Working in the United Kingdom
Until 2008, the UK’s powerful economy and dominant financial and services sector actively allowed many expats to make dreams of working in the United Kingdom a reality. As a 
result, the region cultivated one of the world’s most multicultural working environments and an exciting melting pot of talent that benefited the economy tremendously.
However, since the 2008 global economic crisis the employment market is less receptive to expats as many global industry players found it necessary to shed jobs. In addition the British government has tightened restrictions on work visa allocations, making it difficult for those without specialised skills or post-graduate qualifications.
According to the 2010 HSBC Expat Explorer Study, nearly half of expats in the United Kingdom are working in the financial industry and the declining state of the economy paired with the increased cost of living in the region have created negative outlooks and, in some cases, plans for repatriation.
That being said, the UK is still a great place to look for work for many, particularly in the medical, engineering, IT, news organisations, tourism, and services sectors. Many expats tend to contact multinational companies in their home country to find out if that company has any jobs available at the company’s UK offices.
The majority of expats in Britain are American, followed by Australians and Canadians. Expats are required to hold a working visa obtained from the British Embassy. In order to get a work visa your future employer needs to prove that you are the best candidate for the job. For expats from outside of the EU, your employer would need to show why you fit the job better than a EU candidate.
EU nationals do not need a visa to work or live in the UK, but all other foreign nationals will need a work visa. The Department of Education and Skills (DES) issues work permits directly to the employer offering the job once the employer has proven that the applicant is more suitable for the advertised position than any applicants with EU citizenship.
result, the region cultivated one of the world’s most multicultural working environments and an exciting melting pot of talent that benefited the economy tremendously.However, since the 2008 global economic crisis the employment market is less receptive to expats as many global industry players found it necessary to shed jobs. In addition the British government has tightened restrictions on work visa allocations, making it difficult for those without specialised skills or post-graduate qualifications.
According to the 2010 HSBC Expat Explorer Study, nearly half of expats in the United Kingdom are working in the financial industry and the declining state of the economy paired with the increased cost of living in the region have created negative outlooks and, in some cases, plans for repatriation.
That being said, the UK is still a great place to look for work for many, particularly in the medical, engineering, IT, news organisations, tourism, and services sectors. Many expats tend to contact multinational companies in their home country to find out if that company has any jobs available at the company’s UK offices.
The majority of expats in Britain are American, followed by Australians and Canadians. Expats are required to hold a working visa obtained from the British Embassy. In order to get a work visa your future employer needs to prove that you are the best candidate for the job. For expats from outside of the EU, your employer would need to show why you fit the job better than a EU candidate.
Visa and Work Permits
EU nationals do not need a visa to work or live in the UK, but all other foreign nationals will need a work visa. The Department of Education and Skills (DES) issues work permits directly to the employer offering the job once the employer has proven that the applicant is more suitable for the advertised position than any applicants with EU citizenship.
The criteria by which work visas are issued can be hard to understand. There are numerous schemes and skill enticements. Put simplistically, the more highly skilled and experienced you are in a desirable field, the better your chances of a smooth and speedy application process. Key fields include doctors, scientists, engineers and MBAs.
| Visa details | Applicant details |
| Tier one: Highly skilled workers, investors, entrepreneurs and recent graduates from UK universities | Points based assessment, applicants do not need a job offer for this category |
| Tier two: Skilled workers | For applicants that have been offered a skilled job. The prospective employer needs to sponsor you. This is only specific for that specific job |
| Temporary workers | This category allows applicants a temporary visa that permits certain types of work. It requires a UK employer willing to sponsor you, or if your country is part of the youth mobility scheme |
| Other | This category applies to people wishing to work as the sole representative of an overseas firm or as the representative of an overseas newspaper, broadcasting or news agency |
| EU citizens | Free to work in the UK, although citizens from countries that have recently joined the EU need to register with the UK Home Office and apply for permission |
| Workers and businesspeople from Turkey | Benefit from the European agreement with Turkey if establishing themselves in business in the UK |
| Commonwealth citizens with UK ancestry | Can apply to work in the UK provided that at least one grandparent was born in the UK |
After four years of working full time in the UK, expats can apply for permanent residency. There are, as yet, no restrictions against dual citizenship. Partners and children as well as elderly dependant relatives are eligible for visas once the primary applicant’s work visa has been approved.
The easiest way to gain a work visa and residency without requiring any sponsorship from an employer is to fall within the requirements for the Tier one visa for highly skilled individuals.
