Police Now: does its national graduate leadership programme sponsor a UK visa?

NoNational Graduate Leadership Programme (completes the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship, PCDA)

No. Police Now does not sponsor its national graduate leadership programme for international students who need a visa. Police Now's own eligibility page states applicants of any nationality can apply provided they hold indefinite leave to remain or settled status, and must have resided in the UK continuously for at least the past three years (with narrow exceptions for UK Armed Forces or government postings abroad, or short trips such as university study or holidays under a year). This effectively excludes anyone on a Student or Graduate visa who has not already secured settled status.

Sponsors grads?
No
Pay vs threshold
Below the threshold
Opportunity
apprenticeship
Pay
Starting salary of £31,164 to £42,210 depending on force, rising to £50,256 to £59,964 within seven years
2027 cycle
Applications are open for the National Graduate Leadership Programme starting March 2027, no closing date published
Confidence
high
You can be of any nationality to apply, providing you have the status of indefinite leave to remain and work in the UK, or settled status.
Police Now, from its own careers pages
The catch: The requirement is settled/indefinite leave to remain, not just current right to work, so a valid Student or Skilled Worker visa alone does not qualify; short periods abroad (under a year, e.g. for university) are allowed within the three-year residency clock, but longer absences are not.

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Sources

Verdict last checked 2026-09-21.

Common questions

Does Police Now sponsor visas for its national graduate leadership programme?

No. Police Now does not sponsor its national graduate leadership programme for international students who need a visa. Police Now's own eligibility page states applicants of any nationality can apply provided they hold indefinite leave to remain or settled status, and must have resided in the UK continuously for at least the past three years (with narrow exceptions for UK Armed Forces or government postings abroad, or short trips such as university study or holidays under a year). This effectively excludes anyone on a Student or Graduate visa who has not already secured settled status.

Does the pay clear the UK Skilled Worker salary threshold?

The pay for this scheme sits below the Skilled Worker salary threshold, which is itself a reason sponsorship is not possible.

What is the catch international students miss with Police Now?

The requirement is settled/indefinite leave to remain, not just current right to work, so a valid Student or Skilled Worker visa alone does not qualify; short periods abroad (under a year, e.g. for university) are allowed within the three-year residency clock, but longer absences are not.

How should I confirm Police Now's sponsorship before applying?

Read the specific vacancy on Police Now's careers site, ask its early-careers team directly, and check the employer on the gov.uk Register of Licensed Sponsors. Policies and thresholds change, so treat this page as a starting point and confirm for the exact role and cycle.

Other public sector schemes

Before you apply

Scan your CV against UK applicant tracking systems for free, then tailor it to the schemes that can actually sponsor you.

Other public sector schemes we track

Sponsorship data: Home Office register + job ad wording. Not immigration advice, verify on gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.