Young Britons Weighing Move Abroad as Graduate Jobs Get Harder
One in 10 final-year students plans to work overseas after graduating, as UK graduate vacancies draw 140 applications each on average
By AXY Business Desk ·
Key points
- More than one in 10 UK university students plans to move abroad after graduating, up from 7.8% two years ago, according to a survey of 15,000 final-year students.
- UK employers now receive 140 applications per graduate vacancy on average, up 14% from 2025 and up from 30 twenty years ago.
- Rachel James moved from London to Sydney without a job, and now works in marketing for Fitness First with a lower salary.
- Australia's Working Holiday Maker programme lets British passport holders aged 18 to 35 live in Australia for up to three years.
Rachel James quit her corporate job in London last year, packed a suitcase and booked a one-way ticket to Sydney. She had no job lined up and no fixed plan. The 26-year-old from Surrey said she went for a fresh start, and that the worst case was that she could always fly home if things did not work out.
Her decision is part of a wider shift. More young adults in Britain are now considering emigrating, as the route from university into a graduate job has become harder to travel. For many, the choice is no longer simply between staying and leaving. It is between a tough job market at home and a country that may offer easier entry, a different lifestyle and a fresh start.
Why Rachel James Left London for Sydney
Rachel graduated from Loughborough University in 2022 with a degree in English. She then worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers, the accountancy firm, in the UK. Her move to Australia was not a quick escape from a bad job. It was a deliberate choice to try something new, and she said as much when she described wanting "to take a risk and try something completely different".
She now works in marketing in Sydney for Fitness First, a gym chain. The job came with a pay cut. Her annual salary has fallen from £42,000 to £37,000. Housing costs did not fall by the same amount. She pays AUD 2,000 (about £1,000) a month to rent a two-bedroom apartment with a friend, which she said is similar to what she paid in London.
That trade-off matters. Many people who move abroad for lifestyle reasons accept a smaller pay packet in exchange for better weather, more outdoor time or a different pace of life. Rachel said Sydney is a nicer place to live and work than London. For her, the lower salary and the similar rent were part of a bargain she was willing to make. Other young Britons may weigh the same numbers differently, especially if they are repaying student loans or supporting family at home.
Rachel is not the only one. The article also features Charlie West and Owein Iveson, who have both moved overseas. Their stories are not detailed in the material, but their presence alongside Rachel points to a pattern that is becoming visible among people in their twenties.
One in Ten Final-Year Students Looking Abroad
The clearest sign of change comes from a survey of 15,000 final-year university students. More than one in 10 of them now plan to move abroad for better opportunities after they graduate. Two years ago, the figure was 7.8%. That is a rise of more than a fifth of the group in a short period, although the exact increase is a matter of simple comparison rather than a forecast.
The survey measures intention, not actual moves. Plans can change, and not every student who says they want to leave will go. Still, the number is significant for universities, employers and the government. It suggests that a growing share of graduates are looking at their options beyond the UK before they have even left university.
For students, the numbers are a reminder that graduate life now starts with a longer and more expensive search. For universities, they raise questions about how careers services prepare students for a market where a single job can attract a flood of applicants. For the UK economy, they point to a possible loss of talent if the people who train here take their skills elsewhere.
Graduate Jobs Now Draw 140 Applications Each
The Institute of Student Employers (ISE) says competition for graduate jobs in the UK has reached a three-decade high. Its figures show that UK employers now receive 140 applications per graduate vacancy on average. That is up 14% from 2025. Twenty years ago, the average was just 30 applications per vacancy.
The jump from 30 to 140 is the central fact behind this story. A graduate who applies for a job today is not competing with a few dozen people. They are competing with well over a hundred, many of whom have similar degrees, work experience and polished applications. Many applicants will be rejected at the first stage, often without any feedback. That can be demoralising, and it can make a move abroad look more appealing, even if the move carries risks of its own.
The ISE figures also explain why the desire to leave is not just a matter of lifestyle. When the route into a first professional job is narrow, people start looking for other routes. Working abroad can be one of them, particularly for those who have little to lose at the start of their careers.
Why Australia Attracts British Young Adults
Australia remains by far the most popular destination for British adults who move abroad overall, according to official figures. The material does not break this down by age, so it is not possible to say how many young graduates choose Australia specifically. Still, the overall pattern shows how strongly Australia draws people from Britain.
Several reasons are given. Australia's weather is one. The use of the English language is another, which removes a significant barrier for British workers. Its visa rules are also a key factor. Under the Working Holiday Maker programme, British passport holders aged between 18 and 35 can live in Australia for up to three years. The scheme is designed for young people who want to travel and work, and it gives many British applicants a clear legal route to spend time in the country without first securing a job sponsor.
For a graduate with no employer lined up, that kind of route can make the difference between an idea and a plan. It lowers the cost of trying something out. It also gives people time to find work once they arrive. Rachel's case shows how this can work in practice. She arrived without a job, and within a period of time she secured a role in marketing.
What a Move Abroad Could Mean for the UK
The rise in graduates considering leaving could have consequences well beyond individual careers. If more young people leave after university, the UK may find it harder to keep the skills it has trained, particularly in sectors where it already struggles to recruit. It could also change the age profile of the workforce in some regions, if young adults who would otherwise have started careers at home choose to build them elsewhere.
The other side of the picture is that the pressure to leave is itself a signal. A market where 140 people compete for each graduate vacancy is a market where many capable people are left waiting. If the next few years bring more job openings for graduates, some of this pressure may ease. If they do not, the number of people looking abroad may keep rising.
The next test is whether the survey's stated intentions turn into actual moves over the next few years. Official migration figures and employment data will be the best guide. For now, the story is less about a single exodus than about a generation that is weighing its options earlier and more carefully than the one before it, and deciding that a one-way ticket may be worth the risk.
Questions and answers
Why are UK graduates thinking about moving abroad?
Competition for graduate jobs in the UK has reached a three-decade high, with employers receiving 140 applications per vacancy on average. Many graduates see moving abroad as a way to find new opportunities and a fresh start.
How many UK students plan to move abroad after graduating?
A survey of 15,000 final-year university students found more than one in 10 plans to move abroad for better opportunities after graduating. That is up from 7.8% two years ago.
Which country do most British adults move to?
Australia remains by far the most popular destination for British adults who move abroad, according to official figures. Its weather, use of English and visa-friendly policies are among the reasons given.
What is the Working Holiday Maker programme?
Under Australia's Working Holiday Maker programme, British passport holders aged 18 to 35 can live in Australia for up to three years. It is one reason Australia is attractive to young British adults.
Topics: Graduate jobs, UK graduates, Emigration, Australia, Working Holiday Maker, Institute of Student Employers, Sydney
Sources: BBC Business RSS
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