"I'll Work for Free to Stay In UK" Indian Student's Desperate Plea Sparks Debate. (Image: LinkedIn/Swetha Kothandan)
Leicester, UK: Swetha Kothandan, an Indian student in the UK, has sparked a heated debate with her viral LinkedIn post in October as she’s willing to work for free to secure a visa-sponsored job and stay in the country has sparked widespread debate on the topic.
After graduating in 2022 with an MSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Leicester, Swetha has applied to over 300 jobs but hasn’t landed a single interview.
Her graduate visa expires in three months and she’s running out of options. In her post, she wrote, “I’ve been tirelessly looking for a visa-sponsored UK job, but the job market feels like there’s no value for me, my degree, or my capabilities.”
She’s offering to work 12 hours a day, seven days a week and is even willing to work for free for a month. “If you’re a UK employer hiring for design engineer roles, you won’t regret hiring me. If I don’t deliver, fire me on the spot. No questions asked,” she said.
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Now, the internet is divided over Swetha’s plea. Some users advised her to refrain from working for free, saying it’s undervaluing her skills.
Others offered job opportunities or shared their struggles in the job market. One user even asked her to return to India, but Swetha replied “That’s not her dream.”
Social media users said that Swetha’s story reflects the challenges faced by international students in the UK. With strict visa rules and limited job opportunities, many students struggle to stay in the country after graduation.
Her willingness to work for free has sparked a debate about the value of international students in the UK job market. A user commented, “Well, no need to work for 1 month Free… as you will be giving your time efforts, and you deserve to be paid.. always trust on your skills and never sell for Free…If someone will need your help, they should pay you…”
Amid criticism for her willingness, a LinkedIn user commented: ” It’s disappointing to see people criticizing someone for working hard to achieve their dreams. Swetha studied here and invested time, energy, and resources to build a future in the UK, and her determination deserves respect. This isn’t about ‘losing dignity’, it’s all about pursuing the life she envisions with the skills she’s worked so hard to develop.”
Many argued that she was undervaluing her skills and education by being willing to work without pay and an X user commented that she could not work free in the UK, saying, “One cannot work for free in the UK and stay because as per law one has to get a required salary/earning of pounds-38700 per year to get a visa to stay after the college in the UK.”
After getting the job she will post social media about athmanirbar Bharath and Desh bakthi #doglapan NRI Desh bakaths
— Helix (@gn21207) November 6, 2024
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