US Teacher Moving to UK... Advice?

Hello!
So...Long story short, I am moving to the UK with my fiance at the end of this month and am trying to get a head start on the work aspect. I will not be allowed to work until we get married and have our spousal visa approved, but I was hoping I could have some advice in the meantime.

I have a current Elementary teaching degree and was wondering how difficult the process of teaching in the UK will actually be? I've looked into the NCTL which seems as though US teaching qualifications can transfer over. I haven't begun the official process, as I won't legally be able to work until our next visa is with us.

For those who have done it and are teaching or have taught with US qualifications, I was hoping you could possibly shed some insight into this whole process... I am getting super anxious about starting the job search again, especially in a brand new country!

Sidenote: I will be living in the Birmingham area. If that matters.

Hello!
So...Long story short, I am moving to the UK with my fiance at the end of this month and am trying to get a head start on the work aspect. I will not be allowed to work until we get married and have our spousal visa approved, but I was hoping I could have some advice in the meantime.

I have a current Elementary teaching degree and was wondering how difficult the process of teaching in the UK will actually be? I've looked into the NCTL which seems as though US teaching qualifications can transfer over. I haven't begun the official process, as I won't legally be able to work until our next visa is with us.

For those who have done it and are teaching or have taught with US qualifications, I was hoping you could possibly shed some insight into this whole process... I am getting super anxious about starting the job search again, especially in a brand new country!

Sidenote: I will be living in the Birmingham area. If that matters.

Get your QTS (Qualified Teacher status) confirmed. I know you won't be allowed to volunteer in schools on a fiance visa, but you might find you need UK experience in order to get a permanent role.

Primary? Secondary? Subject?

I would get up to speed with your curriculum and see what changes are happening soon (there are bound to be some changes coming or just implemented).

Tes.co.uk is a good website for resources and the forums (while not terribly active) are quite useful to get a flavour for education in the UK. Oh and get up to speed with British spellings and grammar!

Thanks for your response.  I'm a primary teacher (K-8 here in the States, but I've had most experience in grades 1-6).

How do I cofirm my QTS? Do I need to do something here in the states first? I know that I have access to my teaching certificate online and it doesn't expire until the year 2018, so I'll print that out to have and upload.

I'll check on that site you gave me as well.  I guess it'll be good to have some time to research the different curriculum etc... Just not really sure how it all works.   

Thanks for your response.  I'm a primary teacher (K-8 here in the States, but I've had most experience in grades 1-6).

How do I cofirm my QTS? Do I need to do something here in the states first? I know that I have access to my teaching certificate online and it doesn't expire until the year 2018, so I'll print that out to have and upload.

I'll check on that site you gave me as well.  I guess it'll be good to have some time to research the different curriculum etc... Just not really sure how it all works.

Routes to QTS:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/qualified-teacher-status-qts

National Curriculum:
Key Stage 1 and 2 (equivalent to K-5):
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/425601/PRIMARY_national_curriculum.pdf

Equivalent to grades 6 and up are in Secondary School here.

Really, I think you will need to get some UK school experience. When you are allowed, supply can be a good route to get experience or you might try volunteering. April - June is the season when jobs come up (advertised on LA websites and TES.co.uk).

Oh and the acronyms are endless and probably different to some of the ones you might be used to, although I am sure that some are timeless!

Great stuff, thanks!
My fiance was telling me supply would probably be the route to go as well. I'll do a lot more research when I am in England in a couple of weeks. I know the big thing that you've said and that I have seen is about my UK teaching experience, which is zero at this point. This makes me very uneasy, especially with almost 7 years of teaching experience here in the states.

Question about applying for QTS. Do you think I should do that now? It is asking my my address and a few other things. I am still in the US and won't be going to join my fiance in the UK for about two weeks from now. Do you suggest I do the QTS application here and put down his information (address, phone, etc) or do you suggest I fill it in when I am officially there?

Sorry to be a bother... I am just quite confused about all this transferring teaching qualifications, etc...

I don't know how long your QTS will take to come through and I reckon most supply agencies won't take you on until you have it. That said, as you are coming on a fiance visa, you will have about 6 months to sort it all out...

You will need to get a "letter of good standing" from your licensing State for the QTS as well.  Just call/write the State Dep of Ed.   I also had my degrees confirmed from NARIC. This can all be started from the States and will be done by the time you can work. 

Also, I needed to be fingerprinted for my DBS (clearance) from the FBI.  I don't know why, but I can't find anyone else that had to do this.... Not sure if my county is just weird or what.  (Durham County)  It was a pain the in the butt. 

You will need to get a "letter of good standing" from your licensing State for the QTS as well.  Just call/write the State Dep of Ed.   I also had my degrees confirmed from NARIC. This can all be started from the States and will be done by the time you can work. 

Also, I needed to be fingerprinted for my DBS (clearance) from the FBI.  I don't know why, but I can't find anyone else that had to do this.... Not sure if my county is just weird or what.  (Durham County)  It was a pain the in the butt.

Thanks for responding! I saw your response and contacted my local ROE in connection to my school district. (My Dept. of Ed said I needed to contact my local one). I am hoping they will help with my "letter of good standing." (I had to leave a message as they were closed).

In order to get your degrees confirmed, what do you need to provide? I assume just the completed college (university) transcripts. I actually hadn't heard of NARIC until you mentioned it. I am trying to look on their website, but it seems to be running slow tonight.

How did you know that you had to be fingerprinted?

Sorry for all of the annoying questions... I have not a clue what I am doing apparently!

The agency I went through insisted on my FBI fingerprinting, and it had to be rolled prints sent through the system, the scanned prints for my Ohio license weren't enough. I still haven't received the check back even though I sent the prints off in June. So do it ASAP My county jail is the only place locally I could get to do them, a friend in law enforcement may be willing to help you out as well.

Also, if you have a right to work already you may very well find it much easier to get a position than anyone else as the school doesn't have to do anything. The school I am currently teaching at has had difficulty hiring enough people (but it is secondary) so were open to sponsorship that others may not be.

Good luck and be sure to check out the TES message boards for primary to get some idea of the normal way of things before arrival

The agency I went through insisted on my FBI fingerprinting, and it had to be rolled prints sent through the system, the scanned prints for my Ohio license weren't enough. I still haven't received the check back even though I sent the prints off in June. So do it ASAP My county jail is the only place locally I could get to do them, a friend in law enforcement may be willing to help you out as well.

Also, if you have a right to work already you may very well find it much easier to get a position than anyone else as the school doesn't have to do anything. The school I am currently teaching at has had difficulty hiring enough people (but it is secondary) so were open to sponsorship that others may not be.

Good luck and be sure to check out the TES message boards for primary to get some idea of the normal way of things before arrival

I got my QTS officially confirmed and have my official certificate and letter! My question to you is, what were your fingerprints needed for? Did your school ask you for those once you were offered the job?

I obviously can't do much about that right now as I still cannot work or look for work. My fiancé and I are getting married at the end of this month and have an in-person appointment for the FLR (M) Spousal Visa early December. Hoping all goes through and I will have everything approved that day! I am SO ready to start looking for work! 

I got my QTS officially confirmed and have my official certificate and letter!

Congrats . Glad you got it sorted.

I obviously can't do much about that right now as I still cannot work or look for work. My fiancé and I are getting married at the end of this month and have an in-person appointment for the FLR (M) Spousal Visa early December. Hoping all goes through and I will have everything approved that day! I am SO ready to start looking for work! 

I think you can start looking for work if you want to and even attend interviews, you just can't physically start working until you have your FLR(M) (and you can't get an NI number until you have your FLR(M) either).

It's not a problem for visitors in the UK without a visa to look for work or even interview and get a job offer, they just have to make sure they return to their home country and apply for a suitable visa before they can start working... so I don't see why you couldn't start the job hunt now, especially as you're only a few weeks away from getting the FLR(M) anyway.

Congrats . Glad you got it sorted.

I think you can start looking for work if you want to and even attend interviews, you just can't physically start working until you have your FLR(M) (and you can't get an NI number until you have your FLR(M) either).

It's not a problem for visitors in the UK without a visa to look for work or even interview and get a job offer, they just have to make sure they return to their home country and apply for a suitable visa before they can start working... so I don't see why you couldn't start the job hunt now, especially as you're only a few weeks away from getting the FLR(M) anyway.

Thank you! 

Wow, really? My fiancé and I had seen different things that said I was not allowed to look for work during my time on this visa? (We thought I was considered under the "visitor visa" aspect).

We have looked at so many appendices over the last year that my brain is going a bit fried at this point with all of the rules attached to these visas.

Which appendix/guidelines am I to be following from the GOV.UK website for my current six-month fiancé visa?

Wow, really? My fiancé and I had seen different things that said I was not allowed to look for work during my time on this visa? (We thought I was considered under the "visitor visa" aspect).

Even if you were considered under the visitor visa aspect (which you aren't - you have a settlement visa), visitors are still allowed to look for work anyway (UKVI just don't advertise it), they just can't start doing any work.

On a fiance visa though, it should be the same - actually carrying out any work (paid or unpaid) is illegal - but there's nothing in the rules that says you can't apply for jobs in preparation for starting work when you do have permission.

Which appendix/guidelines am I to be following from the GOV.UK website for my current six-month fiancé visa?

I don't think there are any particular guidelines, to be honest... all the information about what you can and can't do is listed on your visa:

'No work or recourse to public funds'

and is also listed on the visa information pages (https://www.gov.uk/join-family-in-uk/overview):

What you can and can’t do with your visa

You can use your ‘family of a settled person’ visa to:

-    work (you can’t work if you’ve got a visa to get married or to become civil partners)
-    study

You can’t get public funds for yourself and any dependants.

and here (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-part-8-family-members - under Fiance and Proposed Civil Partners):

Leave to enter as a fiance(e) or proposed civil partner

    291. A person seeking leave to enter the United Kingdom as a fiance(e) or proposed civil partner may be admitted, with a prohibition on employment, for a period not exceeding 6 months to enable the marriage or civil partnership to take place provided a valid United Kingdom entry clearance for entry in this capacity is produced to the Immigration Officer on arrival.

So, as long as you don't actually do anything that could be construed as work, then you shouldn't be doing anything wrong by looking for work.

Congrats . Glad you got it sorted.

I think you can start looking for work if you want to and even attend interviews, you just can't physically start working until you have your FLR(M) (and you can't get an NI number until you have your FLR(M) either).

It's not a problem for visitors in the UK without a visa to look for work or even interview and get a job offer, they just have to make sure they return to their home country and apply for a suitable visa before they can start working... so I don't see why you couldn't start the job hunt now, especially as you're only a few weeks away from getting the FLR(M) anyway.

When I applied in 2013 I know I read on the official site (the previous iteration of it) that I couldn't look for work OR do work (paid or unpaid) while on my fiance visa, cause I sure would have been looking before I applied for FLR(M) if I thought I could. So it may be that it's old info floating around?

When I applied in 2013 I know I read on the official site (the previous iteration of it) that I couldn't look for work OR do work (paid or unpaid) while on my fiance visa, cause I sure would have been looking before I applied for FLR(M) if I thought I could. So it may be that it's old info floating around?

That's interesting, because I've just been looking on an archived version of the old website from 2010 and there's nothing on there that I can see that says you can't look for work on a fiance visa (the rules haven't changed in that respect since then - the section on employment being forbidden looks to have had the same wording then as it does now on the new UKVI website).

It says in the employment section that if you are allowed to work then you can look for jobs via various different sources (newspapers, job centre etc.), but while it implies that only people who have permission to work should be looking for work (which is fair enough), I can't see anything on the site that says specifically that you can't look for work on a fiance visa in preparation for starting a job after you have FLR(M).

I've searched though the IDIs (Immigration Directorate Instructions) and the immigration rules from 2010 and there doesn't seem to be any mention of anything like that except that people with fiance visas cannot 'work' (i.e. undertake employment).

I'm not saying that it's something that you should do, I'm just saying that there's nothing in the rules that explicitly says you can't do it, at least not that I can find.

If someone without a visa can look for and apply for jobs from the US and then come over on a visitor visa to attend interviews with the hope of securing a Tier 2 work visa, I don't see why someone on a fiance visa who is living in the UK and will have permission to work anyway in a few weeks can't do something similar, even if it's just preparing your CV and searching online for vacancies.