Want to Move to UK Job Suggestions--

My wife and I have talked about moving to the UK for years.  We finally decided to really move after we learned that America would have to suffer through 4 more years of GWB.

I am an attorney and she is a retail manager.  Any suggestions for good job related web sites?  Job contacts?  Any  lawyers here?

As I understand it, we need get work permits and work for four years before we can apply for permanent residency and citizenship.   Is that right?  Could I work at an American law firm or must it be a British firm?

Hi and welcome to the site! 

You're right that you need to find work permits by getting someone here to sponsor you and apply for the permit here.  It's a tricky thing to do, but if you want it badly enough, it can be done.  Check out the Visa board for more info on how to go about securing the visa.

Finding work here before you have a proper visa that entitles you to work here is tricky.  There are lots of job sites I could refer you to, but unfortuantely it is highly unlikely that anyone recruiting will give you the time of day unless you have some very specialised skills. 

Also, I believe it is actually 5 years of living here without being subject to immigration controls before you are able to apply for citizenship.  Unfortunately, living here on a work permit won't apply to this time since you will still only be here on a limited visa. 

You could transfer over with an American law firm though if you wanted to stay for a few years.  That is usually the easiest way to go about getting work here.

Have you been to the UK before?  What about it has made you decide this is the right place for you?

Hi, Teenvote! I hear ya with the GWB thing. I'm from Seattle and have wanted to move to the UK for some time now, simply because I love it over there so much - but the prospect of four more years of Bush is added incentive.

Like your wife, I work in retail management. I've learned that in order to get a work permit, you must first be sponsored by a UK employer - unless you qualify as a "Highly Skilled Migrant Worker." You can take a look at the Britain USA website for more information on that. It also provides some information about work permits (although it's not presented in the most clear or logical manner).

From what I've heard, it's possible for an American to get a UK work permit, but not very easy. Most UK employers would (understandably) prefer to hire a Brit than deal with the hassle of applying for a work permit for an American. It's worth a shot, though. Best of luck to you and your wife!

hi there,
yes - you will need to get a work permit. best thing is to find a US-based UK employer and go that route.  since you are a highly skilled professional once you find someone to sponsor you, your application will likely be processed pretty quickly.

alternatively, you cuold fly out to the UK and try and find a job here and get someone to sponsor you. it's obviously risky but might prove faster. www.jobsite.co.uk has a lot of job listings and it might be worth investigating recruitment agencies [manpower?] who might have some insight into how to get a job that would handle work visas abroad.

mimsy2000

hi there,
yes - you will need to get a work permit. best thing is to find a US-based UK employer and go that route.  since you are a highly skilled professional once you find someone to sponsor you, your application will likely be processed pretty quickly.

Just to clarify, you must be skilled in a profession that is in short supply here in the UK for it to matter that you are highly skilled.  Nursing, teaching, etc are examples but I don't think there is a shortage of lawyers...and I'm pretty sure the differenced in laws and qualifications for lawyers (or soliciters, as we call them here) are pretty different.  You might have to do some courses before you were qualified to practice here.  This would open your options though to a student visa if you can afford to go to school here.

alternatively, you cuold fly out to the UK and try and find a job here and get someone to sponsor you. it's obviously risky but might prove faster. www.jobsite.co.uk has a lot of job listings and it might be worth investigating recruitment agencies [manpower?] who might have some insight into how to get a job that would handle work visas abroad.

mimsy2000

Not only is it risky, it's also illegal.  I'd be careful flying out for this purpose.  Immigration may stop you and send you back if they even suspect you are coming over for this purpose, which would cause problems for you further down the road if you want to return sometime legally.  Also, I'm pretty sure it's illegal for people to even interview you if you're over here on a visa waiver but I could be wrong about this.  I can tell you that until I had a visa in hand, people wouldn't even talk to me AT ALL about employing me here.

If you manage to make any contacts online who are willing to interview you, you are allowed to fly to the UK for a pre-arranged job interview with a company who is willing to go through the work permit process for you - for which you would have to return to the US anyway.

But as Wishstar says, it is technically illegal to come to the UK with the purpose of looking for work without the right visa beforehand.  And you'll have a hard time getting anyone to see you "off the street" as it were without being legal to work.

The Gazette published by the Law Society advertises jobs and has a jobsearch facility:

www.lawgazette.co.uk/jobs/jobsearch.law

There are also a number of agencies you could check out, a couple that spring to mind are Badenoch & Clark and Robert Walters. Sorry I don't have website details but a Google search should find them pretty easily. 

As others have said you would need to be working in a specialised area for the employer to be able to sponsor you as they have to show that they have advertised the job for a minimum of 4 weeks and not been able to employ anyone already here. 

Obviously a transfer through your existing emplyer would be an easier route. If your American law firm does not have an office over here, maybe they are affiliated to a UK firm and could arrange a work exchange for you? Just a suggestion.

Hiya teenvote.

Do you work in a specialty section of law? I'm thinking, although I'm not sure, that if you only know US law that it'll be difficult to get a job as a lawyer in the UK. Different laws. You very well may have to study law in the UK. Which may open some opportunity for you. You could look into a student visa.

Jennydee was able to get a work permit, and she was a retail manager, so there's always hope. Also, if I understand the laws correctly, if either of you succeeds in getting a work permit & visa, it becomes much easier for the spouse to get one as well.

The problem with the student visa is that you aren't allowed to work in the UK for more than six months after you graduate, so if you intend to live in the UK on a more permanent basis, you might want to consider a different route.

Then again, if the US continues to invade sovereign nations at will, the UK might one day become a part of the US Empire and all this work permit stuff will be moot.

(Joking!) 

Yes, the GW thing is also my motivation.

My wife is an experienced teacher here in the US. I am wondering if finding a job as a teacher there is easier than finding other jobs in England?

What steps should be taken first?

Yes, the GW thing is also my motivation.

My wife is an experienced teacher here in the US. I am wondering if finding a job as a teacher there is easier than finding other jobs in England?

What steps should be taken first?

ArtJunky, from what I've heard, teachers are in demand over there (they seem to be in demand everywhere!), so you'll probably have an easier time getting a work permit. You might try starting with this website for more info:  http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachinginengland/index.cfm

It seems to have some good info for overseas teachers wishing to teach in the UK.

for teaching, in addition to the goverment site posted earlier, i would also recommend Times Educational Supplement, something of a bible for educators.

http://www.tes.co.uk/

best of luck to you.

mimsy2000

From reviewing the requirements, it would seem that it's essentially a point system based on your university degrees and your past earnings.  In the US, the magic number for those over 28 seems to be £40,000 per year (USD what, $75,000?!).  There are also points for work experience, published research, and the like.

However, there is not a list of occupations in current demand in the UK.  The US-Canada agreement specifically lists occupations; does anyone know if such a list exists for the UK?

Here is the link:
http://www.britainusa.com/visas/other_show.asp?SarticleType=25&Other_ID=324 [nofollow]

in regards to teaching, I would also keep in mind and look out for any certifications that are needed. From what I understand just like Doctors and Lawyers, Teachers are amongst the group that requires special certification. This is a heads up, do not quote me on this!

I also found that with the Highly Skilled Migrant Program it is not neccesarily what your career is but whether you meet their qualifications (salary, education, awards etc...) and if you can show that you can find a job in your graduate field. They will not turn you away if you are a lawyer, only if there are no job opportunities for one.