Even *more* confused about visas!

I have been looking at several websites and books regarding trying to get a work visa. But it's still very confusing. I work in the US as a massage therapist and would like to work at a spa.

One Israeli ex-pat friend in the US said that I could go over on a student visa (I'm not opposed to going back to school-so that's fine) and that it would allow me to work 20 hours a week.(Plus she ended up getting married in the US) 20 hours is what I normally work here anyway, but London is extremely expensive so I would need to work more hours.

Also, I thought I could get hired by a spa on independent contractor status - then I could get a visa because I am starting my own business (but really exclusively working for one spa) Would that work?

Do visas allow you to get a second job? I normally like to work during the Christmas season at a retail store for extra cash. Would I be able to do the same?

Plus-is it best to just start consulting with an immigration lawyer for all this?

Oh dear! I can give you a bit of advice that I got from a friend who is a UK immigration lawyer when my husband was trying to move over here (before he was my husband...). You can't get a work visa to be self employed, you have to be sponsored by a UK employer and they apply for the visa on your behalf and you have to do this before you come to the UK.  The student visa does allow you to work but only part time. You can get good info about work visas from the Home Office website: www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk
Basically it isn't easy for Americans to move here without a family connection or employer sponsoship! Good luck, hope you work something out,
Liz

But is it legal to offer to pay for your boss' expense of paying for the work visa?  Because, I don't think too many spas are going to go through the hassle of paying. Other than that, wouldn't my other choice be to marry someone? (not that I'm opposed to getting married either, but there's this whole "love" thing that needs to be involved).

Not sure about that, I don't think they care who pays for it but my understanding is the employer has to show they've advertised the job in the UK and couldn't get anyone local to fill the position or something along those lines anyway. I do remember my friend telling me at the time the job had to be advertised for a minimum of 4 weeks, bit of a hassle all round, might be easier to meet a British guy and fall in love!  

It's a thought. I haven't had much luck in *this* country!  

Best of luck elsinore.  It's really tough to get a work permit.  Keep us posted how it goes for you!

From everything I've read, it's extremely difficult to get a work permit.  Just the other day I read about an American soccer player that Tottenham wanted to bring over.  Almost $2 million for the contract and everything, he travelled there and was ready to go, and they denied him the work permit because he wasn't *famous* enough.  Bye-bye big bucks, had to grab a flight back to the U.S. and he can't apply again for at least 3 months I believe.  It's just like when I lived in Ecuador, and probably very similar in any country.  You basically have to prove that no citizen of the country can perform the same job.  I had it easy in Ecuador while in college because I taught English to pay my way through, but once I got my BA and started to work for PricewaterhouseCoopers, the drama began and eventually I had to either try and get dual-citizenship (my mother is Ecuadorian) or I had to resign.  I resigned and moved back here to the States.

Best of luck to you, but the prognosis is grim.