‘Our culture doesn’t encourage us to stand out’: Here’s why many from China struggle to find jobs in UK

“If I can’t sort it out, I’ll have to prepare to go back to China,” Hu said. She added: “In China, we’re taught that degrees are everything. But once you’re overseas, you realise employers care a lot more about experience  and no one really tells us that.”

The UK graduate job market is highly competitive, with youth unemployment at 14.3 per cent. Chinese graduates are especially affected. Although Chinese nationals account for about 25 per cent of international students in the UK, they receive only 10 per cent of graduate visas. Indian students, by contrast, receive over 40 per cent.

One reason, SCMP reports, is that many Chinese students plan to return home after graduating. But others give up after struggling to find work.

Most Chinese students enrol in one-year master’s programmes, leaving little time to adapt. “Just when you start adapting to life here, it’s already time to hunt for work, and you’re not ready,” Hu said.

Jack Chen, a humanities graduate from the University of York, told SCMP he has applied for over 400 jobs since finishing his degree. He only received two part-time offers, one at a retail store, and another at a small business.

“Our culture doesn’t encourage us to stand out,” Chen said. “Indian students are way more proactive. They’ll call companies directly. That sounds crazy to me.”

He added that many Chinese students are unfamiliar with UK job platforms like LinkedIn. “They (Indians) know how to use it and have polished CVs. Meanwhile, we come from a system where that stuff doesn’t even exist.”

Emily Lu, a London-based headhunter who supports Chinese clients, told SCMP: “Chinese graduates hesitate to reach out to employers, don’t use LinkedIn effectively, and miss out on networking opportunities.”

Lu said the Chinese education system is partly responsible. “They’re smart and capable, but they need direction. At home, teachers guide them every step of the way. Here, that’s not how things work.”

A 2024 study by the UK’s Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), cited by SCMP, found that Chinese students in Britain often struggle with spoken English and digital tools. On average, they scored 6.1 in the IELTS speaking test lower than students from most other countries.

The report also noted that many Chinese students stick to small social groups and avoid university career services. Only 21 per cent had used such services, and just 2 per cent said the help was useful in finding work.

The number of Chinese graduates returning home after study is rising  from 73 per cent in 2019 to 84 per cent in 2023.

Jessica Deng, a graduate from the University of Southampton, told SCMP she finally found a job in early years education after applying to over 300 positions. “In a country where even locals are struggling to find jobs, it’s hard to expect international students to have equal opportunities,” she said.

Deng said visa uncertainty puts off many employers. “If you’re on a short-term post-study work visa, it’s not so simple,” she said.

The HEPI report urged universities to do more to help Chinese students adapt, including by offering better career advice and opportunities to build cross-cultural networks. Some students, it said, feel they are treated more as “revenue sources” than as full members of the campus community.