Could Use Some Help (New Guy)

Now you're talking about two people needing visas on their own merit.

That's a big if and a tiny footnote. It's just something that was in the back of my mind.

Remember though that foreign graduates with a degree from a UK university are exempt from the resident market labour test, so it would be easier to get a Tier 2 visa after studying in the UK, than without studying in the UK.

Thanks for that link, I'll have to do some reading. Do I still need a company to sponsor the visa? Or is this saying that is not the case?

Thanks for that link, I'll have to do some reading. Do I still need a company to sponsor the visa? Or is this saying that is not the case?

No, everyone needs a company to sponsor their visa, whether they have a UK degree or not. Tier 2 is a 'sponsored' work visa scheme, so you cannot qualify without a company to sponsor you. The difference is that if you have a degree from a UK university, the company doesn't have as many hoops to jump through in order to be able to hire you.

There used to be the option to apply for a Tier 1 Post Study Work visa, which would allow foreign students to stay and work in the UK for 2 years after their studies, and also a Tier 1 General visa that would allow highly-skilled foreign workers to move to the UK without a job lined up first, but unfortunately, both of those visa have been abolished now.

The thing is that the UK government is trying to reduce the number of people who can qualify for work visas and also is trying to stop students from being allowed to stay and work in the UK after their studies... so they have made it much harder in recent years to qualify for these visas.

Hmm.. Alright, that's what I was thinking. So there's still a problem after finishing studies - but it's a touch less complicated than I thought.

Too bad the economy is in such a poor shape. 

Thanks for all the help.

I have a friend in television; he works as a second assistant director on Being Human and a number of other shows/movies.

The BBC might make a lot of shows and they might be a sponsor, but they don't "hire" people anymore for this sort of work.  They haven't for years. 

If you are looking at the production end of things then they hire on a contractual basis only.  That means that when your show ends, you are out of work until you find something else and I don't think that will work for a work permit.

I have a friend in television; he works as a second assistant director on Being Human and a number of other shows/movies.

The BBC might make a lot of shows and they might be a sponsor, but they don't "hire" people anymore for this sort of work.  They haven't for years. 

If you are looking at the production end of things then they hire on a contractual basis only.  That means that when your show ends, you are out of work until you find something else and I don't think that will work for a work permit.

I work in television as an editor, mostly in broadcast news & sports, and what bookgrl describes is pretty common.  Many production and post-production people are freelance/self-employed and don't work as permanent employees of a company. 

There are staff jobs in corporate video, but you'd have a hard time getting one after just finishing university (or a master's degree).  Most places would want you to have a few years of experience and a demo reel/website to show them before they'll hire you.

If I were in your shoes and really wanted to move to the UK, I'd look at the university route, and then work really hard at making contacts in the industry while in school in an effort to find someone at a company who might give you a shot. 

That said, I don't know that even if someone wanted to hire you they could do so, given what everyone else has said about Tier 2 sponsorship requirements.  Sorry I don't have anything more encouraging to say; the UK government is really trying hard to look tough on immigration, making life difficult for anyone who wants to come here.