Essential Information
Before jumping on the next plane and heading off to pastures new, there are a few practical considerations to bear in mind.
Visas
If you do not hold a valid British passport, you will need a visa to work in the UK. The most common visas are:
Working Holiday Visa
This Scheme entitles a Commonwealth citizen aged between 17 and 30 to come to the UK for an extended holiday of up to two years.
With effect from 8th February 2005, the essential elements of the working holiday visa are:
- Work must be incidental to holiday, ie, work must not be the main reason for your visit;
- The visa is valid for 2 years, but you must not work for more than 12 months in total;
- You must not further your career or set up your own business;
- You must intend to leave the UK at the end of your working holiday.
Right of Abode/Ancestry Visa
If your parents or grandparents were born in the UK, you will be entitled to a different type of visa.
The Ancestry Visa (grandparents) is valid for 4 years. You will need to show on application that you intend to work or look for a job in the UK. At the end of the 4 years, you can apply for permanent residency but will need to show that you have been employed in the UK for 4 years, without a break.
Right of Abode (parents) means you are entirely free from United Kingdom immigration control. You do not therefore need permission to enter the UK and can live and work here without restriction.
Sponsorship
Many firms and companies are prepared to consider sponsorship for high calibre candidates. The employer will need to show that they have tried to recruit within the UK market first, so your particular skill will need to be niche or in a particular area of high demand. You are unlikely to obtain sponsorship for temporary work given the expense involved.
Whichever visa applies to your personal circumstances, you must obtain it before you travel to the UK so do not make any travel arrangements before it has been granted.
For full information on these visas, plus the many other types available, visit www.homeoffice.gov.uk.
Documentation to bring with you
In order to speed up the process of securing a role, getting a bank account and mobile phone, finding somewhere to live, in fact, pretty much all of the major details you will have to take care of, you need to have the following paperwork with you:
- Passport, including details of your visa
- Educational transcripts (originals)
- Professional certificates (originals)
- References - from your bank and former/current employers (at least two years' worth if you are seeking temporary employment)
- Bank statements
