Desperate Yank looking to relocate

I am a 22 year old American (New Jersean to be exact) who has recently graduated college here in the states.

After spending a wonderful 4 month long semester abroad in London (Regents College, located in the inner circle), I have been itching to get back to the UK to live, work, or do whatever I can do just to be there again.

It appears to be hard for an American to get a work visa, but I was wondering if anyone had any hints or suggestions on what path I should take to try and get back to London.

It is not just a "fad" or "phase" of my life that makes me want to be back in the UK.  I have never felt more "at home" or "at peace" with myself then I did when I was abroad... and I am determined to live in England for a few more years.

I am already in a very serious relationship, so marrying a Brit is out of the question! 

Have you looked into graduate school over here?

BUNAC?

BUNAC is quite short term really... only allowing you to work in the UK for up to SIX months. I will be working in the UK through BUNAC later this year, but I really want to become a resident in the UK.

I can really relate to your story... having spent most of 2003 in the UK I felt at home there.

Apart from BUNAC, there are a few other programmes but they are all basically opportunities that only last up to 6 months.

Theres always the 'Highly Skilled' programme but you have to have loads of educational and work experience in order to get a work visa through that. And that just wouldnt work for me cos Im just a student really.

Im desperately looking online for opportunites to work in the UK for longer than six months, and opportunites to aquire residency, then citizenship over periods of time but unfortunately I havent found much. Im still looking through and through....

So at the moment unfortunately all we really have are programmes like BUNAC and cash-in-hands. pity. Ill keep updated though. 

The other way is if you can get an employer to sponsor you, you can come on a work permit. If you can get sponsorship for 4 years, at the end of that you can apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (aka permanent residence).  Tpo get sponsorship/work permit, it needs to be a fairly specialised position, or something there is a shortage of in the UK as the employer has to show they have been unable to recruit locally.

I appreciate all the feedback, it was helpful!

Nice to see there are others out there looking to return abroad.  Travel fascinates me and after visiting 8 other European countries and a short stint in Australia, nowhere has "captured" me like the UK.

As for the BUNAC program, you have to either be a student or apply for the program within 6 months of your most recent full time semester of college.  Unfortunately, I am a recent college graduate, but recent as in more than 6 months passed. 

I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Communications.  Wonder if there is any room for a Yankee like me in London (sob) 

Oh dear.

Well if you dont qualify for BUNAC than chances are quite slim indeed for you to migrate to the UK to work.

But if you really truly want to live/work in the UK for a while, then surely you can find a way.

All I can really suggest in your situation would be to go on holiday in the UK again, and look for a job. Just really hunt for something that suites you and will allow you to qualify to get an actual work permit. Im sure you know how hard that is already.

You could also study abroad in the UK. Though you dont need to, it would be fun to take 4 classes for anything that intrests you. If you get a student visa, you can work for 20 hours a week. This would really allow you do dive in to the deep end and really become part of British life. There are loads and loads of study abroad/internships in England...

I hope someone else has some useful advice of knowledge of other ways to do this sort of thing.

All I can really suggest in your situation would be to go on holiday in the UK again, and look for a job.

I must point out that looking for work while on a visitor's visa (or on visa waiver, meaning you have no visa) is illegal and a very bad idea.  If someone is even willing to hire you when you are not even legally permitted to seek work, your violation of the visitor's visa or waiver will likely be discovered and you will be denied not only a work permit, but the opportunity to visit the UK again.  As we have seen many times here at UKY, flouting Immigration law is never a good idea.  Never. 

You can, though, travel to the UK for a job interview if it has already been set up-so by all means, hunt online as much as you can!

Good luck!

How about teaching?  I think it's possible to come over with an agency. 

Well that's quite true and it's a very big risk to take. But the truth is that loads of people do this sort of thing. Not only in the UK, but in the US. I probably wouldnt do this meself.

There are loads of recruitment agencies online that you can look in to as well.... And then of course when you go to the UK you can interview as he suggested.

I must point out that looking for work while on a visitor's visa (or on visa waiver, meaning you have no visa) is illegal and a very bad idea.  If someone is even willing to hire you when you are not even legally permitted to seek work, your violation of the visitor's visa or waiver will likely be discovered and you will be denied not only a work permit, but the opportunity to visit the UK again.  As we have seen many times here at UKY, flouting Immigration law is never a good idea.  Never. 

You can, though, travel to the UK for a job interview if it has already been set up-so by all means, hunt online as much as you can!

Good luck!

Work in the UK the legal way.

OK here's the skinny, to work in the UK legally the best route it to go through a program called BUNAC (British Universities North America Corporation). It allows students (mostly from english speaking countries) to come and work in the UK for various lengths of times. americans can do two 6 month stays, canadians get a year as do kiwis and Aussies and South Africans. check out www.bunac.org [nofollow] for more details. The only downside to the program is that if you are American you have to be a full time student in order to participate.

Note from a Global Mod:
We do not endorse nor will we publish methods, hints, tips etc. regarding illegal immigration or work.  If you can't do it the legal way, do not do it at all.

Well, goodness, that's helpful advice!  I'll just post that site as my answer in all of the visa threads.   

Well, goodness, that's helpful advice!  I'll just post that site as my answer in all of the visa threads.   

Well quite frankly, its not for you, lov.

No, it's not, because I'm not stupid enough to stay in a country illegally. 

I would not advise anyone to work illegally in the UK.  You risk being deported and banned from re-entry to the UK.