Hello and help!!

Howdy! Yes, I am a Texan.  I am married with 3 kids ages 15, 13, and 10.  I am a licensed audiologist with over 15 years experience.  I have no sane reason to pull up my family and move to the UK.  However, I have always wanted to see the UK and all of Europe.  I figure if I can get a job in the UK for a couple of years (or more - who knows the future?!) I can satisfy my adventurous nature and expose my kids to other parts of the world.  So after only thinking about doing something like this for years, I am actually really looking into it.  However, I do not have the foggiest idea of where to start!  My parents think I am crazy (not telling the in-laws at this point).  Wondering if not having a reason (like a spouse or a job already lined up) and moving a whole family is totally insane!  And well I am not getting any younger.  I would love some thoughts and a maybe some direction.  Like would England even want an American audiologist?  My husband also has bipolar disorder.  I worry about getting his meds ect.  Anyway, thank you in advance for your advice and/or thoughts!  I have to admit it is somewhat overwhelming even just thinking about it.   

Welcome to the forum .

Essentially, you can't just up and move to the UK because you want to... it's not that simple.

If none of you are UK or EU citizens/are entitled to UK or EU citizenship, then all of you will need to qualify for and apply for a visa BEFORE you can move to the UK.

Your visa options would be:
- Tier 2 sponsored work visa for either you or your spouse, and then the rest of you get Tier 2 Dependant visas to join the main Tier 2 visa holder

- Tier 4 student visa... either you or your spouse studies for a Masters degree or higher in the UK (usually 12 months for a masters, 3 years for a PhD) and the rest of you get Tier 4 dependant visas to join the main Tier 4 visa holder. However, you would need A LOT of money available to you in order to qualify for the visas (like, $30,000-50,000 for tuition and living costs for 1 year)

For Tier 2 work visas, there are Tier 2 ICT visas (Intra-Company Transfer), so if either you or your spouse work for a company with UK offices you could look into a transfer, though there are specific requirements to meet.

Alternatively there's the Tier 2 General visa, where you get sponsored by a UK company for a new job with them, BUT it can be extremely difficult to qualify for one. The job either needs to be listed on the Tier 2 Shortage Occupation List, or if it's not, the UK company has to carry out the Resident Labour Market Test (RLMT) to show that they advertised the job across the UK and all 26 other EU countries and could not find a single suitable applicant, meaning they have to hire someone from the US instead. Now, with 500 million people in the EU, the job would have to be very specialised for there not to be a single person qualified to do it except you.

Looking at the current shortage list, it doesn't look like audiologists are on there: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-k-shortage-occupation-list

See here for more information on Tier 2 and Tier 4 visas:
https://www.gov.uk/tier-2-general
https://www.gov.uk/tier-2-intracompany-transfer-worker-visa/overview
https://www.gov.uk/tier-4-general-visa/overview


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi UKMaybe! I'm from Texas too (Dallas). How's it back home?! The person who responded first is right It feels like it should be easy to just be able to move wherever you want overseas but alas, it just isn't that easy. I moved here with my husband, so I have a spouse visa and even that was a huge pain in the butt to get through. Might I suggest maybe coming to visit? I know it's definitely not the same, but if you've never been here, probably best to visit first?

Thank you so much for your responses, ksand24 and TexasPeach.  The more I looked into this the more impossible it seems.  I have wanted to visit for ever so long, but with my husband's illness (and therefore off and on again employment) and my education choices for my kids there is little money left for travel especially abroad.  Hence the idea of working there and seeing the world at the same time!  There is opportunity for foreign audiologists in New Zealand, but Europe is so much more appealing to me.  Not that seeing New Zealand and Australia wouldn't be super awesome too. 
Maybe I should ditch the hubby and find me a British one!  Just kidding!
TexasPeach, I am from south Texas, a smallist city called Victoria.  About 10 years ago, I lived in San Antonio for over 5 years, but I was born and raised in Victoria.  As far as Texas goes it is July so it is hot!  Can't wait until August; thank the good Lord for air conditioning.   

I am not giving up on this idea yet, although the rational part of me has always though it to be a crazy dream.  It can't hurt to keep gathering information.  Thanks ksand24 for the links.  You guys are awesome.