Considering London Job offer - spouse questions

Hi All,

First, thanks to all of you for maintaining this forum, it's been a great help already.

I've been offered a job in London, they'll sponsor me for a tier 2 visa, and I understand my wife and kids can get dependent visas.  We're seriously thinking about it, and leaning towards accepting the job, but trying to figure out as much as possible about how it will all work. 

Our biggest question is whether, and how, my partner could do consulting for US organizations while we're in the UK.  It appears from at least two forum posts that this is something that is doable (links below), but I haven't been able to find any official (i.e., not just nice people on the internet) information about how that would work, despite some pretty thorough combing of the UKBA website.  Can anyone help me find the work/income regulations for people on tier-2 dependent visas? Or any other rules/regulations that would apply to a tier-2 dependent?

links where it appears fine to be on a tier-2 dependent visa and consult for US companies:
http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=76655.0 [nofollow]
http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=41969.0 [nofollow]

thanks all!

Daniel

OK, I think I've answered my own question with a bit more googling.  In case anyone else needs it:

"Conditions of a dependant visa

The vast majority of dependant visas allow the holder to work without restriction in the UK, even where the main applicant is restricted as to their employment, i.e. with a work permit / Tier 2 visa. Dependants are also normally free to enter self-employment. The main exceptions are as follows:

Visitor Visas. Dependants of main applicants with visitor visas may not work in the UK;
Student visas issued for less than 12 months. Dependants of these visa holders are not permitted to work in the UK.
Dependants are also generally subject to the following conditions:
No Access to Public Funds;
No Work as a ‘Doctor in Training’."

from: http://www.uk-wp.com/permits/others/dependants-and-family-members/dependants-and-family-members-of-visa-holders/ [nofollow]

... and an update to say hi to everyone here more fully, since I just accepted the job offer and we're now planning to move to London in mid-late June.

We are an academic (me) and an urban planner/food policy person, and 2 kids, ages 3 and 5.5.  I'll have a Tier 2 visa, and we're very excited to be in London for a while - it's a 3-year position. 

Fantastic! Welcome

Hi and welcome and congratulations on the job offer! All the best wishes in your upcoming move! How exciting!!

thanks all!  Now, over to the threads with London neighborhood recommendations... and schools... and everything else.

Hi Daniel mind if I as you some questions about your employment? 

I am curious about your field - the sciences? Are you taking a teaching position? Where? How did you get your job?

I ask because I will be a recent PhD graduate in cell bio trying to find a job in the UK (actually I hope to be moving about the same time you are) Any info you have would be great!

Welcome! I eventually plan on moving to the UK myself to teach. I am currently in academia but just started out (as an instructor). I'm curious as to how different it is. Also, looking for any insight into the forecasted enrollment in the next 5 -10 years considering the economy. I know a lot of people state side are worried about Obamacare cutting into school's budgets and ability to retain teachers (mostly adjuncts, but I am still concerned). The school I teach at also has a 1.2 billion dollar endowment which sweetens things quite a bit right now. Anything like that in the UK or any advice?

Hi all, thanks for the welcomes.

CrazyPhD,

I'm in the social sciences, so not a lot of overlap with cell biology. And this is a post-doc on a research project that happened to be looking for basically my exact set of skills & interests, down to some relatively obscure (at least in the US and still mostly in the UK) methods.  I wasn't trying to get a UK gig at all, I was just applying to everything that appealed & fit my interests, and this is the best one that worked out.

So, sorry I can't offer more advice or suggestions, this was just luck and the randomness of the job market.