrictions, as Manchester’s careers service suggests |
| If BN(O) covers you | One line: the visa you hold, and that you need no sponsorship |
| Everything else | The UK format: two pages, reverse chronological, no photograph or date of birth |
The UK CV format has an annotated example and a template to download.
Recruitment agents: what to check before you register
Agencies in the UK work under rules that protect you as the work-seeker. Read gov.uk’s page on employment agencies and businesses (opens gov.uk) before you register.
| Check | What gov.uk’s rules say |
|---|---|
| A fee for finding you work | An agency cannot charge you for work-finding services |
| A key information document | You get it, with written terms, before they start looking for work for you |
| Who employs you | An agency finds you work with an employer, who then employs and pays you |
| Pay on temporary work | An employment business pays you for all the hours you work |
Anyone asking for money to place you in a job is charging a fee the rules forbid. Keep every document, and do not pay.
Use an agent beside your own applications: graduate schemes, spring weeks and vacation schemes take applications through each employer’s own form.
More on employment businesses and temporary workLess on employment businesses and temporary work
An employment business supplies you to a hirer for temporary work and pays you itself. Under gov.uk’s rules it must pay you for all the hours you work, even if the hirer has not paid it or your timesheet has not been signed off. It must pay at least the National Minimum Wage and give you paid holiday.
Accounting, finance and law each keep a season
Accounting, finance and law each run on their own dates. In finance, first-years have their own route, and second-years can join it on a four-year course.
| Sector | Employer | What it publishes |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting | Deloitte UK | One staged process for vacation schemes and graduate programmes, ending in a final stage assessment |
| Accounting | The Big Four, as York’s careers service expects | Schemes close by December or January |
| Finance | Piper Sandler, London spring week | Runs in April 2027; applications open on 1 December 2026; can lead to a fast-tracked offer for a 2028 summer internship |
| Law | Linklaters | Vacation scheme applications close on 3 December 2026 |
| Law | Greenberg Traurig | Direct applications for 2029 training contracts until 30 November 2026 |
Spring weeks take applications in September and October of your first year
Big 4 recruitment lists each firm’s stages.
To qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales, pass SQE1 and SQE2
The qualifying work experience the SRA asks for can be gained in up to four organisations, in paid or volunteer work. Winning a training contract sets out the timeline, firm by firm.
118 Graduate visas for Hong Kong nationals in the year to June 2026
Graduate route grants to Hong Kong main applicants, by year ending June: 2022, 712; 2023, 690; 2024, 126; 2025, 67; 2026, 118.
Source: Home Office, Immigration System Statistics, table Data_Exe_D01, main applicants granted an extension on the Graduate route. Download the figures (CSV)
View as a tableHide the table
| Year ending June | Graduate visas granted |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 712 |
| 2023 | 690 |
| 2024 | 126 |
| 2025 | 67 |
| 2026 | 118 |
Accounting and finance employers hiring graduates in London
-
PwC Graduates in audit, tax, consulting and strategy Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked -
Deloitte Graduates in audit, consulting, technology and law Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked - KPMG Graduates in audit, tax and consulting Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
-
EY Graduates across all its UK business areas Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked -
HSBC Graduates in banking, wealth and technology Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked - Barclays Graduates in investment and corporate banking Skilled Worker licence on the Home Office register, checked
Logos identify each employer. A listing here is a fact about the employer, not an endorsement, and implies no affiliation.
This week
- Read the BN(O) eligibility lines on gov.uk and note whether they cover you
- Add one line on your right to work to the top of your CV
- Ask any agency for its key information document before you share your CV
- Diary the spring week and vacation scheme deadlines that close in December
Sources
- GOV.UK: Who can apply for a BN(O) visa If you’re the child of a British national (overseas) aged 18 or older and born on or after 1 July 1979, you can apply separately from your parent. Checked
- GOV.UK: BN(O) work rights and settlement After you’ve lived in the UK for 5 years, you can apply to live in the UK permanently. Checked
- GOV.UK: Graduate visa length (applications on or before 31 December 2026) 2 years if you apply on or before 31 December 2026 Checked
- GOV.UK: Graduate visa length (applications on or after 1 January 2027) 18 months if you apply on or after 1 January 2027 Checked
- GOV.UK: Graduate visa length after a PhD or other doctorate If you have a PhD or other doctoral qualification, it will last for 3 years. Checked
- GOV.UK: Youth Mobility ages 18 to 30: eligible countries and territories You can apply for the visa if you’re aged 18 to 30 and from: Checked
- GOV.UK: Youth Mobility: who must be selected in the ballot first You must be selected in the Youth Mobility Scheme ballot before you can apply for your visa if you’re from: Checked
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) route You will need to pass both parts, SQE1 and SQE2 Read
- Solicitors Regulation Authority: Qualifying work experience (updated 26 January 2024) It can be gained in up to four organisations, in paid or volunteer work, and could include time spent: Read
- University of Manchester Careers Service: Talking to employers about your visa Include your visa status on your CV. You can typically add this information to the heading or your contact details section. Mention the type of visa you hold (or are eligible to apply for), its expiration date, and any relevant work restrictions if applicable. Read
- University of Oxford Careers Service: CVs Nationality, unless you want to show that you do have the Right to Work in the country in question Read
- University of Manchester Careers Service: Step 1: Creating your CV The 2 page reverse chronological CV is the most common style of CV for the UK and is suitable for most situations.In the UK there is no need to include personal details such as your date of birth, gender, marital status etc. Name and contact details are sufficient. ... It is not usual practice to use a photograph on a UK CV. Read
- Deloitte UK: Early Careers Assessment Regardless of whether you’re applying for a Summer Vacation Scheme, Industrial Placement, or one of our full-time Graduate or Brightstart programmes, our assessment process follows the same structure: ... STEP 4, Final Stage Assessment Read
- University of York Careers and Placements: Recruitment time frames May to June: Some schemes may re-open if they have unfilled vacancies. ... Schemes with the "Big Four" professional services companies are likely to close by December/January Read
- Lancaster University Management School Careers: Investment banking spring weeks They generally take place during the Easter break in your first spring term. They, therefore, require applications in September and October in your first year at university! Note: Only first-year students can apply unless you are on a four-year course, where second-year students can also apply. ... Some schemes will open in July and August! Read
- Piper Sandler: Early Careers, London For those that are successful on the Spring Week programme, you may receive an offer to be fast-tracked for a 2028 summer internship. Applicants should be either in the first year of a three-year degree or the second year of a four-year degree, graduating in 2029. ... Applications open from midday on Tuesday 1 December 2026. ... The confirmed dates for Spring Week are April 2027. Read
- Linklaters: Vacation Schemes Our Spring and Summer Vacation Schemes are the best route to securing a Training Contract with us. ... Final Training Contract interview: At the end of the scheme, you’ll have a guaranteed interview for a Training Contract with a Partner and Managing Associate. ... Closing Date 03/12/2026 Read
- Greenberg Traurig: London Trainee Recruiting Apply: September to November 2026 ... Applications for our 2029 training contract are now open. To apply, please click here. Applications will close on Monday 30th November 2026 at 23:59. ... We do not run vacation schemes. Applications for our training contracts are direct only. Read
- GOV.UK: British National (Overseas) visa What you can and cannot do. You can: work (except you cannot work as a professional sportsperson or sports coach); study (including at school, college or university) Read
- GOV.UK: Employment agencies and businesses If you run an employment agency or employment business you have to follow certain rules. You cannot: charge a fee to a work-seeker for work finding services ... You must also make sure workers are: paid for all the work they do ... given a key information document and written terms of engagement (often known as a contract) before you start looking for work for themYou must also make sure workers are: paid for all the work they do; paid holiday; ... paid at least the National Minimum Wage ... You must pay a temporary work-seeker for all the hours they work, even if you have not been paid by the hirer or the work-seeker has not got a timesheet authorised by the hirer.Employment agencies find work for work-seekers who are employed and paid by employers. ... If you run an employment business you're responsible for paying the temporary work-seekers you supply. Read
- LSE Careers: Graduate scheme applications Recruitment Timeframes August to January Graduate schemes open, some fixed date, some rolling Formal internship schemes open including parliamentary internships October to April Assessments & offers Traineeship applications June to September Internships, grad schemes begin Smaller organisations in public and private sector hire throughout the year Read
- LSE Department of Finance: Graduate scheme applications Prepare early: most schemes open as early as August and close in October or November (your course begins in early September). Read
- targetjobs: Graduate scheme applications Most employers offering formal graduate programmes open for applications in September/October, with a view to graduates starting work the following September/October. ... Applications for graduate schemes in investment banking often open in August and close as early as October.Many employers set application deadlines in November and December. ... Some employers do not set a deadline and keep their graduate programmes ‘open’ all year or have ‘ongoing recruitment’, but they still expect to receive most of their applications by Christmas. Read
- LSE Department of Finance: Summer internship applications (summer 2027) They are paid positions, and in many cases can lead to an offer of a full-time position by the employer. These are offered by most investment banks, strategy consulting firms, and other financial and tech institutions. The application process is similar to that for full time positions, although deadlines are usually later in the autumn or January Read
- Goldman Sachs: Summer internship applications (summer 2027) The Summer Analyst role is for candidates currently pursuing a Bachelors or Masters university degree and in their penultimate or final year of study. We review applications on a rolling basis and encourage you to apply as soon as you are ready. Read
- Barclays: Summer internship applications (summer 2027) The closing date for applications is 31 October 2026. Please note that this vacancy may close ahead of the advertised date due to application volumes, and we therefore recommend submitting your application as early as possible. ... To be considered for this opportunity, you must be in your penultimate year of university. You must be graduating in 2028. ... Please also note that, during your summer internship, you will be considered for a place on our 2028 graduate programme. Read
- targetjobs: Assessment centre season Those recruiters who set deadlines in November and December typically hold first-round interviews and assessments in January and February. Assessment centres are usually held in March and April and job offers made in April, May and June. Read
- KPMG UK: Assessment centre season The dates of our Launch Pad events can be found below: Tuesday 17th November 2026: London Oval ... Wednesday 5th May 2027: Leeds New Dock Hall ... If successful you will have your job offer within 2 working days! Read
- University of Warwick: Degree results Postgraduate Taught Students (awards only), Friday 26th June 2026 ... Undergraduate Finalist students, Thursday 9th July 2026 Read
- University of Kent: Degree results Exam results for finalists and Year In students will be published throughout the day on KentVision, Monday 20 July. Read
- White & Case: Law vacation scheme applications We recruit the majority of our London trainees (on average 80 percent) from our vacation schemes, with up to 25 participants in each intake. ... Spring vacation scheme 5 to 16 April 2027 Who can apply? penultimate-year and final-year law students, final-year non-law students, and graduates from any discipline. When can I apply 24 September 2026 to 6 December 2026 Summer vacation scheme 28 June to 9 July 2027 Read
This page is about the UK job hunt and is not immigration advice. For your own situation, speak to a regulated immigration adviser or an immigration solicitor, and check the current rules on gov.uk.
Change log
- First published.
Read next
- Big 4 recruitment, stage by stage Tests, video, assessment day, interview: the published stages compared
- Spring weeks 2027Spring weeks 2027 Insight programmes for first-years, with eligibility in the banks' words
- ApplicationsThe UK CV format, for international students Two pages, no photograph: an annotated example and a template
Pictures on this page
- More London and the Shard, October Photograph: Ryan Hodnett, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped
- St James's Park in autumn Photograph: Garry Knight, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0, cropped
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