An Indian student living in the UK on a graduate visa has sparked a heated debate on social media after offering to work for free in a bid to secure a job before her visa expires. 

Swetha Kothandan, a recent MSc graduate in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Leicester, shared her story on LinkedIn, describing the challenges she has faced in securing a visa-sponsored job since completing her degree in 2022.

Kothandan's LinkedIn post, which has since gone viral, reveals her desperation to stay in the UK as her graduate visa nears its expiration in three months. Despite applying to over 300 jobs, she has only received a handful of useful feedback. 

In an attempt to attract potential employers, Kothandan offered to work without pay for one month. She even promised to work overtime and on weekends, saying employers could "fire me on the spot" if they were unhappy with her performance.

"My Graduate Visa EXPIRES in 3 months, repost this to help me stay in the UK," Kothandan wrote in her post, which included a bold statement: “Hire me for free for one month. If I don’t deliver... Fire me on the spot. No questions asked.” She added that this was her "FINAL chance" to secure a long-term future in the UK.

Public's reaction 

The post has garnered mixed reactions online. Some have expressed sympathy for Kothandan's difficult situation, while others have criticized her for what they see as setting unrealistic expectations for employers and undermining the value of workers. 

One social media user accused her of "responsibly ruining the image of Indians abroad," suggesting that her desperation might hurt the chances of other international students looking for jobs in the UK. Another user called her actions "ridiculous," claiming that she was going to "extreme lengths" to avoid returning to India.

On the other hand, some have criticized the practice of working for free, arguing that it creates an unhealthy job market and takes advantage of graduates desperate to stay in the country. One commenter called it "crazy" to work for free in such a competitive job market, saying that it could encourage companies to exploit such offers.