I WANT TO MOVE TO ENGLAND /UK /LONDON
Updated in July 2018 for rental prices
BREXIT IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER :
After the Brexit, I’ll have to edit the content of this article (especially when it comes to finding a job in the UK, even if you are an EU citizen). If the UK government will go ahead with the Brexit it might not be as easy as it was before the referendum.
————–
The data are still uncertain for now, as the UK has 2 years to re-negotiate their treaty with the EU, so, for now, nothing will change but I will keep you posted following the latest news.
————–
Thanks for your patience while I will re-write the article as the new deals with the European community and the rest of the world will be finalized.
If I could get 1 euro for all the people that asked me this question, I would be rich. I get the point. The UK, London in particular, with its melting pot of culture, history, social life, and job opportunities, has it all.
Not to mention that England and the UK in general offer so many opportunities to explore some of the best landscapes in Europe (yes, I know…once you’ve settled down!)
Read some of the posts I have written about the beauty of the UK, England, Scotland and Wales in here:
South UK Holidays: The top spots to see in southern England
Top Vegetarian Restaurants in London
Woolacombe beach/Devon Fabulous things to do
Do you want to move to the UK, but you don’t know how, and you need some advice from those who have already been there? If this applies to you, this free guide is all you need to get ready. So relax and keep on reading!
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THIS GUIDE:
I’m Italian and at age 30 I didn’t speak a word of English. I moved to the UK in 2006 and I lived as an expat in London for 6 years, starting from ZERO.
Given these premises, I will try to address all the key points for you to get started and make sure that you will walk under the shadow of the Big Ben as soon as possible!
I will speak in detail of:
In short, everything I wish I’d know when I decided to move to England. For each section, you will find useful links (tested by me on multiple occasions) that will help you dive deeper into the topic! Plus some personal insights into how I did it.
Are u Ready? Let’s get started!
PIN IT FOR LATER!
4 basic things to consider before you decide to leave:
1) Have a clear idea of what you are looking for:
I met many people who wanted to leave without having the slightest idea of what to do.The UK and London in particular can be a wild Jungle. Make a plan, write down a list of the jobs you are interested in and your skills. Use it as a starting point to focus on your research. The more your plan is detailed and accurate, the greater your chances of success will be.
How I did it: When I decided to leave Italy, I focused my attention entirely on how to become an Au pair. For months I visited forums, specialized sites, and contacted several families until I found the perfect one for me.
2)Knowing basic English is crucial:
Many people want to move to the UK even if they don’t even know the basics. Unfortunately, this is not possible. It is not always necessary to be fluent, but today the competition is fierce. You will be dealing with people who already have a good knowledge of the language. Before leaving, take the time to study. Be prepared. You should at least be able to understand the language a bit and hold a basic conversation with the locals.
How I did it: My Basic English was super rusty. I armed myself with about 30 DVDs in the original language, and for 5 months in a row, I saw at least 3 movies a day.
I’ve improved a lot and in a relatively short time (and my friends thought I took a course in cinematography 🙂
3) Choose the right location:
England is big, don’t rule out the possibility of living outside London. Of course, the capital is the most sought-after destination, but why not consider other places and see what they can offer? At times, choose to live in less popular areas is the key to success. Competition for jobs is lower, and the opportunity to interact with native speakers is much higher.
How I did it: I chose a family about 1 hour south of London, in a small village in the countryside.Was it hard? A little, but the initial effort paid off. My English improved quickly and I made friends with locals pretty easily.
4) Know your Minimum budget to start:
I left Italy with 600£ on me, but I already had a place to stay and a job as an Au Pair (remember my first point: planning in advance is crucial).
As a general rule, the initial budget must cover the cost of food, transport, and accommodation for the first month: You’ll need about 1500 pounds as a start to be on the safe side. This figure can vary, depending on your plan of attack.
You want to try to be an Au pair? Detract the costs for accommodation and food. Do you want to live in London, not far from the center? Add 30/40% to the initial budget. Let’s say that 1000/2000 pounds as an average should be enough to cover the costs, considering the location and different lifestyles.
STEP 1: CHOOSE THE ACCOMMODATION
Whether you choose to live in London or outside London, there are 2 main ways to find accommodation in the UK:
Direct Search:
Through Newspapers adverts and Forums/websites. A bit risky but worth a try. The site Gumtree is my Bible: I’ve found everything, from accommodation to a temporary job as a receptionist and even a second-hand computer for 30£. The site offers room to share and flat rentals across all the main towns in England, sorted by type of accommodation, basic price per week/month and areas.
Advantages: No agency fees as you can contact the Landlord directly. Possibility to find short-term rentals.In some cases, it’s not necessary to prove that you have a job (proof required by many well-known agencies)
Disadvantages: You have to be cautious and carefully evaluate the offer. Most landlords are honest people, but sometimes you can end up in very unpleasant situations (I found mice in the house the day of the move, and had to call a lawyer because the landlord would not give me back the money for the deposit. I ended up losing time and 500£. A real nightmare.
Real estate agency:
It is certainly the safest bet, but you have to provide more documentation (which will be checked carefully before they give you an answer).
Required documents:
- Proof that you have a job in the U.K. (In case you’re still looking for it, it is better to look for a room to share through Gumtree)
- Proof of residence in the U.K. for the 2 (sometimes 3) previous years. If you do not have that record, your home country address will suffice.
- Letters of reference from previous Landlords (not always required, but sometimes they require this information too)
- English bank account. It is not mandatory but is often required, and it’s necessary when you find a job, so you might as well do it as soon as you can. More info in the chapter “Useful Links” at the end of the post.
Advantages: The guarantee of a legal contract that you can hold in the event of a dispute, and the possibility to turn to the agency for any problem about the house.
Disadvantages: The agency fees, in addition to the deposit (which is typically a month, or 6 weeks). Always ask how much is the agency fee before signing up. It may vary widely depending on the agency. You can read this interesting article on how agencies try to “scam” you on commissions.
Short rental websites to find accommodation in London with FG Properties
If you decide to try your luck in the super expensive London, another very good option you can consider for the first few weeks (until you find a suitable place to rent, find a job and sort out all the other documents) is the “short rental” option. It obviously works better when you are a group of 4 or more people and can be the perfect choice to save money.
Why? There are many reasons to consider this alternative.
- You will have a kitchen and (trust me!) this is a huge advantage to save money on food
- The location near the tube station is ideal to move around when you are looking for a job
- The feeling of being “home”
I used this option with FG Properties last November when I went back to my beloved London for 1 week. I stayed in the busy area near Earl’s Court, just a few minutes away from the tube station, a proper kitchen, sofa, and 2 big bedrooms.
-
-
-
-
The price for an apartment like this can be lower than renting a room (always considering that you are a group of 3-4 people of course). These are the pictures taken at the apartment I was staying in, lovely to go back to a place like this! Definitely worth checking out for groups, otherwise a nice, conveniently located Hotel can be another good choice for you to consider.
Agencies / most used sites to find accommodation in the UK
Before signing any contract, I suggest you read it very carefully, and make sure that there are no special clauses.
For more info on the most common rental contracts in the UK, you can read this link. As they say in English: “Better be safe than sorry”!
Average prices per month for a studio flat:
London (the further from the center the cheapest the price but consider transports & area)
South East London: £ 550 – £ 650
Central London: £ 2400 – £ 3000
South London: £ 600 – £ 700
West London: £ 700 – £ 1500
North London: £ 400 – £ 4000
Excluding Expenses (council tax, electricity, water, internet, tv license): they are in the range of 60 to 120 pounds per month. Depending on the house, the location and the number of people who live there.
Note: In England, they are extra strict if you do not pay your bills regularly. Especially the Council Tax and TV license. Do not try to get too smart. they will immediately send you a letter of warning and make you go to court even for as less as £ 100.
STEP 2: FINDING A JOB
England is often seen as the land where you can start over and find a job within a week. But is it really the truth? Unfortunately, things are no longer as easy as they seemed to be in the past.
The UK has not been spared from the recession and it may take you some time before finding the right job for you. But don’t get discouraged: There still are plenty of opportunities in England. All you need is get prepared and be patient.
I’d like to share with you what I have learned from my mistakes in my 6 years living and working in London, both when I was still looking for a job and as a recruiter for the British company I worked for.
6 Tips to find a Job in UK
1 | The Resume is essential:
If it’s done wrong and it’s inaccurate or incomplete, you could be the perfect candidate for the job, but you will be trashed immediately. In the UK, they are very selective about this. Get help from a native speaker. There is nothing worse than a good resume that’s written in bad English.
2 | Do not underestimate your potential:
Some people think that as soon as they arrive in England they will find a “qualified” job. Others don’t even dare to try for the fear of not knowing the language well enough, or not being “enough.”
The middle way is always the best. Take one step at a time. If after a few interviews you realize that you still don’t feel confident, or that the demands are much higher compared to your experience, lower the fire.
Several interviews will give you more confidence and you’ll approach them better. For this reason, try to leave the companies that you care more about and the end of your “wish list”.
3) Have a good Word/Excel knowledge:
If you are looking for secretarial jobs, be aware that many recruitment agencies will ask you to complete a 1-hour test on a computer to assess your knowledge.
If you don’t pass it, your application will be rejected. This is a widely used practice in the UK. Do not waste an opportunity because you are unprepared, it happened to me and I was quite disappointed as no one had told me how it worked.
4) Go to the recruitment agencies in person:
It has a winning impact and gives you a better chance of scheduling an interview with the recruiter right then and there. I found my job as a production assistant in a fashion company this way.
If you present yourself well, you appear confident and willing to adapt, the recruiter won’t risk to lose you and he/she will find something suitable for you. Always show a positive attitude. Don’t be arrogant but try not to appear too desperate either.
5) Do not get intimidated by age:
In England, if you are over 30 and looking for a job, this is of little importance.You are not automatically cut out like it would happen in many other countries. If you have the experience and a good level of English, that’s all you need.
I was 31 years old when Burberry London hired me, and they didn’t ask for my age once. There is actually a law stating that asking for your age is considered an act of discrimination, so you don’t even have to put it on your CV.
6) Test your telephone conversational skills:
Sounds stupid, but answering the phone is more difficult than having a conversation in person (for those who still struggle with English). Make sure you are well prepared when you receive a call back from the recruiter.
Believe me, who is calling will remember exactly if you sounded insecure or if you asked them to repeat the same sentence 5 times (it happened to me, and it is no good). As a friend, possibly a local, to practice with him. I did it and it worked wonders.
TYPES OF JOBS YOU CAN FIND IN ENGLAND:
SPECIALIZED JOBS:
Some industries, such as healthcare and IT still offer many opportunities. Always keep in mind the knowledge of the language, which in these cases must be quite good.
You can see the most requested jobs in the UK with a detailed description and the average wage by clicking on this link.
This will give you an idea of what to expect and to evaluate objectively whether or not you have what it takes to apply. Do not stop to the list mentioned above. If you have specific skills, continue your research through the major recruitment sites online.
Be stubborn, if you really believe in something, and you have the skills, you will be rewarded.
ADMINISTRATION JOBS IN LONDON, TIPS & TRICKS AND USEFUL LINKS:
Source: Wikimedia.org
There may be lots of talk of jobs becoming automated and the mythical ‘paperless office’, but there are still thousands of administration jobs to be had in a wide range of fields and industries across London.
After all, whatever your business, you need to keep on top of the paperwork, staff the telephones and generally keep the wheels of your office turning smoothly. So it’s no wonder administrators are considered the backbone of any company.
Equally, opportunities for administration jobs in London tend to be plentiful whatever your age, previous experience or qualifications.
You’ll need excellent attention to detail and to be highly organized, with the ability to stay calm when under pressure, plus a thoughtful, methodical approach to your work, and the ability to juggle tasks and to do well in a team.
Typing skills and telephone manner are also important. You could also think in terms of working towards an NVQ or SVQ in Business and Administration, levels one to four.
And, if you want to progress, it’s often possible to move on from an admin role into becoming an office manager, PA or supervisor (Which is exactly what happened to me while working for Burberry London: I started as a simple temporary admin Assistant and after 1 year I was promoted to coordinator).
Jobs across London attract salaries from around £22,500 and up to £37,500. The average is probably somewhere around the £25,000 mark.
NON-SPECIALIZED JOBS:
The majority of young people who want to move to the UK falls into this category. What opportunities are there, and what is the best approach?
WAITER/WAITRESS:
One of the easiest jobs to find. Go door to door with your résumé and ask to speak with the manager. Many restaurants looking for staff put the flyers in the window, pay attention when walking on the streets.
Waiters in England earn a considerable amount of money just because of the tips. In some cases, the new arrivals get fewer tips but as you gain experience, the tips increase accordingly.
The average salary: 800/1300 pounds (including tips)
RECEPTIONIST FOR LUXURY RESTAURANTS:
You will be welcoming the customers, store their coats and bags in the cloakroom and escort them to their table.I did this job and it can be quite stressful, but if you are fond of gossip you can be rewarded by seeing Hugh Grant, Madonna or Gwyneth Paltrow eating their favorite plate of spaghetti 🙂 (I did saw them actually, and I was working for the restaurant less than 10 days).
The average salary is 800/1200 pounds per month including tips.
HOTEL RECEPTIONIST:
Relatively easy to find if you have a good knowledge of the language, The best approach is to go directly to the hostel and ask to speak with the management. Recruitment agencies are also a good place to find these kinds of jobs.
The average salary is around 1000/1300 pounds.
SALES ASSISTANT:
Pretty easy to find if you ask the big franchising companies like H & M, Top Shop, Zara, Monsoon, Accessories. The level of English required is basic and it’s a great start even as a part-time job. You will be able to enroll in one of the many English courses and try to apply for more specialized positions when your English will be better.
The average salary is 900/1300 pounds
AU PAIR:
In my opinion, this is one of the best ways to start working in the UK if your main goal is to learn the language before starting to look for qualified jobs.
Below are some of the advantages:
1) Possibility to live with the locals and quickly improve your English (HUGE headaches in the beginning but so worth it)
2) The job is not that stressful (if you enjoy being with kids is actually fun!)
3) Free food and accommodation, plus a weekly small salary to cover your little expenses (approximately 50 / £ 100 per week depending on how many kids you take care of, the location and whether you should also clean the house or not)
4) In some cases, you will have your own car (I did and it was such a great experience!)
5) Ability to attend college (many families will pay for it)
7) Several free hours, many weekends off and sometimes the possibility of having a second job (I earned £500 a month for a few hours working in a Sandwich bar during my spare time)
The most popular websites to find a job as an Au-Pair are Au Pair World, and Easy Au pair. They are very reliable and you don’t have to pay to get in contact with the families directly.
Considerations on finding a job in the UK:
These are just a few of the most common jobs to start a new life in the UK. What you need in the beginning is a great deal of patience, endurance, and a positive attitude. It will not always be easy. I’ve been there. Receiving 10 phone calls and 10 “Thank you, we are not interested” in a day, can be daunting.
Don’t get discouraged. You only need to sharpen your weapons, study the market a bit more and learn how to “sell” yourself better! Be confident and make sure you know what you want. Put all your enthusiasm, optimism and passion for it.
Trust me: the results will arrive, and this obviously applies to every aspect of your life. Not only if you want to move to England of course. I learned my lesson and your attitude plays a huge role to determine whether you will be successful or not.
STEP 3: IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS USEFUL IN UK:
Arriving in a foreign country without knowing their bureaucracy, is like rowing against the wind. You can do it but it will cost you fatigue and frustration. You already have so much to think about without adding further stress.
Make sure you are prepared, and know exactly what to do. This will also help you with some very rude and unhelpful clerks in banks and public offices. If you look like you don’t know what you want, some of them won’t be patient enough to help you out.
Documents you need when you arrive in the UK:
NIN: NATIONAL INSURANCE NUMBER:
Undeclared work in England is not common and the UK employers always do everything by the book.
In order to get a job, you will need to go to a job center in your area and ask for the NIN.
But what exactly is the NIN and how can you get it? Here is the link to all the info you need. You can also consult the official government website here. Don’t worry. It’s harder said than done!
ENGLISH-BANK ACCOUNT:
As soon as you arrive in England it is highly recommended to open an English bank account. There are various options, I got one with Barclay’s and I had no problems so far. The procedure was smooth and they opened it straight away. Natwest and HSBC are also widely used in England. As a general rule, English banks have no fees for opening and closing the account.
For all the info on how to open a bank account and the documents requested, you can click here.
OYSTER CARD:
The famous card that allows you to travel on public transport in London without having to buy a daily ticket. Once you buy the Oyster you can top it up it with an amount of your choice or with different types of subscription (weekly, monthly, yearly and according to the different areas of London) You can also choose to take only Bus or the Bus and metro combo.
You can buy it at any newsstand or metro stations for £ 5, and reload it with cash or debit card in the machines at the tube stations.
For more info, you can check this link. For Info on disruptions, bus, metro, train departure times and more, check out the London Transport website (very useful! I used it on a daily basis, it will also tell you the exact time your bus is due to arrive at the bus stop).
LINKS & SERVICESUSEFUL WHEN YOU MOVE TO THE UK
Online recruitment sites
(see also the section on tips on how to make a Resume and Cover letter, how to get ready for the interviews etc):
- Official Website of the British government: www.gov.co.uk
- Official Health Care website: www.nhs.co.uk
- English Language tests: Requirements to certify the ability to work in Specialized professions, link HERE
MONEY TRANSFER WHEN YOU ARE IN THE UK
Sometimes the beginnings can be a bit challenging money-wise and you might need assistance from relatives back home, or simply have some help when it comes to currency exchange rates and so forth.
There are specialized websites/online agencies to help you out. They will make your life easier, especially when you don’t have the time to deal with all this by yourself, as you’ll be too focused in finding the right job for you, or sorting out the important documents you need.
I recommend you check out the Baydonhill website: They provide several useful services like helping you (or you family) in sending money all over the world, online support, foreign currency exchange at competitive rates and much more.
FINAL TIPS TO MOVE TO THE UK FROM AN EXPAT:
Moving to the UK has been one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences of my entire life. Six years of living in one of the coolest European capital, so many doubts, successes, and failures.
England can give you a lot if you have the right attitude.
When I was thinking about the advice I should give you to close this post, I realized that they all sounded very personal. Different people have a different reason for moving. The expectations and the attitude may differ from person to person.
In the end, I thought that the best way to help you is to listen to what you have to say, to your doubts and your projects, and reply to your requests one by one.
So Feel free to comment here or to send me an email and ask me anything you want to know!
I hope this guide was useful for you and that it gave you another good reason to try a new exciting experience as an expat in the UK!
Cheers!
Other Useful Guides:
Sardinia Top 10 beaches | Sardinia Free Guides | Sri Lanka Adventures | Bangkok By Bus | Siargao Philippines Paradise | Photography tips | Sardinia Low Season |
SAVE IT FOR LATER… PIN IT!
Comments
Such an amazing blog. This is very helpful, keep sharing!
Thanks for sharing! This is a useful piece of content
I really enjoyed this article, and would love to connect more via email as I have many follow up questions and thoughts based on all the information you provided! How can I get in touch with you via email so I can ask a few more questions? I will attach my email below as well.
Hi Sydney, sorry for the late reply, IT issues with my website! As for your request, as much as I would love to help you all, unfortunately I don’t have the time as I receive several requests and have to manage every aspect of running a business by myself so I’m not even offering paying options for this. I truly hope you will understand and that you’ll find some more answers online. I highly recommend forums, they are filled with people who experienced this and can help you with specific questions!
Cheers
Clelia
Hello!Just found your blog!Thank you for an amaizing tips!Do you know what happens after Brexit for European citizens?We will move to Cardiff or Swansea by the beginning of summer.No job searching for us(my husband is seamen,me-stay at home mother of 3).Do you know someone who can help me with all the questions I have?Thank you at advance!
Hey, I have a friend, an English guy who lives in London and he is following the developing of the Brexit very closely. My suggestion, given the complete chaos that there is right now, is to wait to move to the UK permanently until they come to an agreement. You might still want to visit to see for yourself and ask around but my idea is that not even the politician know what the heck is going to happen so, in doubt, wait. We are all in the same boat here. I’m also waiting to see what happen to decide whether I can keep my business in there or I will have to move elsewhere.
Best of luck to you!
Thank you very much!Let’s hope that it will be happy ending for all the people-britis
British or not
Indeed, it’s turning into a real nightmare for everyone!
Hi. Just found your blog via a Google search!!! I’m from the US and after visiting London last year, I fell in love with the city and countryside! Looking to move to London within the next 1-2 years and want to begin preparation. I’ve worked as an Administrative Assistant/PA/Office Manager for most of my career and am certain I can continue in London. I know things are a bit different for individuals from EU when moving from country to country — but I’m moving from the US. Any suggestions other than what has been listed above??? I’d be grateful for any insight. Thanks.
Hi Diosa, thanks for stopping by! Now with the Brexit (we, Europeans, are still waiting to know what is going to happen), it’s very difficult to predict. As for not EU citizens, especially US citizen, I’m clearly not as informed as I could be for the other cases but if I were you I would look online to their official website (stated on my article at the end). They are very efficient and can give you clarifications regarding working visas and other bureaucratic things. What I also did was looking for forums online. Expat from the US, I’m sure that if you look carefully you’ll find something, even on FB these days. When I moved in there FB was just starting out while now there is a group for virtually everything 😉 I would do this. And If you don’t have issues for the visa (sorry I can’t really help you with that), then given that your English is perfect and you have previous working experience, I guess that if I made it with my limited resources, you’ll be totally fine! Just do A LOT of research beforehand so you are prepared for every possible “complication”.
Best of luck!
Clelia
Hi, loved you article! Really helpful.
I’m half German half Brazilian and I’m moving to London on the beginning of February, 19 from San Francisco, California.
I have a great career in fashion in Brazil and US and I saw you worked for Burberry, I would like to Know better how to get a job in fashion industry in London.. How to organize a good resume of this area?
You said you’ve been in a recruiting agency that helps at you Production Assistant job, which agency was?
Thank you so much,
Andrea
Hi Andrea! Sorry for the late reply and congratulation for your moving! I hope everything went well and who knows you might even have already found a job as we speak! Regarding the agency, there are no specific agencies for fashion or at least there weren’t when I was looking for a job. My recommendation if you want to find a job in a fashion company is to find the contacts at human resources (now with the social media is even easier) and ask to talk to someone in there to see if they are looking for someone. It’s really your best bet!
Best of luck!
Clelia
I am moving to the UK in March, I wanted to ask if basic part-time jobs will cover my necessary living costs and if it is easier to find professional jobs (mechanical engineer) while living in the UK?
Thank you, I loved your blog. Really gave me hope that I’ll be able to manage in a new country alone (i’m 23).
Hi I’ll be going college for 2 years after college I want to move to the U.K. my boyfriend is a British citizen so how can I move there to live with him and work there
Hi there, my name is Mandy. My husband and I are planning on moving to the U.K. with our 12 year old daughter from South Africa.My husband’s Dad was British and his Mom, Irish ( both passed away).. I have no idea where to start. Is there any advise that you can help with?. It just seems like information overload at the moment… many thanks…
Hey Mandy, at the moment, to be honest, I would wait to see what in the hell they decide about the Brexit. I’ve lived in the UK for 6 years and I’ve never seen such a political mess in the country. Even the official websites, usually very reliable are now not 100% reliable in terms of indications for visas and other bureaucratic stuff. My advice is to wait a bit and then go to their official website (the one I link at the end of my article and you can contact someone in there first. The info I give are obviously a guideline of my experience and even if they are still valid, I always strongly suggest to ask the official sources.
I totally get the overwhelming sensation, can’t even imagine now with this mess they did with the Brexit.
Thank you for your information….. It is helpful!
I have been in the process of getting a Family “Fiance” Visa to settle from the USA to the UK. This will mean we have to get married within 6 months once I am granted the VISA and can go there, and then I will have to SWITCH to a spouse settlement visa once married. I started the Visa application in March 2018 it is now Nov 7th 2018. This can be a horrendous process, One of the hardest things you have ever gone thru emotionally, and should be THOROUGHLY UNDERSTOOD BEFORE APPLYING, AS ALL SETTLEMENT VISAS SHOULD BE,
I met the love of my life in London in 1978. Due to our parents destroying letters we brokenheartedly thought each had given up on the relationship. 40 years later we found each other on the internet,both divorced for years from previous partners, and rekindled our relationship. We have had several trips back and forth spending 4 months together and are sure we want to be together for the rest of our lives.
I feel I can give you some good advice. You have to have a VISA to live in the UK no matter what. You can move there, and get away with not having the proper process but in the end could find yourself kicked out of the UK because of it for good. ALSO YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE YOU SHOULD FILL OUT. THERE IS NO ONE WHO WILL ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS. I know rules were different for those from the EU, but that is vastly changing no too, because of BREXIT. Some UK citizens are even confused about what is to happen to them because they are living outside the UK now, can they move back? will they will get benefits? They have married, can their spouse come to the UK without going thru the Visa process? (no)…. I suggest reading to be on top of the laws.
You have to be very careful to read all the visa information on the UK web site, Information is helpful and well meaning, ,but take no advise as gospel, from others such as expats ( only because each case is different. and the laws have changed. They have even changed since I first applied.)
Be sure to read not just the forms you have to fill out but the INSTRUCTIONS on the forms you have to fill out. I missed 2 important proofs of my fiances financial documentation that were required to send, and it caused my application to be denied, because they won’t just ask you to send them, if they aren’t there to begin with you are denied. After appealing, and providing the missing documents (a process that started in May this year) The Visa people “withdrew” the decision to deny the visa, then HM Courts had to withdraw the appeal, then I had to write a letter consenting with the withdrawal of the appeal. (Just those 3 steps took over a month so far) I am now waiting instructions on what step is next. My point is, BE VERY CAREFUL filling out forms check all information 3 times, follow all instructions,
ALSO remember there is no way to know at what point your application is at, they won’t answer that kind of question. One week before I got the letter telling me that the Visa dept was withdrawing the decision to deny my appeal, we were seriously considering chucking the appeal and just starting the process all over again as we hadn’t the foggiest idea how much longer it would take…months? a year? The expense is prohibitive to start over, and mistakes are costly. (We have over $2,000 invested so far, and I still have to pay for my Health insurance once they let me know how long I am approved to stay. (You have to prepay for each year in advance) If you DON’T…yup, you guessed it right, your visa will be denied again.
Ok ALLLLLLLL that being said…… I am thrilled to be finally starting my life with together with my fiance, and would go thru it all again…. I would just be sure to be careful, take my time, double check my work, and still expect to have the patients of a Saint!!! Good luck!
Hi Katrina, wow what a story you had!!
I totally agree with the Visa advice. So many people are asking me about it and I always say to go to the official website and sources. I moved to the UK more than 10 years ago so things for me (an EU resident) were much easier, no visa required. But as you said now with the Brexit actually NO ONE KNOWS as it’s happening right now. I’m following all the news to be able to edit this post accordingly when the UK decides what to do.
So your advice is also MY ADVICE: DON’T USE ANY RANDOM ADVICE FOR YOUR VISA, GO TO THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE AND MAKE SURE YOU DO EVERYTHING BY THE BOOKS AND BE PATIENT.
Thanks a lot for sharing a real-life experience so people are aware that it’s not super easy, especially right now.
I wish you all the best for your new life with your fiance, that was a lovely story!
Cheers
Clelia
Am a Namibian and i want to go work in London but knw it’s closed we not alowed to come over anymore just a question is there a opotunity that they may open again for us to come over please??
Hi Clelia
I’m so glad and happy I read your blog.
God bless you for being the kind of person
✨ I have always wanted to move to the UK (career wise) I will be turning 21 October this year and I’m a fresh graduate for cabin crew certificate✈ I’m Mandy from South Africa I just want to know if my age is fine for me to move to a foreign country ?? and would love to text you you privately because I have so many Qs
This guide is so awesome!
You mention everything we need to know!
Thank you!
Good day
I do not see the contact email for this awesome blogger.. can someone please let me know so i can email her
You can check out my “contact” page, it is at the top bar, not super visible but it’s there 🙂
Thank you so much for this post!
Moving to the UK is one of the best decisions you could make.
Admin note: No links to other websites unless approved previously. They will be removed.
hi my husband is english im australian, coming over in july what is best way to stay permenantly? been on gov.uk very confusing been together fro 15 yrs 2 grown boys (22+ 24) not coming just hubby n I can i work ?
Hi Lilac, sorry but it’s not automatic to take your husband’s citizenship and passport when married? If so, and you have a British passport you should be ok. If not, I suggest you to get one (not sure how difficult it is for you, depending on your country I guess)
Get a family visa. You need to meet a combined income requirement of £18,600 but you can stay for 2.5 years. After that time is up you need to apply to extend your visa, because you must be there for 3 years before you can apply for citizenship. Then you can settle there! And yes, you can work on this visa!
Hi, what type of fees did you have to pay? Did you have to find job sponsorship prior to your moving?
Hi Christine, every situation is different and at that time, being European I didn’t need to have a sponsorship but some other countries might need it (Australia and US citizen for sure needed special permissions but I am not 100% sure on what were the exact requirements). What I recommend is researching the official website that I posted on the article and check out directly with them! I didn’t have to pay any fee, I found the Au Pair Job and like that I had a home to stay, food for free and the possibility to also work part-time at a sandwich bar, in the beginning, to learn the language better and get some more money to start!
Dear mam ,
i am very glad to see you ,
i am from pakistan so i have quiesten is this that i want to go uk for study but the problem is here this that i did two bachelor and you two years bachelor don’t accept in uk .So please tell me if i do master in english here in pakistan so then i can apply ,and please tell me the proceedur how it will easy and how ,how much band reqiuered for M phil and please university name for m phil .thnks .
Hi MM, as previously mentioned, every country has its own agreement with the UK, that’s why I linked to the official UK Government website as you will find your answers in there (things are always changing so it’s better to contact them directly to ask specific questions like yours. I hope you will be able to sort out your issue! The website is truly awesome with so many info and easy to navigate!
Hey i am an indian and wants to move to uk.
What type of visa i need to apply.
And i am not graduate.
I am college drop out.
I am not fluent in english but kind of good.
Do they accepts visas of my kinda people.
Pls suggest me.
Hi Chirag, as already said in many replies, every country has its own regulations with the UK, you’d need to go to the official website (I linked to it at the end of the post) and connect with them directly!
Cheers
Clelia
Hey, I’m only 15, but moving to the UK is something I really want to do once I turn 18. I am from Australia, so I speak perfect English. However I am a type 1 diabetic. I’m not expecting you to know anything on the subject but thought I would ask anyways. Do you know how I would move to England with this? I imagine that I would have to sign up to the NHS, because I don’t believe I can get the medicine and requirements with out the referrals of a doctor. The equipment can also be expensive, and here in Australia the government pays for the majority of my stuff (like things that could cost $100 end up being only $5 for me), does the UK government or healthcare pay for this stuff? I understand that you probably don’t know anything about this but if you have links or something that would be great!!
Also just wanted to say that I loved this whole blog and it was super helpful! I really hope I can save up enough money to move here one day!
Hi Emma, thanks for your comment! I know a bit about the issue as a close relative of mine has it and I totally understand your concern about the expenses and all. What I suggest you to do is to contact the official website or the NHS website and ask them in regards to this specific issue. As far as I know, they provide you with the basic healthcare (I was hospitalized once for kidney stones and didn’t have to pay for anything), but for chronic issues I’m clearly not sure and I can’t give you an answer. I’m sure the NHS website will be quite useful for you.
Best of luck!
Hi Kle
I really to get of my country things are so so tight over here in NIGERIA. I’ve been thinking of several ways to relocate. I really need to get out of the country they are no opportunities here.
Please Consider me.
Hey, thank you for your message, I hear you and I’m sorry that your country can’t give you what you need. Now with the Brexit is quite difficult to go there if you don’t have any friend/acquaintances for the documents (bank account especially). My suggestion is to check out their official website (I provide the link towards the end of the article) and send them a direct email/check the immigration documents for Nigeria in there as they are always up to date at least.
Best of luck!
Clelia
Thank you for the insightful post. I cannot even think of moving to another country not knowing any of its language… It would be just crazy!
Thanks actually how you truly learn the language! Headaches in the beginning that’s for sure but it’s worth it!
Pingback: Preparing to Move to Another Country – The Expat's Corner
Thanks for the information on your blog. I just have one further question… as an EU citizen moving to UK do you need to inform anyone that you have arrived in UK and intend to stay, or can you just turn up and live there? I am English but have lived abroad for 13 years and now want to return with my Dutch husband and 2 children who were born in The Netherlands. Thanks.
Did you ever find an answer to this question? I am in a similar situation and would like to know if EU citizens have the same rights they did before Brexit, i.e., the ability to stay indefinitely in the UK without filing anything.
Hi!! this was so helpful!! I am from Argentina. My brother and me are moving to London first week of November. We want to look for a job as soon as we get there. We are looking to book a place, as cheap as possible, to live at least as we start settling down. Do you recommend any particular area? We have Spanish citizenship also, so in order to get a jon we need the NIN and bank account, and this two things we need to do them once there, right? do this things take a lot of time to get done? Thank you so much!!!
Hello. Your blog seems to make everything look easier but I know it’s not easy. Did you have any problems when you asked for a visa in your country at first ? I’ve read so many things on many websites, it’s so complicated, there’re so many things I can not understand and I began to panic. Do I have to prove that I have a job and an accommodation there to be able to get into UK ?
I enjoyed you blog very much. I am hoping to come to England at the end of this month to take up a teaching post being offered to me in Essex. my concern is how much money do I really need when am coming there to survive for a month. I am currently tight on cash. do you think 2000 pound could cover me for a month in Essex?
Hey Jordan
I think 2000£ for a month is enough especially outside London where the prices for rent/food/transport are crazy. With a little bit planning ahead you should be fine! 🙂
I’m looking to move to London and have been working for myself as a Graphic Designer since 2005. I will be bringing most of clients with me and would like to not have to get a Full time job since Ive worked this way for 12 years with no problem and the money requirements wont be an issue.
I have recently started looking into Visas and it seems that the Tier 1 no longer exists. Being that I wont really be getting a sponsor a Tier 2 doesn’t apply as far as I can tell. Do you have any idea what I should apply for in this situation?
Hi Jamie, since your case is particular (I don’t know where you are from to start with and the rules for the visas vary depending on that) I highly suggest you go to the official Government website o the section working visas and ask them directly (I linked to it at the end of the post). The website is very comprehensive and easy to navigate and they display their contacts if you have any doubt.
Good luck!
I am planning on moving to England to live with my friend and we are going to open a shop together, do I have to go through the same things and what Visa so I need
Hey Shari
As I said to other people, regarding bureaucracy and Visas, it varies based on your country of residence, that’s why I always point out the links I added in the article, to help people check out their specific Visa and permits to better evaluate if it’s difficult or not for them!
Sorry that I can be super specific but as I said, every country has a different agreement with the UK!
Cheers
Clelia
I am confused by it all, I have checked it as well as other sites about it, I am moving from the US. Thank you, I know I will figure it out it’s just confusing right now
Hi am a single mother of one and I would like to move to the uk am a Dutch citizen and I would like to know what advice you have for me as a single mom moving to a country where I know no one should I leave my son and move first and then after send for my son to come and stay with me what are my options in finding jobs going back to college
Hey Sashanie
As a single mum, I strongly advise you go first and explore your options (and possibly take as many interviews as possible), without a job you won’t get the NIN and a UK bank account (which actually should be opened before finding a job as in many places is a requirement, but in some other places they will help you in opening it).
Given these premises, as I said, I think it is much better if you could take at least 2-3 weeks as a minimum to set up interviews, rent a place if possible or find someone who could back you up with a UK address in order to open a bank account etc. I’ve heard that lately is not as easy as it was when I first arrived in the UK to open a bank account so you could even call a few banks or look them up online to see what are the minimum requirements.
Strangely enough, even with me having a job in the UK for several years, a bank denied me a second bank account for unknown reasons, while it was super easy to open the first account with Barclays, go figure.
Always better to be there face to face and ask to speak with the relevant person at the bank and also to find a proper room/flat prior to take your son over there as it would be quite difficult to manage to look after him while you are out for your interviews and appointments with the banks etc.
I wish you the best of luck!
I am a poor person
Hi, I would like to move to England from Trinidad, I have been trying to get a job online before I move to England but I have not been successful so I just decided I would wait until I reach there to get a job. In your post you said when you move to England you can start off with a simple job first like a waitress or something, I don’t mind starting off with a simple job but do you need a work permit for these simple jobs? On the UK High Commission site they stated that Trinidadians do need work permits, they also listed jobs that qualify for work permits and jobs like waitresses are low entry jobs which does not qualify for work permits. So can you tell me if Trinidadians could get low entry jobs in UK and also do we need a work permit for these jobs.
Hello, do you allow guest posting on keepcalmandtravel.com ? Please let me know on my e-mail
Hey Mark, for inquiries you should contact me via my contact form, thank you!
I want to move england….what should i do..???
Very helpful blog! I’m planning on moving to England myself. My Fiancée is a British citizen. Could you tell me where to start? I know i need to get a National Insurance number. Do i need to get a residence permit to be able to stay for a longer time?
Hopefully you can send me in the right direction.
Hey Joost, regarding the residence permit, it all depends on your country of origin, the best way to find out what exactly do you need is to go to the official UK website (linked to this article) as you will find all the answers you need for your specific case!
Good luck!!
Hi mam,
I want to go london for a job. I am from india. Age33. I am the only one who earned money. Living with my 4years daughter,wife & mother. Working as a marketing officer with very low salary. I want to earn more money for my family security. Please guide how to start with my journey.
Your blog is most informative. I am a 17 year old considering moving to Britain from Jamaica on a Commonwealth Ancestry visa.
What would I need to do before I come to secure a job etc.? Is it a problem to be 17 to get work and accommodation?
Hey Olivia, thanks for your comment! Since you are still 17, I think you will need to wait to be of a legal age (18) to move to the UK. In terms of work/Visas/permits, each country has different agreements with the UK, this is why I don’t give specific advice on that. For jobs and accommodation and to open a bank account you will be also required to be at least 18. Look at the bright side, you can start planning ahead so when you are 18 you will be fully prepared. I suggest you to have a look at the official links I put in the article. In there you will find further contacts and super useful info!
Good luck and keep me posted!
Cheers
Clelia
Hi
This page is great with lots of info!
I have a couple of questions… in a couple of weeks my boyfriend (romanian) will come to the uk to live and work. I am british living in the uk.
Is it possible for him to get a NIN and open a bank account without a proof of address?
I live with mum and dad so he will move in with us. Do i need to register him as living there?
Also, he would like to exchange his eu driving licence to a uk one, does anyone know if he can do this as soon as he gets here? or apply from romania? i read somewhere eu citizens can exchange their license after 185 in the uk. does anyone know if thats compulsory /advisory?
thanks in advance, any info would be much appreciated!
An informative blog I must admit… It provided me with the most basic information I was looking for… Just a few things, can I make national insurance no from abroad or do I have to be present in UK to make it? secondly, my stay in Bristol will be more than 4 years long in duration. Do I have to acquire some kind of residence permits upon my arrival to UK ?
Thanks.
BR.
Mohsin Ali.
Hey Mohsin
For the NIN you have to be physically there and regarding the duration of your stay, if you have a regular job, you don’t need to acquire any residence permit. As long as you have your NIN, pay your taxes and have a stable residence in the UK, you should be fine for now. The Brexit MIGHT change things in the future, but no one knows right now so it’s difficult to give you a prediction. What I would do is treat every case as the Brexit didn’t happen for at least 1/2 years as they are still in the very early phases of the negotiation with the rest of Europe anyway.
Good luck!
I’ve just moved to the UK, and I was required to have a biometric residence permit. It’s something you are approved for when your work visa is approved and just needs to be picked up when you arrive in the UK.
Hello! I was told several times, that you need to already have a job, to enter the UK and be able to live there. Is that true?
Hey Denia, yes and no… it is definitely MUCH easier if you already have a job of course but it’s not 100% impossible to go there and look for one. What I did was finding a job as an Au Pair so that I could be there already and find for a proper job, go to the job centers, interviews and so on. If you have the means to live there without a job for a while you certainly can but you won’t be able to get the proper papers (NIN, bank account etc), so the sooner you find it, the better. Even if it’s a simple job at first, it will help you in getting started.
Best of luck!
Clelia
Ciao Clelia, thanks for the great collection of infos! I’m a Hungarian citizen, strongly thinking about moving to the UK.
My question is: how do I start if I have a husband (also Hungarian) and a 3 yo daughter? I’m the one who speaks fluent English, and also the one who does not want to either spend too much time away from my daughter, or bring her too soon, unprepared.
I am and economist by degree. I used to work as a translator (no official document of it), real-estate agent and personal assistant to executives (banking). I also had a diploma in banking lately.
I have an intermediate (a bit worn..) knowledge and language certificate in Italian, and I’m a rather-understand-than-be-precise German knowledge.
I’m a bit puzzled with housing. Do I have any chance to find a two-bedroom apartment for my family?
What are my rational (financial and carreer) opportunities in the UK?
Still browsing on the map, but I tend to go for either SW London, or the southern part of the country.
How should I build up my plan, keeping in mind that I would not leave my kid behind too long?
Mille grazie 🙂
Agi
Hi Alexandra. With an EU passport (at this time) there will be no issue to legally work in London – and even now that Britain is leaving the EU – it will still take almost 2 years. Those in before that time … I think it highly hightly unlikely Britain will tell them to leave. Without absolute fluency in english the chances of working at the same level, or even in the same industry in London is highly unlikely. London is a cosmopolitan city drawing many of the most talented people in the world … and many of them nativeenglish speakers from the Isles, USA, Canada, Australia etc. Best regards
Hi Julie
The procedures are as follows.
https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad/overview
Groete. Pieter
Great blog! your post is quite explicit i really enjoyed it. I’m a Nigerian planning to move to manchester to live with a friend who is a citizen there. I desire to school and possibly work there. please i’d like to know what i will need. thanks!
Hey Eliijah, glad you found my post useful! All the info I know are actually in there and you have a super bonus: your friend! If he is already in there he will certainly help you in settling in more easily. Why don’t you start asking him about some good schools and job opportunities? I don’t know the Manchester area very well as I lived mostly in London so your friend will surely know more about the area. Best of luck!
Hi Clelia, I really like your website and the information you provide. I am a German citizen and want to move to the UK within the next month. I check so much online about what I need (visawhise) but I still couldn’t find the answer to my questions.
I know that I don’t need a visa as a citizen of the EU but this only applies for 6 month right?
What am I doing after? And how does anyone control when the 6 month start (since I can travel to and from the UK however I want because of the 3 month tourist visa)? do they start when I start a job? so where do I need to go to register after 6 month and can I do this already before? I know it seams like it is easier for the EU citizen because they don’t need a visa but I would rather like to have something in my hand, you know? 😉
Also what is it about hte BRP and how can I get one?
I know these are alot of questions but basicly I want to start a business in the UK and want to have everything solved before it gets too busy.
I hope you can help me. Thank you in advance
Janine
Hey Janine, regarding the Visa process, honestly I don’t think you are going to need one, I lived and worked in there for 6 years and no visa required as a EU citizen. Now it’s a little complicated because of the imminent Brexit issue, so my advice is to wait till the end of this month and check what will go on in the next months. I doubt that much will change in the following months as it will take 2 years minimum for the whole process to be completed.
If you want to set up a business in the UK, there is a link to the official UK government website and in there you will find everything you need to know. I checked it out for my own business and it varies depending on what kind of company you want to set up (you can start as an individual free lancer or open a real company depending on your needs, that will impact how much taxes you will have to pay and bureaucracy you’ll have to deal with), so there is not one single answer as I don’t know your specific situation. I think the best way to deal with it will be to read their official website. It is super detailed, easy to navigate and most importantly, easy to understand for anyone.
The most important thing you need is definitely a UK bank account and the NIN, but when I applied I was an employee, so it was easier for me. I’m not sure how the whole process work when you want to open your own company directly but as I said, I’m sure you’ll find all the answers in the government official website. Good luck!!
Thank you very much fr your answer and advice Clelia 😉
My pleasure Janne!
I would like to move from Canada to UK. I am 64. Would I still have a chance to find work? Both me and my husband have a good command of English and French (me) and together we have a land surveying business. Could you start your own professional business in UK? Do you know what is required to be able to??
Thank you, Georgette
Hi there!
I’m so glad I found this blog! I’m an American planning on moving to the U.K. and it seems that while everyone is glad they made he decision, it seemed like it was a nightmare. So I really really appreciate your optimism!
If I can get your opinion on something, the one kinda mental block I’m having is what kind of visa to get if I already know I want to stay? And if I just go out there and wing it, can I get a visa to work after I get there?
Even on the government website, I don’t really understand how to do this.
Thank you in advance!
-Trish
Hi Trish, I hear your frustration, even more now with the upcoming Brexit process everything is a bit confused. I’m not exactly an expert when it comes to Visas as this guide was more for EU citizens. BUT…. it seems strange to me that you couldn’t find any useful info in their government website?
Given the requests, I am seriously thinking about writing a separate article on the Visa issues as every country has its own rules, but what I would do if you have the possibility is to look for a consultancy agency where they deal with visas from the US to the UK, or even better, take a week to go to London (arrange an appointment with someone who works with visas) and clear that up before organizing the rest. Ss far as I know, when I was still working in the UK for Burberry, the people who came to London from the US and Australia were able to get the visa because the employer (Burberry in my case), granted them a job and cleared almost everything for them. But It’s not always like that so my recommendation is always to go there in person and talk to an expert. This way you won’t have any surprise later.
Best of luck to you!
Hello Clelia, your advices are amazing. Everything in just one place. Let me tell you that I’ve read a LOT about moving to UK on the internet but no page comes close to giving all those useful advices as your page.
I’m brazilian and just got my italian citizenship and my wife got her portuguese citizenship, along with passports and all documentation.
Although we have a confortable life here we are planning to go into an adventure and move to UK.
Question: I believe I need a valid adress to open a bank account right? At the same time I believe I need a bank account to rent a property and have a valid adress… Im thinking about staying at an airbnb but I believe this is nov a valid adress to open a bank account. So, whats is your best advice to get out of this paradox?
Other question: WIth brexit, in case they decide to close the borders to EU citizens, will it happen only after the whole exiting process which some people believe might take two years, or they can close anytime like for example next month, when Teresa May will sign the Brexit document?
Many thanks!
Hey, Thanks for your kind words! I really understand your frustration, especially now with the Brexit! So you have one thing: the EU passport, which should (for now) still help you in getting things easier.
That said… the housing issue is a bit tricky. I’ve heard from my friends who are still in the UK permanently (I go back a few times per year as I travel non stop), that now opening a bank account in the UK has become more difficult than it was before. In my case I guess I was lucky as I went there as an au pair to begin with and my host mom knew the people working at the bank and gave them the guarantee for me, and I got my bank account open the day after I arrived in the UK.
Right now, things are slightly more complicated. The 2 main things you have to consider to even apply for a job are 1) Have a bank account, that is basically mandatory for most jobs 2) Have the NIN, but depending on the job they can still hire you as long as you have applied for the appointment to get it
For the housing, I will need to re-check the rules as they are at the moment, as they are confusing. What I would do is to call a Job center and ask all these questions to them (better if you can go there directly).
In the meantime I will also double check the information with the people I know in there so that i can update the info in here.
Cheers
Clelia
Oh as for your last question about Brexit, my understanding is that things will NOT change immediately as there will be at least 2 years of negotiations about it. It’s not written in stone but I highly doubt that anything will change in the immediate future (except for the devaluation of the money, which is in a way an advantage for people who come from countries with stronger currencies)
Thanks Clelia, yes I think things will change only after the two years but my bet is that if I’m employed at that time I will somehow be able to get a working visa to stay in the country. I work in Finance so in theory getting a working Visa, if I’m currently working in March 2019, should not be much difficult. But hey, it woudnt be fun if it was easy.
Hello.
Last spring I received my UK Citizenship, and shortly after, my passport.
I am retired, and I want to move to Scotland. I was born in Canada.
With those two documents in hand, I understand that I will need information on health care and I’ll need a bank account.
What I need to know, which still confuses me, is, can I just hop on a plane, land in Scotland, and live? Not withstanding all the work to do prior to arriving in the UK. I have been through many websites that do not directly answer this question. Also, I may work part time, and would I require a visa with UK citizenship, and a passport?
Thank you.
Hey Carol, I can’t say I am able to reply to your question, but if you are officially an UK citizen and have a passport, you are “one of them” so to speak. You shouldn’t have great issues to open a bank account being a citizen as opposite to just being a resident or someone who is looking for a job in the UK. Health care is also guaranteed to everyone in the UK, given that you are a resident and have the NIN. My only doubt is which one goes first in your case, being already a UK citizen.
Have you tried to check out the official government website? it is super useful and you can contact them directly with all the questions you have about your situation. They even have a free consultancy service online. And when you are already in the UK they also have free legal consultancy if you need it (at least in London).
But my advice is to first ask them directly. I gave my experience as an EU citizen moving to London, but each case is different and now with the imminent Brexit procedure things might be slightly different so it’s best to rely on the official sources!
Best of luck to you!
If you have a UK passport, you can indeed hop on a plane and live in the UK. You will be eligible for the NHS and other benefits. You don’t need a visa, and can work.
Hi and thank you for your thorough advice and information.
However I was looking forward to a response on those that wrote about moving to the UK with children.
I am contemplating on moving to the UK as well, but the BREXIT also made me take a step back and re-analyze the entire situation.
I am a female in her early thirties with a 6 year old son, from the Caribbean. I am a Legal Secretary who is currently studying the Paralegal which is thought under the British legal system.
My main goal is to find a job and the difficulties of applying for a MIN card, but more importantly, how difficult is it for me to get my 6 year old child into a school, (I may be pushing my luck with a public school, where I don’t have to pay so much on school fees).
I don’t know if you have any information or links on what documention is needed to get my child into a school.
Thanks in advance for any help given.
Hey Lovelife, Thanks for stopping by! I moved to the UK by myself and before this whole Brexit thing, so my suggestion is to check out the official government links I have provided in the article. They are usually updated frequently (especially now) and you can even contact them for more info about your specific case. In here I give the general guidelines but every case is different of course. Good luck!
Very informative! I am a UK citizen, but I have never been to England I plan to move in coming months, I am a single parent with 2 children. I know the advice is to seek employment first, I have registered with the sites you have suggested and more, however, I have not received any response as yet. I do feel I will be more compelling should I team with a job seeking agency, which means I will need to be there physically. So my question is should I leave my country alone or will it be more beneficial if I travel with my children at the same time?
Afi, in my experience (and not only for the UK) when you are planning on moving to another country and still seeking for a job, the best thing to do is take some time to go there alone and talk to the recruitment agencies by showing up, also check out Gumtree.com for temporary jobs and go to as many interviews as you can in the time you are in the country. That’s the best shot for you to find a job as they usually prioritize people who are already living in there or can at least show up for a face to face interview. Good luck to you!
Hey there, this is really a good blog. as I’m a non-eu citizien, how can i move to uk? i’d like to live in manchester if u have any advices. and what kind of job i can find legally as i saw on gov. website abt like salary 25,000 p, and BA, master ect. I’m not very sure what kind of job i can find? thanks advanced. 🙂
lily
Lily, as previously said… the best shot is for you to go there for a month or so and handle your cv personally to the agencies. If you have any specific skill, mention it, otherwise you could start with basic jobs when looking for something more specific. You didn’t mention if you have previous experiences and your field of expertise which is the most important thing. And being there available for interviews is almost mandatory.
Good luck!
This was really helpful:)
Im a Pakistani and I have a british passport which says that im a british citizen. My mother was born there. I have never been to UK, and now im planning to move there for good.
Im under graduate, but i have done diploma in film making. Can you guide me which city should i move? Where it is easy to get odd jobs and rooms on rent in low rates?
Im planning to be there in march 2017.
I have been through so many blogs but this one was really helpful. Thankyou:)
Hey Ali, I was based in London so I can give advice mostly for that city. I suggest you research a bit more about companies within your industry in the main UK capitals first (London, Manchester & co). The rents are quite high in London, a bit less in the other capitals but I guess the chances to find a proper job would also be higher in London so you have to explore a bit, first online and then if you find something interesting, send an introduction letter and show up to talk to the human resources team. Being a bit pushy by showing up pays off as you are showing them that you take your job and responsibilities seriously.
As usual, you need to risk and invest a bit of money first in order to get what you want.
I wish you the best of luck!
Pingback: London Travel Jobs | Cheapest Tours Worldwide
Pingback: London Uk
Pingback: London Tube
hii .. i planning move to england but i don’t know anything you so good help me with this blog .
Ari, I did my best to put all the info I knew, based on my experience. I hope this will help you! Cheers
Thank You for the thorough information. Even with Brexit coming, I am considering the obstacles to moving to London. I am an American and once more I work as a Freelance Photographer. I work Weddings, Engagements, and various small businesses.
So my questions is too fold…
1) how difficult do you think it would be to find freelance work? Obviously you probably dont know this unless you are a photographer but Im asking if there is any hesitation to hiring non UK citizens for specialty work?
2) How would one open a bank account and prove occupation without steady work? Would several invoices suffice for a bank?
I read your summary and tips and think these are the main obstacles I would find particular to my field, unless you can think of anything else?
Appreciate any advice you can give me.
Thanks!
Please i am an italian citizen and need to move to the uk. Can i stay with a friend and work for a while or i need a proof of residence before i can find work.
Hey Daniel, usually they are quite strict when it comes to jobs. I think the best solution for you is to stay at your friend, find a job and get a NIN asap, then try to open a bank account (where they ask you a proof of residence), your employer might help you out with that, as you need bills received to that address with your name on it.
Cheers
Clelia
i wan to job in your country plz help me to come there
Hi!
Don’t know if you can advise, but here goes…..
I’m a Canadian citizen (born in Canada) who recently acquired my British citizenship through right of descent (my Mother was a war bride, who move to Canada after the second world war.
My wife and I have a dream of retiring to the UK within a few years. As I understand it this wouldn’t be too much a problem for me but I believe we would have to have a spousal visa for my wife to stay more than a few months (she’s Canadian as well). I think we meet the requirements, but I not clear how to proceed (or if I can proceed) while still living in Canada.
Any help or directions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Hi Tim, I put a link at the end of the article, pointing out to the official UK website. In there you will find all the info related to the Visas for different countries! I should create a separate article for that as each one has different rules and many people all over the world ask me about this!
I hope you will be able to sort things out, best of luck!
Clelia
Brilliant Blog!!!!
Very helpful
I am Italian but with British passport , my partner is fully Italian and still in Italy due to his work commitments.
He is now planning to move to the UK and we are wondering how this will work out with Brexit.
We are planning to get married soon but the question is ….if he does come and Live here and the Brexit comes in will he be send away from UK????Any suggestions on how prepare ourselves so our union is safe?any paperwork we can do…………….any advice is more than welcome.
Many thanks
Ciao Matilde! Ah Brexit, what a nightmare huh? I’m also Italian, don’t have a British passport but (even if I’m never there because of my travels) I am a UK resident. I also have many non-UK friends who still live and work in there and so far no one asked them anything. Honestly? I’m following all this very closely and until Theresa May triggers the article 50, we don’t know what’s going to happen. The safest option would be to get married so your boyfriend would have a double passport and he shouldn’t have any issue at all. I still think that the British government is not that stupid as sending away people from the EU would be devastating for their economy and diplomatic relations with Europe, but I’m not certain about finding a job now in the UK if you are not a resident. It is still possible indeed but my guess it that the companies would be extra careful in these months of uncertainty.
Regarding the paperwork, I’d say the first thing is to see if your boyfriend is able to get a UK bank account (he will have to have a job and a proof of residence in the UK first) and then apply for the NIN. Same as before, I don’t think right now there are special documents to be 100% sure there won’t be issues, unless you get married.
I hope everything will go as planned and seriously, I don’t think they will deport the European people living in the UK any soon!! 😀
Great post – very useful! From an expat considering moving back (but worried about the post-Brexit atmosphere…).
Thanks Angela, I’m closely monitoring the situation post Brexit, for now nothing has really changed (other than the £ devaluation), but I believe we will have developments quite soon. Good luck!!
Hi, first of all, thank yo uso much for putting this together!
I am italian, lived in London for a few months many years ago. I’m thinking about going back (before it’s too late!) to pursue a music career.
Of course I’d need a job. In your experience, are recruiters open to the fact that you may have other projects for yourself and maybe need a part-time job for this reason? In Italy I have too often found that they panick if you say you are an artist and won’t give you the job, being scared that you’ll not devote yourself to the company.
Thanks again!
Fiammetta
Hey Fiammetta,
I think it really depends on what kind of job are you looking for. Obviously for very demanding jobs (finance &co) I doubt they will let you have a part time job, but admin jobs might accept it. They don’t really care what you do in your spare time as long as you are committed and have the proper skills for the job. Do a research of the companies you want to apply for a job and try to sell yourself in a way that shows the company you are a valuable addition to their team. This applies whether you want a full time or part time job.
You don’t have to say you are an artist if they don’t ask for details. That’s your business and if it doesn’t affect your productivity and reliability it shouldn’t be an issue at all. Good luck!
Hi there! I’m from New Zealand and looking to move to the UK next year for a working holiday. Will this be difficult for me to find accommodation and a place to live eventually? Also how easy are jobs to find? Im so worried! Thank you 🙂
Ciao Clelia (hi!!),
I’m italian and I’m about to move to London.
Is it true that I still don’t need a passport and that my italian identity card will suffice? I need to sail very quickly so I don’t have the time to request and wait a proper passport…
Of course I am going to ask and make my own other papers such as NIN, bank accounts etc…
Thank you I need advance
Diego
Hey Diego! Even if you don’t need the Passport to get into the UK I HIGHLY suggest you get one as in some instances the Identity card won’t suffice (it depends mostly on the officer sometimes but in some banks and other offices they need a passport). I just renewed mine and it was super quick so just get the proper documentation and in a couple of days you can have it and get to the UK knowing that you won’t have any issue 🙂
In bocca al lupo!
Hi. I have my GF wanting to move to England January next year and i was just wondering what paperwork she will need to get here. How to change her address to where i live? which i rent. How do i get her signed up to the NHS and how she can get the right to work in the UK.
Thanks in adavance 🙂
Oh she is from Belgium as well.
Hi Andy, in order to be “legally” a UK resident each European state has its own paperwork. I’m from Italy and I had to fill a form to tell that I have a new address in the UK so that they could send me the papers to vote abroad etc. For the NHS and tax purposes, you need to get the NIN (national insurance number). for more info I have added a link to the official sources as the rule might have changed since I got mine. Usually is not difficult to get but you need it asap in order to find a job as every employer would ask for it to detract the taxes. A bank account is also a must (I’d say that was the first thing I did). If you already have one in there, try to let your gf go to the same bank as I’ve heard that now is more difficult to open one.
Good luck!
Hello. I’m a Nigerian with Italian residential permit. would really love to move to UK. How do I go about it and also get a Job or a working visa
im john from malawi i need to go to uk what i hav to do so that i can corifie plz i want to go to uk for work help me plz
First of all, that was exactly what I needed, thank you very much! It has been a while since I have wanted to move to the Uk and I was a bit concerned about all this stuff (where to live, what things were needed, etc etc).
I have the advantage that I am half British half Spanish, so I have the double nationality. The Brexit should not be a problem for me (I hope haha).
Just wanted to say thank you! I am sure this is going to be very usefull to me.
Thanks a lot James!You definitely won’t have any issues with the Brexit if you are half British 🙂
I want to move to UK next year 2017 with my family, please will the brexit affect me. Currently living in Italy
Hi Constance, right now the situation is a bit uncertain so it is difficult to say what will happen in the future for those who want to move there, I’d say if you can, go there for a few weeks and start asking around, especially at the job agencies to see if there is anything available for you and your family. I’d wait until the whole brexit mayhem starts and take it from there before trying to move….
I want to move from Oman with my family .. I have two Scool going children .
So plz someone help me and suggest how can I move
I left UK over 30 years ago… but i am slowly ‘moving back’..
Already set up a business in Plymouth.
Thanks for the reminders 🙂
My pleasure Kev! Good luck with your business!
Hello,
My name is Jonathan. I’m from California. I’m turning 18 years old in about a month and I want to go to London and be an Au pair. I love kids. I want to be on my own and discover myself. I would really appreciate some tips and help. thank you.
Hey Johnatan, did you try to sign up to the Au pair programs I mention in my article? That’s how I found my family when i was still in Italy!
Good luck!
Hi,
The information is very useful. I found a job as an Au Pair using he sight Easy Au pair. I will be relocating this weekend. My family thinks this could be a scam. Is there any assurance that the family listed would be legit?
Hi! Such an informative read, thank you!
I am moving to England at the end of this year and looking for an area to setup short term to save before i start travelling Europe. Im 19 so would be good to have a youngish social crowd and food places as i also like to cafe explore. Are there any areas that are reasonably priced that come to mind?
Thanks in advance x
Te Awhi
Really nice article ! Thanks for all those tips We can now travel to London 🙂
Thank you so much for this guide. I am planning to move to London in about 2 years once I finish my college degree and this whole Brexit thing is scaring me a lot. I am from Portugal so I am doing my best to have at least 2000 euros saved until then but even with that seems so little for what the expenses are in London.
When you update the guide with Brexit stuff can you more or less add the costs of food, electricity etc pls? It’s just so I can have an idea of what to expect.
Hey Adelaide, thanks for stopping by! Regarding the cost of living, it obviously tends to go up, I recommend you check out online (for example going to the gumtree website) and see how much is the average room rental when you will be ready to move. I also noticed from my last trip to London in May that the cost of the Oyster cards has gone up. Hope it helps! Cheers Clelia
Is the job situation hard in Edinburgh after Brexit? Any news on that? Planning to move next year with my family (we are from Malta) My husband works in IT. Or can you maybe suggest any good Scotland Expat forums?
Hey Malta girl, I don’t know the specific situation in Edinburgh but so far there are no changes as the UK hasn’t even started the formal procedure for the Brexit yet. I will keep you posted! Unfortunately I don’t know any Scotland expat forums but I’m sure there must be something online if you google them (when I moved to the UK I was on some London expat forums that i had found online)
Good luck!!
Clelia
Thank you so much for this great informative text that took you, I am sure, a lot of time to write. I have lived in London and visited it many times and I am planning to move there with my family. I am a professional English teacher, with a DELTA degree and I was told I could find a job as an English teacher easily with these qualifications, I’d just need to help my husband find one, but thanks to your advice I think it shouldn’t be too difficult.
All the best 🙂
Hi Ivana, thanks for stopping by! I hope your husband will soon find the job he’s looking for, with the right qualifications (and a bit of patience) it should be a problem 🙂
Hej
I am also interested in moving to the UK. do you have any idea about the bringing pets policy in the uk?
I am moving from belgium.
Many thanks
I am a 64 soon to be retired American and want to move to UK, not looking for a job, just want to retire. I spent 12 years in the UK off and on and love the country and would like to spend my remaining years there. I am not wealthy but can afford to pay my own expenses and do not need financial assistance. The Visa option does not say anything about just retiring there. So my question is: can I just move there for retirement purposes?
Thanks
I’m a dual US-UK citizen & the short answer is that you probably can’t. Hence there is no visa option that applies to you. However, you might try contacting your nearest British embassy or consulate for advice on this. Alternatively, you might try contacting an immigration attorney, but the risk is that you’ll fork out a lot of money for no return.
Hi ,
I am about to migrate to UK on EU passport , my doubt is what do I tell the immigration officer ? Should I say I’ve come to work or do I say I’m here on a visit ?
Hi LD, right now the situation with the EU passport is not a concern, you will be totally fine with your passport, don’t worry!
You will be fine on you passport…. but you will get a limited stay stamp.
Great blog! so helpful!
I was wondering if you knew anyone that moved to London from the U.S – and if they had an additional tips or concerns that should be considered before trying to move to another country?
Thanks!
Arturo Vargas
Hi,
I’m an 18 year old teenager and I do still attend school in Italy but I’ve always wanted to move to the UK… not right now but most probably when I finish my studies. My dad had a job offer and we had a chance to move in the uk but decided not to go as they refused to pay our accomodation. We know it’s hard to start over but it would have involved too much money to spend so we decided to stay (not the first time as we’ve been here in Italy for approx. 5 years and I’ll soon be getting my Italian citzenship (im Romanian)). My dream would be to finish college and maybe work until I manage to save some money to get myself started in the U.K.. I’m currently studying languages (French, German and English). I’ll have a B2 level in all three languages by the end of high school and can opt for entry C level for English. I can also fluently speak and write in Romanian and Italian. I know the U.K is in a not so favorable place at the moment because of the Brexit and all that butbI dont plan on goving up that easily. Is my plan good enough? What would you do if you were me?
Thanks in advance for everything and I’m looking forward for a reply!
Yours sincerely,
Chris
Hi.first things first, thank you verymuch for your resourceful post. We are a family of four me my wife and my two kids,we wanna move to england this september.mostly thinking about the education of our kids. We were thinking to move to Leicester as it seemed like a nice city and not that expensive. We are italian citizens and i currently work in italy so I thought to send my wofe and two kids first and then join them later. My wofe doesn’t speak thatuch english and I’m kinda afraid of what’s gonna happen with the brexit and all.. a there any advices that you can give us? They will be much appreciated and thank you in advance.
Thank you for this amazing guide!
I was wondering what your thoughts are on a single mother moving to London. My ultimate wish is to pursue my acting career in London. I was thinking i would get in as a live in nanny or au pair, but I’m not sure those families are excited to invite a mother of a 2-3 year old.
My other option is to take my recently started online company with me, but it would take considerable time to develop it to the point where it will allow me to live in London.
Is it possible to rent a double room with a child?
Also, how is day care organized in London? Is it subsidized? Or would it be smarter for me to wait until she can attend school?
I realise this may be outside of your own experience, but I hope you can help!
I am a 44 year-old American Dad of 4 I would love to move to England with my kids and wife as soon as possible can you please please help me out.i have job experience with h v.a.c and plumbing certified.i also am certified I paintless dent repair my wife is certified medical assistant here in the u.s.a we are ready for a change back to back the motherland any help you can give us will help change our lives. Thanks in advance .
Thanks for this article it help a bit. I noticed ma’m clelia has been answering everyone’s question pls I’d like you to email me faithjosiah12@gmail.com. Am a 18year old Nigerian, I really want to move out from here but I don’t know where to start from from visa and studying after staying in UK for a while. Am a computer literate and I can bake I dunno how these skills will help me but I want to move out of Nigeria ASAP. Please I need your help in answering my questions just send me a mail thanks
Dear,
For you being Nigerian it is very difficult to be able to move to UK. The best chance for you is to come to study to UK but in this case you need to have pretty good knowledge of English supported by IELTS exam which is requierement to be admitted to UK university. On the other hand you need to be secondary school graduate to study at Uni. Even if you pass English exam with required score you must be aware that universitites in UK are not for free and average fee oer year is 10 000 GBP. Besides this, you need to live somewhere and eat so you will need about 25 – 30 000 GBP per year to support yourself. You are saying that you are computer literate but this is not an advantage as you think but it is a MUST nowadays so it is like you said you can read and write here in Europe. 10 year olds can work with computer pretty well here. Your second skill mentioned is that you can bake. Well to be honest this is not a special skill again as any woman or girl can bake. If you decide to move to UK – if you will be able it will be really difficult or you here and you need to be aware that you will get unqualified work for minimum wage. You need to know that it is very difficult to get a good job for people with no qualification and skills like you here as in UK as there are plenty non-qualified people or people with low qualification who unlike you don’t need any work permit. Finally, based on latest development in UK it is better for you to stay in Nigeria and try to find a job there and build a life there as it is you country and that’s where you should be.
Can i move to London from Switzerland (i am not swiss tho) when i am 16 (alone, with no parents) ? I quit 10th grade and would consider doing a gap year, working or/and doing collage (A levels or IB)..
You can do that when you are 18. Right now, you are not adult legally so you might find very difficult to be able to go to Switzerland and find a job there. Besides this do you speak French or German? Generally it is possible to find an English speaking job but not for 16 year old with no qualification so my advice to you is to do your A levels, then some work experience and then you can move to Switzerland – in the case that it is possible then because of Brexit which probably shuts the door to many countries where Britons now can work…
Hi there!…
Appreciate the article…very informative and helpful.
Would you have advice for a pair of 30 year olds nurses living in the Caribbean, considering moving to England next year?
Thank you in Advance..
My question is what is the job search environment like now for EU nationals? I’m American with dual citizenship from an EU country, and have dreamed of going to the UK permanently for ages. I was going to leave this summer, but financial issues got in the way, and I was shooting for September or October, thinking that Brexit would never get voted in. But SURPRISE!! I’m a teacher, and was considering supply teaching to get to know the British school culture. Would anyone even look at someone in my situation at this point? I have an affordable apartment in an expensive city, and don’t want to leave it for nothing.
Hi,
Would really need your advise on moving to London from Dubai.
I got a job offer in London for 41500 £ before the referendum and I found it below average but accepted it for career purpose. Today due to the pound drop affecting the currency exchange and since I was planning to send money back home I am reevaluating the situation and totally confused with my decision! Is it the right time to move ? Shall I negotiate with my employer in an increase of my salary to compensate the difference ? Is Brexit a valid reason to withdraw the job offer ? Can you help please ….
Hi Ces… yes this is a rather tough time to move to England. The situation is definitely unstable at the moment as the UK didn’t even trigger the article 50 (Which will tell the EU they want to formally get out). This means that they are buying time to see how things evolve. But by doing that their economy is also unstable. Regarding your job, I’d ask the employer to re-negotiate the salary, I don’t know what company is it and how badly they want you to go, I am guessing they wouldn’t agree with raising the salary, but you can still try. If they don’t do it.. given the £ drop and everything that is going on with the Brexit, I’d wait at least until September/October when -in theory- there will be a new PM and see what his/her intentions are. I know this advice is of little help, but we are all in the same boat here. I’m reading the newspapers every day but they are mostly speculation about possible scenarios. Some say there will be a second referendum, other completely rul put this possibility. In the meantime the UK is still in the EU but the EU want them out asap. Trust me, my head is spinning these days. No one really knows what’s going on.
So my final advice is: 1) ask for a rise 2) If they don’t agree with that, wait till September-October to make a final decision.
Good luck! (to all of us, really!)
Thank you so much Clelia !
Hi,
My name is Francesca and I’m 29 years old. I live in Belgium where I was born but I have the Belgian, Italian and Portuguese nationalities. I speak French, English, Italian, Portuguese and I have a few notions in Spanish and Dutch. I have a Secondary School Qualifying Certificate in Office, a Basic Business Management Certificate, a Vocational Certificate in Tourism and Travel Agency and I am attending long distance courses for an International diploma in Travel and Tourism industry with IATA. I have experience in Customer Service, Tourism and Management Assistance. I am also very artistic; I dance, act, write, do modeling as an amateur but I would love to evolve. I was told prior that I have a skills and experience employers in London could use by an EURES advisor in London. As my poor knowledge of Dutch won’t let me find a job out here and I’m a hard worker, I’ve been considering moving to London for months now. I actually went to London last October and last week to explore the city and see if I like it. The truth is I completely fell in love with the city, the people, the culture and the lifestyle. There is no other place in the world where I feel as much at home than in London and I’ve traveled a lot… So my question is can I still move there now that the Brexit passed? Can I still export my unemployment allowances out there up to 3 months to find a job in London like before the Brexit passed? Can I still go there and apply for a job or go there as an au pair to then find a job in London without the need to apply for a visa ?
What are my options exactly if I want to move to London asap?
Thank you so much for sharing your advices. Your article is very helpful.
Kind regards,
Francesca
Hi Francesca, wow you have a LOT of skills! I get your point, the same happened to me the first time I went to London, I fell in Love!
Ok, so now to the hard part.. the Brexit 🙂 Ok here is the truth: No one really knows what is going to happen right now. But of one thing we are still sure, the UK are still for now officially part of the EU because to get out of it they need to formally trigger the Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty and they haven’t done that yet.
What does this mean for your situation?
1) You can still look for a job in London (Au Pair for example)
2) No, you won’t need a visa with a EU passport (not right now and even if the UK exit from the EU, it will all depends on the negotiations that will be going on for at least 2 years)
3)If you have unemployment allowance in Belgium, I guess that will depend on the Belgium legislation (I’m not familiar with that). I guess that for now you could still have that, as practically, nothing has changed yet (not until the UK triggers the article 50, and so far they say that it won’t happen until september October, when the new PM will be in charge.
The only “concern” I have at the moment is finding a job right now, My advice is to check out the Au Pair websites and try to find a family asap, so that if you find one, you will at least be there for a few months and will have a much clearer idea on what is really going on day by day (and maybe actively look for a more qualified job, before the “real” Brexit.
I doubt that people will be repatriated if they have a proper job. I can’t guarantee anything of course but I really Highly doubt it. Maybe there will be some extra paper to fill for work permits but this won’t happen in the next 6 months for sure. These are processes that take ages to be implemented.
Good luck Francesca! Let me know how it goes 🙂
Interesting article! Thank you for the tips! Next week I’ll fly to London, to move there. I know I’ll find a job (tourism and hospitality).
I wish you all the best Marius! If you want, keep us posted about the situation over there. It would be great for people to know if it is as hard as it seem to find a job these days. Good luck!!
This post is so usefull, I could find a whole lot of interesting informations, which I need so bad since I’m planning to leave Italy once and for all. Of course Brexit scared me a bit, but still my plan remains. Precisely, I’m planning to move on september. Now, I know it’s still a bit far, but do you think things will get too hard by then or instead it will still be possible to move and find a job?
Thanks a lot for your precious help!
Hey Gregory.. really hard to say t the moment, considering that the Pound dropped to its lowest. My advice is to start looking around from now but I guess that finding a job in the UK right now is going to be quite difficult. I remember when I arrived it was 2007, just months before the major 2008 global crisis and I consider myself very lucky as a few months later the situation wasn’t as easy as it was when I arrived. But It all depends on your skills, what kind of job are you looking for and so on.. Unfortunately, the Brexit is not going to help the economy AT ALL.
Hell, they still haven’t officialized the referendum result, as a consequence everyone is panicking. I think that there could be 2 different scenarios in September: 1) The crisis becomes more and more evident and maybe the government will void the referendum (which I seriously doubt), translated: not good timing for you I’m afraid. 2) Somehow the UK manage to contain the economic disaster and things will be more stable. In that case, you could try.. just keep an eye to the news as right now not even my friends who already live and work in there know what the future will hold for them…
Good luck!! (we all going to need it!)
I am a 19 year old U.S. citizen currently attending college in the U.S. Ideally I would like to go to college in Britain, but my credits won’t transfer, meaning I’d have to start from scratch. However, I wouldn’t mind moving to Britain and getting a job for a few years to save up for college. What would you recommend I do?
Hi Jacob,
If you commented on this post before the Brexit I would have said go ahead. Right now the situation in the UK is a bit tough to be honest so, unless you already have friends/relatives that might host you when you find a job (which might prove to be more challenging given the situation post-Brexit), I’d say to wait a few months and watch how the situation evolves. Obviously from your point of view, if you have some savings in USD you are in a favorable position as your money is stronger. If you don’t have much savings.. my first advice remains: wait till the dust settles a bit.
This is a great article. Thank you very much for sharing your experience. It helped me a lot :).
P.S: http://www.jobcentreplus.co.uk/ – not working
i’m from Nigeria, and i’m ready to apply for a visa to England from my home land, but the truth is that i don’t really need a job if i get there, rather to start up a little business that can earn me some cash for the main time. and my questions are:
(1). WHAT ARE THE LITTLE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES THAT AWAITS ME OVER THERE?
AND
(2). WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR ME TO START UP ANY OF THE BUSINESS? (in monetary aspect).
please, i wish to get a quick reply.
Thanks.
Hi, given that we are approaching the referendum date.. I’d say wait to see the results before planning on moving to the UK (just to see the effects on the overall economy in the country). This may greatly affect the way you could set up a company.
I think I will edit this post after the referendum to reflect the changes that might come with it.
Pingback: Relocating to the UK? What you need to know! – Eco-Nomadic Travel Blog
Hello CLELIA MATTAN, good day to you. Thanks for your guidance filled with lots informations. I wish to get to England in search of a job and finally become a citizen. I hold a degree in Biomedical Science and have related work experience. I do not know anyone in England and wish an attempt to jump to this great nation. I wish you could help me. I am 27 years of age. Thanks.
i m an civil engineering student but its my dream & goal to do job in london so it is very useful guidelines for me thank you very much
Pingback: GUIDA AI NAVIGANTI – L'ANGLONAUTA
I am 34 years old, I am Canadian. Am I too old tovapply for a work visa??
My friend want to move to the north west of England from Australia does she need to prove she has money when she comes.
thanks, this article is very helpful and eye opening. i am British by birth but i haven’t live there before. but now i am planning to go live there. my only fear is getting a job. my certificates are not non-EU so i dont know how i can fit in but your article has been of tremendous help.
I missed the part about “allowed to be employed” in the UK. Does one need a particular kind of Visa? How does one become eligible to be employed [legally] in the UK? Perhaps link(s) to the process of transitioning from “visitor” to “resident” would be a helpful addition to the tips. I mean, if you cannot get a job and have the ability to legally remain in the country, what is the point of the rest of it? Thanks.
Hi Joe, you have a point here but when I wrote the article it was mainly addressed to people within the European Community, which means that the Visa part was almost irrelevant to get a job. Now I realize that many people want to know how to get a working Visa for other countries so whenever I have some time I will be adding more info, based on the requests I get. Thanks for your input!
hi I want to done a job in london .
Hi,
If i went there (UK) for tourism & in case i found a job ,, i can get work permit in that way,, & if not what can i do in this case ?
Room and house prices have gone up so much. It is almost impossible to find a single room for less than 550-600 pcm and double room for less than 650-800 in London now. Talking about zones 3-4… I am not joking ! Living on minimum wage in London is not possible anymore unless you are able to share a room with somebody else …
I am currently an international student based in the UK, and I really liked living here when studying. I am presently undertaking some tests in order for me to hopefully obtain British citizenship.
Thought I’d add to this. If you’re American, now is a terrible time to be looking for jobs not only London, but the UK as a whole. First off, I love the UK. I’ve visited often, had some family there for about 8 years, and recently lived there for 6 months. I planned it that way, to take time off and live in London. I worked remotely with a US company (sshh don’t tell anyone) part time to keep money coming in. The other half of my time was spent networking, reaching out, attending conferences, etc to be able to find a job, leave the UK to apply for the Tier 2, and then return with the visa. Obviously a company would have had to sponsor me. I have a BSc, an MSc, and 5+ years of experience in my field (energy policy analysis). Let me just say, while it isn’t impossible, it is close. Right now, the UK is skimping along a recession, coupled with massive immigration issues just makes for a situation that is nearly impossible for non-EU folks to get a work visa. I was there, on the ground, doing the leg work, and pretty much got the same answer from everyone: bad timing, not going to happen. Sorry to be a downer, but I read some comments from other Americans simply wanting to move over there because they just want to? Nope. Not going to happen. You need to have such niche skills and are a rockstar in your industry, or know someone at a company who pushes your sponsorship through. That’s the reality of it. Maybe in a few years or so things will ease up, but for now you’re better off saving money and thinking of doing it down the road when the economy bounces back and after they figure out their immigration stuff. London has so many people coming from the EU, that non-EU folks, while many times better qualified than their UK or EU counterparts, just will not even get looked at. Simples.
Am Gabbio from Ghana
I have seen ur article which is very good for we people who want to travel to the UK I don’t have any qualification I any work I just completed high school in Ghana n I hope the when I move to the UK your article will help me find a place to live n work to do since I don’t no anyone in the UK
so anyone who think of moving to the UK any month next year 2017 should let me know so we can search for a room n share together
thank u
u can contact me on my Ghana number +233248438448
gabbioe@yahoo.com
or whatsapp me anytime
Pingback: 5 things I wish I was told before I left my country… – dreamersdomainblog
great blog..one of the interesting blogs that i have come acrossed…my question to you is like you i also want to move to england but i dont have any job over there right now so what will be my steps to move ahead kindly if you can help me out
Great tips. I’m planning on moving to england this year but I need guidance in order to move. I haven’t been to england before but I do hold a British passport. I’m a mother of 2. Can someone please guide me.
Its very helpful website….thankxx for your great tips..mostly realeted about money..i want also want to move london for my better education if u are provided educ.. Realeted tip i am big thankful to u… But its great…
Thanks love! I wish you all the best for your future!:)
I would like to have a job at hand first before I move to the UK. I am a journalist from India, and have been working in Dubai for the last three years. Do you think it’s possible to have a job BEFORE moving?
What an amazing blog. I read it as I too plan to move to the UK but…. I am originally from London, left in my 20s (the age most of the comments and probably readers of this blog are!) but I want to ‘go home’. I have lived in NZ for the last 30 years but have gone ‘home’ roughly every 2 years. I am curious as to how one ‘a bit older’ makes the move. So, the blog was interesting and I will look at gumtree and see if that helps. Finding work is the biggest fear for me. I am really hoping the UK isn’t too ageist – but I guess I will find out really soon 🙂
Thanks for doing the blog 🙂
Hello, I’m Juan I’m 23 and looking to move to the UK. I honestly just began researching on this matter a few weeks ago and this was a pretty helpful site to run into, so thanks for the info. I’m an industrial engineer with experience in the language and education department (1 1/2 years as a language instructor) and on the oilfield as a field engineer in the drilling area. The experiences and tips you share here give me a solid idea as in to how to plan my stay if I achieve this feat, but what about people who aren’t even remotely close to the UK (location-wise)? Any tips for us who have to try this out from afar first? What should I focus on first, paperwork, finding a job or anything else? I know every step is as important as the next, but I feel the beginning of the process is the most crucial (obviously next to moving and actually going through with the living process)
Thanks again for all of the info provided here!
Hello Im Leo and Im from uruguay ,24 years old ,planning to move to UK next february ( 2017 ) , first of all thanks for the post ,its really encouraging.
If anyone , no matters where are you from ,is planning to move there the same month as me ,in exactly one year ,please dont hesitate to contact me , leoaraujosheringham@gmail.com , we have one year left to meet up ,and organise something to arrive , I have searched a lot , each city ,and I think Bournemouth is the city I will land.
Again, Many thanks
This is a FANTASTIC article! Thank you so much for writing it! Would you say that the same helpful tips you’ve given for England would (generally) apply to Ireland/Scotland as well? Again, thank you for the hard work you put into writing this!
Hi … This is syed, as a pharmacist in india. i planed to move to london for any kind of job. if i got pharmacy related job in uk, thats better for me.
Hi! I must say your article was really rewarding and really it lowered down all my nerves on what to do once you arrive and before. Of course, it may sound easier when read than when actually there, but anyway.
My boyfriend and I plan to move, we’re still not sure if Ireland or the UK, they are both options and we are just starting to find out more about the moving process… We want to know all we need before we actually start moving, besides the fact that we have to save a lot of money mostly for the plane tickets there (we currently live in Argentina) but we’re really sure we want to move.
Any idea if the Visa application for latin americans is different or anything? I know that for EEU citizens is much more easier than for someone from latin america (which is many times considered third world).
Your post has been really helpful, keep up! 😀
Hey, i’am British but i moved to Paris when i was 15 i have no qualifications. I was thinking of moving to London i was thinking of working in a hotel or clothes shop do you think it’s possible for me even if i don’t have qualifications?
Victoria
Hello, my name is Ian and I’m from the US. My gf is being stationed in England. My plan is to move there later this year with her she can live off base with me. I’m really worried about finding a job and being able to find a place over there to live. I plan on have long around 6k pounds if not more saved up by the time I leave me and her have been together for a long time and she’s always wanted to go overseas and we may plan on staying there after her contract but I really want to go with this article helped but with money like that saved up do you think I should be fine? I’m really nervous I’m 21 and it’s a big jump obviously but I’m ready to start a new chapter in my life I have friends over there that say it’s not hard but I guess I’m still just worried about money I’m afraid it will go fast by trying to find a place etc and then it’ll all be gone..can I please get some help form people who have moved I work in retail right now and I’m a very open person and outgoing. Id just like to have more opinions on this and how to go about things I’m bookmarking this because it seems to be very helpful but it’s still such a overwhelming thought.
There is always work in retail especially in and around London so I wouldn’t worry about not finding a job, If I was you I wouldn’t just limit yourself to retail as there are so many options out there that I didn’t even realise myself until I moved to Barcelona and then realised how limited my options were here (I am originally from London). The main issue would probably be accomadation, or the price of it anyway. My suggestion would be to move a little way out of the city to get cheaper rates.
Good Luck.
Admin Note:As previously stated, please don’t put any commercial link on your comments as it’s going to be removed. However, If you wish to put an informative and non-commercial article, it is perfectly OK, as long as it really helps my readers.
Thank you!
Im Dutch and i work in the health sector. I want to move to England to live and work. I want to move to a big city not too far from London. I have a Dutch diploma in health and social care. My dream is to further study, preferably adult nursing or social work. I want to rent a house or flat, at least 2 bedrooms as i have a teen age daughter who will be living with me. Due to personal reasons i want to start my life afresh in a different environment. I speak fluent english. I know getting a job wont be difficult but im worried about acommodation.
Hi Clelia,
This is really helpful!
I’m looking for cafe/restaurant jobs. Where should I look.. gumtree? And is it able to make 1200 pounds in a cafe working full-time?
Thank you!
Abe
Hi I’m in Italy too, moving to Bournemouth on Dec 22. Nervous!!!
Thank you SO very much for this post !
I’ve been having small panic attacks regarding the BIG MOVE, but your guidance has put me more at ease, and I’ve set my heart on this – ITS HAPPENING !!
Your link is now book marked as my go-to what to do link haha 🙂
Hey! thanks for all the shared info! It’s really helpful and very clear and well explained 🙂 the best I found so far …
I’m currently in Italy and planning to move to UK asap (I’ll try Birmingham)
What about English courses for expats ..are there any cheap ? What I’ve found so far are pretty expensive( …
any other advice on anything else will be also very appreciated.
Thank you 🙂
This is awesome, I’ve learned a lot so far from this site. I plan on moving to a place about an hour or so from England in about 3years I just have to finish my college degree. I was hoping you could give me some tips or pointers on what I should do in case I come upon any obstacles on my way.
Hey! first of all , thank you for the useful tips. I want to know if you can kindly advise me. I’m from the caribbean, specifically Belize City, I will be graduating from my junior college and getting my associates degree in the next four months. However, i want to get a start on moving to england from now because i know its a timely and expensive process. I want to go to england to live a little while, enjoy different parts of the world. I was planning to follow my dreams of being a wrestler so i will most likely engage in the athlethics aspect when i arrive at england. I am planning to work a little while after getting my associates in order to save money for my 1st months stay while at england. Do you know the steps that i can take? Like do you know what i have to do in order to apply for citenship there? Thank you so much in advance for your advice!
Thanks for your awesome explanation,it was very useful for me and I need to ask u about the best city I should go to start this experience.
Kind regards…
Hi! I m Amina I just want to know what to do if I want to move to London where my parents both have British passport and live.i live in America USA passport I have 2 kids I m aquaculture engineer qualified French language. I m quiet good in English . Please I need help.
Hello! I am brazilian and I have a big question! I am going to London because my boyfriend is living and working up there, but I am going just like tourist. Bu if I received a job proporsal? Do I have to go back to Brazil and get my visa and burocracy stuff or I can do that in England, I mean, in immigration? Can you inform me? Because we are suffering a lot with no answeron website consulate about it.
Hey Douglas, unfortunately I don’t think I will able to help you with the Visa issues, as I already said many times here, I’m not an expert, that’s why I out a relevant link at the end of the article.Check it out and you should find your answers in there!
best of luck!
easy girl…be nice
Thankyou for the good info on this site.
I wondered about all the documents you might need for say actually presenting yourself at the bank the first time ? Do the require id, was it a difficult process etc
Taxes as well, people put in a tax return each year or is done automatically ?
Thankyou
Hi Mike,
The process wasn’t difficult for me because I already had a job (as a Au Pair) and a fixed address. You must show them the address, that’s for sure. I’m honestly not 100% sure whether they changed the rules about the other documents. What I suggest is to go to one of the major UK Banks websites like Barclays or Natwest either ask to talk to their customer service or send them an email requesting the documents you need to provide, so that you are 100% sure.
For the Taxes, as soon as you have your NIN (national insurance number) and you are regularly employed, they usually do everything automatically. only one warning, check the tax code, in the beginning they will probably give you a generic one, but they usually change it depending on the job you have. You might be paying more taxes that you have to. In that case contact the Revenue office and they will refund you the money you have paid in excess (I know this quite well as they refunded me almost 3000£!!)
Good luck!
It is still great to live and work in UK however cost accommodation is really getting bad. One of the most expensive one Europe.
Kamuran, I couldn’t agree more!
I’m in London atm and in one day I spent 100£…auch!(not for the accommodation tough) But if you take the time to look for accommodation and a decent job, you can still enjoy the gothic beauty of this city!
this guide helped me a lot in my moving all aspects are discussed in detail and simpe wordings were used which made it better for us
Thanks Lida!
Wow! Found all this information very useful. I just moved to North-West England and it’s been mixed feelings for me. I’m wondering if I made the right decision.
So I go online to look for helpful tips and this blog comes up. Especially with the gumtree.com information.
Thanks so much for the information.
Oh! I moved here from Africa, by the way. But I speak very fluent English 🙂
Thanks Mary! Glad you found it useful! And honestly? Gumtree was my saviour in the beginning, even for making new friends, seriously! What a coincidence, you moved from Africa and I’m heading to Africa in a month (can’t wait!!). I’m not moving there unfortunately, but staying long enough to fall in love with the Continent I guess 😉 Enjoy England!
Thank you for the article. I am from Hungary and I am planning to move to England with my family. (2 children + husband). I have read a lot of blog, but I don’t know how to start the project. What is the correct order? I need a good accommodation for us (4 persons, not share) and an enough good job for me and for my husband. But it’s difficult from our country, unseen. I have some question: how much are the overhead charges / month for 4 people? Which is the good area at the very start for a family: small country or a busy city? I don’t know where should I start the project. What is your opinion?
Thank you, Mini
Hi Mini, Giving you an advice for something so big is difficult for me, and it would require a consultancy on the side! All I can say is what I’d do:
1) check for the Visas status
2) Check on Gumtree.co.uk for temporary works (not sure what your qualifications are)
3) Send someone (you, your husband?) for a week or two to send out CV’s to the Job centers and tell them you already reside there temporarily and be ready if anything comes up (meaning you have to be ready for a job interview)
4) Find a decent accommodation (this can be difficult in London as it’s very expensive), I’d try in smaller cities first to be honest and the prices varies considerably from city to city so I’d check online the cost of living in 2015, Just to have an idea
5) BE PATIENT and plan all your details ahead, no matter if it takes one year, but since you have a family you have to make sure to move for the best not for the worst (going to the UK is a great idea if you find a decent job, otherwise the cost of living is quite high, especially with a family)
I hope that helped you. If you need a more specific consultancy for a small fee, let me know (as your case is a bit more complicated than the others)
I wish you all the best!
Cheers
Clelia
Hello dear Clelia!
Very nice blog, congrats! I am moving to UK on the 1-st October, at the beginning it will be difficult, but I will make it happen! 🙂
I found people that motivate me, like you ;
Thanks Gabriel! good luck with your new exciting adventure!!
I’m wondering how can I get a visa to stay in the UK? I can only rely on a working visa and no one these seems to want to hire foreigners and sponsor me 🙁
It’s a great and very helpful post! I’m very happy I found it, because I’m started planning my moving to England and needed some more information about accommodation and finding a job there. The information you’ve shared is very helpful (along with all the links) and I already made some calls and wrote some mails. I just finished applying for a working visa and hope to receive answer soon. Wish me luck. Greets!
Hey Paula, wow great news for you! I see you are very determined and this is the number one factor to be successful! I wish you all the best even if I already know you won’t need it! You already took action and that’s what really counts!
Wonderful post! It’s absolutely what I need right no. I’m planning my moving to the UK for the end of the year and here I found more essentials on which I should pay attention. I already found a job in an international company, but still have some particulars on accommodation. Thanks for your advices, all are very useful. Greets!
Thanks for your feedback Katie! If you already have a job then you shouldn’t have many issues. Good luck with your new adventure in the UK!
Hi.
let me first start by saying, GOD bless you for the wonderful explanation, and it helped a lot, i would like you to email me to ask you more detailed question as i am planning to move to London to, after working in Dubai for 8 years, 🙂
i hope you would have time to email me, 🙂
Thanks
Hi Cleclia!
I’m an italian girl planning to move to England next year and let me tell you that your blog has been very helpful!! Thank you for all your tips, I’m sure they’ll help me a lot!
Thanks Mary! Glad I could help and that – for once- you didn’t ask me about the Visas :)) Good luck with your new exciting adventure!!
Ciao Clelia,
complimenti per il post! Mi sto, appunto, trasferendo a Londra, ma ho ricevuto pareri discordanti su cosa fare per prima cosa. Alcuni dicono che senza un proof of address e un lavoro non puoi aprire il conto in banca, altri dicono che senza un conto in banca non ti assumono.
Oltre alla casa, che spero sia la prima ricerca, a cosa bisogna puntare per primo? Un conto o un lavoro?
Grazie in anticipo!
Lorenzo
Good day,
To whom it may concern;
Thank you for your advice; If you are a central american immigrant and want to live and work in England, what would you recommend? because visa applications don’t seem to offer a solution since the person is not British nor EU (although the persons grandfather was British but still he couldn’t obtain the ancestry visa)
Hi George, as I already said in here, unfortunately im not a Visa expert, check out the links at the end of the post for official information.
Cheers
Clelia
Rules are fast changing. So please check the updated info from homeoffice website before make plan to move to England or UK
Thanks, this is why I always say to check out the last part of the post, where I link to the official resources, and I still state in here… I’m NOT an expert in Visas and regulations. This is a post to gather general information based on my experience, but then it’s up to you to find the right rules for your specific case.
i could this website extremely useful thank you!!
But the one thing I didn’t see was the part about the visas, as of which one would be the best to chose. Also becoming a citizen of the UK . Is it difficult? I plan on moving to the UK but I wanted a future reference on the legal stuff on being able to stay their permanently.
Hi Megan, Maybe I should place a disclaimer at the beginning of the post as I state in the article that unfortunately, I’m not a Visa expert so at the end I put a link where you can check all the regulations for the Visas…I hope it helps 🙂
I found the site very useful. But the one thing I have most difficulty with is which visa I should get. The government side and all aren’t so helpful.
I am a woman skilled in the automotive collision repair industry (I make estimates of repairs and I have experiences as shop manager). I see that to get a work visa I need to be sponsored. but how do I go on with that. can ANY company hire someone from outside like Canada? this is very confusing.
Hello,
While I found this all extremely useful and I am currently trying to move to the UK, I just wondered how difficult it was for you to get a Visa to work there? Also if you’re from America is it more difficult to get a visa to live and work in the UK than any other country?
Very useful tips, thank you so much! I intend to move to England for a few years, so your information has been very interesting to me. Thanks a lot!
Glad you found it useful Amber! best of luck to you 🙂
Hello and thank you very much for all the useful information!
Although I have already lived in the UK in Bristol, as an au pair, I would love to move back there in the near future.
I still have a few concerns about it though, maybe you could help me out with.
Can someone find a job before having the national insurance number or you have to wait to get it and only after? Also, the bank account is needed when starting a job or you can start the procedure after you already started working as well?
Thank you in advance for your answer!
Best wishes!
Hey Timea,
If you want to be an au pair again, your host family will help you with the NIN and bank account but usually for a normal Job they are required before getting one (especially the bank account as by law they will transfer the money directly to a UK account. I’ve heard of people who were able to find the job and then get the proper documents but let’s say that this is the exception, not the rule. So to be on the safe side, I’d go to one of the Job centers to ask them what’s the best way to handle the process. They are very helpful!
Cheers
Clelia
Do you think I could move to UK. I’m from america and I have a 1 year old but will wait a few years to save up for a couple years expenses so I can make sure we are ok while I try and find a job. I’m not looking to move to london I would prefer a smaller town. Also I want to find out information on getting a car and license as I would be purchasing a vehicle. Where do I exchange US dollars for uk money? Can I exchange in my own country?
Hey Michelle, you can easily exchange money in any major bank in your country or directly in the UK at your arrival. I recommend you have a bit of sterling in cash when you arrive just to be safe!
Cheers
Clelia
Hiii!! I loved this post! I’m looking forward to move to England! I’m south american. I have a question though, what are my chances to move there if I’m 18 years old? could I consider the choice of being an Au Pair? I an legally an EU citizen so I guess that helps me out. I’d like to know my choices being my age! Thank you so much!! 🙂
Hi Andrea,
Absolutely yes! The Au Pair option is perfect for you actually, you’ll find plenty of families ready to host you. When I was an Au Pair I met so many girls doing the same and they were quite young, so good luck in choosing the perfect family for you 🙂
Thank you for such an informative article. I am a 40 yo single woman. I have a BA In English and a certified teacher of special education. I have nearly 17 yrs of working with troubled youth/teens. ( emotionally/cognitively impaired / aggressive) Would this work to my advantage? Would this help me finding an Au pair position to those families struggling with troubled children/teens? I’m researching the educational system as I know it has been updated recently. Any thoughts would be most gratefully appreciated. Hope all is well. Thank you for your time,
Respectfully,
Elizabeth H.
Rita, hello!
My comment a little bottom.
Looking forward for your answer!
Thank you and have a nice day!
First of all well done for your excellent website, which is very useful. My husband and I together with our 3 young kids are considering to move from Malta to UK by mid of next year. We were considering to rent a property in Headingley west yorkshire. We liked one in Cardigan Lane, Hyde Park, Leeds LS6 1ED, can you pls give us your comments about this area? What about people, life, school, safety and jobs in this area; ie headingley? Thanks in advance for your advices.
Hei Rita, thanks for your nice comment!U I could tell you much more about moving to London and the surrounding areas (especially Sussex and Essex) but I don’t have many details on Leeds. I think it all depends on why you’re moving there. If you already found a job or just like the area. In any case, there is something that is pretty similar everywhere: the weather! Coming from Malta you’ll have to get used to the rain and cold weather. Sorry i can’t be of any help but I don’t even have friends who live in Leeds! I hope you’ll find what you’re looking for!
Good Luck!
Clelia
Hello!
Thank you for this usefull article!
My dream is living in London, but I afraid, because my English is poor (I learn English, and I try my best:)), I’m 29 y.o. and I want to work the same work as I have now. In advertising manufacturing company:) but I think I won’t find such perfect opportunity. I have EU citizenship and I Russian native speaker.
Have you some advices for me?:)
Have a nice day!
Where did you move from??? I’m trying to move there from the USA to be with my Boyfriend that lives about 5 hours north of London but we can’t do the fiancee or spouse visa yet. I’d love to go and work but I haven’t been able to find a job yet.
Hi Mona, I moved from Italy and this guide has been written mostly from people who move from within the EU or at least from places where the VISA requirements are OK. That’s why I put a link towards the end of the article to an official resource on how to get the VISA for the other countries, as I’m not expert in these kind of things and I’d rather redirect people to the official website! I hope you’ll sort out your situation asap! Good luck 🙂
Hi
Clelia, Very big thanks to you. I get clear view from you. I waiting for good opportunity. Maybe my dreams true.
Good Luck Anup! 🙂
Hey I’m Austrian boy who like to move to England for a few months 🙂 …your blog is amazing and so helpful !!!!!! I sill have a lot of time to plan it! Just wanna tell u that this is a real good thing for helping interested people THX
Thanks Benji! The planning part is definitely the most exciting!:)
Dear Clelia Mattana,
Thanks to giving very useful information. My childhood dream to stay in UK. I want to move UK. i am (Indian) computer graphics designer. My age 38, now working in Dubai, UAE. I can speak, write & read (medium). Can i move to UK? If ” yes” please help me. I want move.
There are really so many things to know before moving to another country! We very often have clients who didn’t learn their lesson and get very stressed when searching for the information when they’ve already moved! Very often we help this kind of people with information and I am glad that I found you post, so I can useit to help! Thanks! Greetings
Thanks Janice, that’s so true. It is useful to gather all the information before you even start your plans to move to another country, it will save time, frustration and money! Cheers!
Thank you so much for this very useful blog pretty girl!
I’m planning to move to england coz I met a friend here in the philippines and she’ inviting me to go to england. I’m just 18 but im a hard working person because I need to work for my family. That’s why I’m wondering if I can find a job in england when I go there. Any suggestions for any job? I’m fluent in English because I’m working with a call center company as a customer support representative . i really want to go to england. What papers should I prepare? Thankyou so much for the help!! xx
Hey Sarah, Thanks for stopping by and glad you found my article useful! What is your nationality? Are you a Filipino girl? I’m asking as depending on the nationality, the Visa regulation might vary a lot. I suggest you to check out my links at the end of the article where I direct people who need Visa requirement info to the relevant website. When I wrote this post I mainly considered people who wanted to move to the UK from the EU countries, where the Visa is not an issue.
So I’d say check the legal requirement first and then I’d say the best way to start from scratch is exactly what I did: Applying for Au Pair jobs first, and while you are there you will have time to search for a second job if the family allows you to, or simply get ready to find a full-time job when the time with the family is coming to an end. This way you won’t have to worry about the accommodation and food and you’ll have more time to research the market and see what jobs are available at the moment! It worked well for me, and I’d recommend this path if you don’t have specialized skills.
So check out the Vusa requirement first, then search for a good family in one of the trusted websites I link on the post and take it from there. If you don’t like the idea of being an AuPair, you’ll have to either have enough funds to sustain yourself for a few months and show up to every possible recruitment agency, as well as applying online, but usually it works much better if you are already in the country as the recruiters prefer to interview the candidates face to face and want to make sure they can be available on a short notice, so being already there is very important (not always necessary, but for simple job with no special skills required is a must).
I hope it helps and I wish you all the best for your adventure! 🙂
Cheers
Cle
This blog was so amazingly informational, I am so glad I found it!
I just have a few questions.
I am from the US looking to move to the UK within a years time. My concern is with money. How does the currency transfer from American dollars to pounds?
and how would I interview or contact families for AU Pair when I am half way across the world?
Thank you for your information! I really appreciate it!
Hi Bridgett, glad you liked my post!
As for the currency exchange, the British Pound is a stronger currency compared to the US Dollar, so you’ll need to convert whatever budget you have in USD in GBP. Let’s say that in the beginning it’s not exactly favorable for you but as soon as you start earning in £, you’ll forget about the currency exchange!
When I was looking for families (through the trusted websites I link to on my post), usually there is an exchange of emails, phone calls and I guess now they also use skype conversations to get to know you (and also help you to choose the right family).
I spoke at the phone and exchanged emails with a few families before finding the right one for me, and I was still living in Rome at the time. The distance is not an issue nowadays, we have all the technology we need!
But even if we didn’t, I still remember when I was 18 and internet didn’t exist, I wanted to be an Au Pair In the US and I applied by mail+ phone calls, so it’s definitely doable! Just make sure to check out the Visa requirement by consulting the link I put at the end of the article!
Good Luck Bridgett! 🙂
Hello Clelia!
I just turned 25 and realized that I need to go out and make my dreams a reality before too much more time has passed. I want to move to the UK from the US to work in the entertainment industry (I know most would do the opposite, but I think the UK is more my style). After reading your incredibly helpful post I started to do research on the visa I would need. I saw that I would need to be sponsored by an employer before I could even apply for a visa. I have an undergraduate degree in marketing management and international business, so I have skills. It’s just a matter of finding a company that needs them and is willing to sponsor me. Do you have any tips or resources of where I could find potential jobs and employers?
Thank you in advance!
PS: I traveled to Cambodia last March and absolutely fell in love with Siem Reap! Loved your pictures!
Hi Rebecca,
Sorry, I missed your comment!! Yes, if you want to work in a specialized job you’ll need the company to sponsor you. My advice is to research the companies you’d like to work for, write them an email including your CV, experiences and possible references from your previous jobs if you have them, and then contact them by phone a week after you send the email for a quick follow up regarding your email (just to make sure it didn’t go to the Spam folder and to know if they are interested).
Make sure you send the email to the most relevant person (usually HR is good but if you could get a specific name in the department it would be better). Research about the company, let them know why you want to work with them and show that you know about their business (the more specific and detailed you are about their company, the better. There is nothing more frustrating for a company than receiving tons of applications clearly not tailored specifically to them.
The HR people always appreciate your effort and your enthusiasm for their company, this is very important to be considered.
In all honesty, this process is not very easy, but if you really want to work for a specific company, and you have the right skills, it can be done. It might take longer than you expect but don’t lose hope, study if necessary, research and keep trying!
I received so many “No thank you” before finding the right company (and I didn’t even need a sponsor), but I know of people who were able to get the sponsor. It all boils down to your skills and your enthusiasm to work for the company.
I wish I could help you more, but these are the regulations and there is nothing we can do about it, just never give up!
I wish you all the best Rebecca!
Cheers
Cle
Hello there,
You blog is so detailed, it is a big help. 🙂
Ok, so I am from Singapore, & I am a muslim. I have relatives staying in Cardiff & London, & would like to migrate there..hopefully soon enough.
But how do I go about moving there if lets say I want to open up a food business? Would you encourage it? I have a place to crash for the moment.
Its just that I don’t wanna be biting on my nails & not doing anything if what I would like to do bounces back.
Help!!
Hu Zulaikha,
Thanks for stopping by, I’m glad you found my article useful! As per your questions, unfortunately I don’t know all the laws and regulations behind opening a business in the UK, that is why I tried to link to as many sources as possible. To cover the topics I didn’t know much about.
Sorry I can’t help you more with this. I’d say, go to the official https://www.gov.uk/ website. They must have updated info!
Good luck with everything!
Hello Clelia,
Whoops, sorry! I came here from a Google search on moving to the UK from the US.
After studying your site a bit closer, I realize that this was geared towards EU citizens looking to come over, not US ones!
I’ll keep looking for my answer, sorry to ask prematurely! Enjoy England!
Polly
Sorry Polly! I should add a disclaimer for the Visa regulations as I wrote the guide for European people, but I also added an external link so that you can check out how it works for other countries as well!
Hello Clelia,
thank you for your generous efforts to help others. I moved to the UK from the U.S. and am about to apply for my final visa for settlement.
Anyway, I had my US mail forwarded to my UK address. As this lasts only one year, I was wondering which US governmental agencies I should inform of my relocation. Just Social Security? Occasionally they have sent me earnings statements. The IRS as well?
I’d be grateful if you could shed some light. Thanks,
Polly
Polly, I was curious, I am in the US and am wanting to move and work in the UK. You seem to have already went through this so I was wondering if you could tell me how you started out with your and what visa was needed?
This is such a great step by step guide! I’m thinking of going travelling and moving to London at the end of the year from New Zealand and I had no idea how to do it or where to begin, so this was very helpful for me! Of course I’m still scared about finding somewhere to live and a job though but hopefully it works out 🙂
Hey Shannon,
I know, it’s always scary to step out of your comfort zone (none the less from such a faraway place as NZ!!), but it’s also an exciting journey, I guarantee you that!
I hope you’ll find a nice job for you, research as much as possible and never give up! 🙂
Good luck Shannon!
Cheers
Cle
Wow! Amazing step-by-step blog.
Just what people like me need to read.
I’m planning on moving to London at the end of this year!
I’m 21 and I speak fluid English, so the language won’t be a problem.
Just a bit scared about finding a place and a job of course.
Thanks again for these useful pointers.
Hi Laura,
glad that you found my website useful and congratulations for your moving! I know it takes time to grow the courage to act on pur dreams but you’re doing the right thing! Regarding your question…where are you from? would the Visa be a problem? As I can see this be the main issue for people willing to move to the UK, if you tell me your nationality and what kind of skills you have I might be able to help you further!
Cheers 🙂
can you help me with some information regarding working and living in London? I’m 32 yo and got Bachelor degree in Finance. I’m working in bank for 6 years in retail. I got wife who is univ.oec of economics and working as teacher in high school for 10 years. We got doughter who is 5 months old.
Hi Bernard,
Given the fact that you have a Bachelor degree, I guess you’ll be searching for a specialized job…depending on your skills, you might be able to find something appropriate, but as I always suggest, if you could send your application and CV email when you’re in the UK (or you’ll state that you will be available for a face to face interview on a short notice), that would be better!
I have a few friends working in Finance in London, and apparently (I’m not in the field so don’t take my words for granted and make some preliminary research), it shouldn’t be a big issue to find something suitable.
I hope it helps!
Cheers
Clelia
Hey, this blog is fantastic and such a great find!
I’ve recently made the big move from Sydney to London, I now work for At Your Service Event Staff who are currently on the look out for new wait staff and bar staff to work at amazing event venues in London – a great way to see the city, from a new perspective! The company also has a refer a friend campaign in which you can earn extra money for every friend you invite to work with you.
Apply online via http://www.ays.co.uk/apply
Be interviewed, trained and employed within a week!
Thanks Browny, I hope this can be of help for people looking for a job on England!
Cheers
i just want to know,what kind of visa should i get?suppose im getting a tourist visa for a month. i landed there and just got my job,then how should i convert my tourist visa to work visa?
https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration
hey kle,i just want to know,what kind of visa should i get?suppose im getting a tourist visa for a month. i landed there and just got my job,then how should i convert my tourist visa to work visa?
Hi, I really like your website. Very useful tips.
Maybe you would like to check on my website and share links . thanks
Hi Andi,
Thanks for the kind words! Unfortunately, I don’t share links with other websites unless I know them or have some sort of professional relationship with the owner. I’m sure you’ll understand!
Thanks again for stopping by! 🙂
I want to relocate to london by next year although I have seen everything you shared but I still need to no more about the accommodation thanks
I want to relocate to london by next year although I have seen everything you shared but I still need to no more about the accommodation thanks
Hi Pretty, what exactly do you need to know?
My readers’ feedback is very important to me so if you can be more specific in your request I can add the relevant info on the article.
Thank you!
Cle
Do you know anything about moving a family to the UK? It would be myself, my husband, and our young son. One of my main concerns is getting jobs when we get there. What is the requirement for earning money in England? We are not from Europe at all, but from the US. Is a working visa needed? Does it expire after a length of time? Are only certain jobs available to us in that situation?
Also, would we be allowed to purchase a home, versus renting, even though we’re foreign?
Hi Ash, thanks for your message!
Unfortunately when I wrote this guide I didn’t consider the “Visa factor” for people outside Europe. In that case, especially for US resident, it’s not that straightforward as you will need to get a working visa (you can check the proper requirement in here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa).
As long as you have a working permit there should be problems with the type of job you are in..
For the house, I know of a few friends of mine who bought a house in the UK. It is obviously better in any case, instead of throwing the money out of the window with the rent, but you need to be living and working in the Uk for a while to get the bank approval for the mortgage.
Hope it helps!
Cheers
Clelia
Hello and thanks for sharing being that I really enjoyed your blog. I am contemplating relocating to Manchester England the end of this year or May of 2016. My question is I ma having trouble inquiring what type of Visa I need before relocating. I am currently self employed and work from my home office full-time. I will be self employed when relocating there working with my American clients, therefore I will already have employment. Any ideas on what type of Visa I need to apply for, thanks so much….
Hi Tosha! Thanks for stopping by!
There is this website: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa where you can check out what kind of visa do you need in your situation. I suggest you have a look at that, it’s very useful and you can also ask them specific questions for your current status!
Cheers
Clelia
Hey! Very informative blog post. I’m from Canada living in Australia at the moment. I am currently doing the paper work to get my Italian passport through my nonna and nonno. Just wanted to ask since you are Italian. With an Italian passport you can go in and out of England no problem? Would you pay domestic fees for school if you are an Italian citizen, since you are part of the EU? Thank you, hope to hear from you soon.
Hi Victoria!
If you get an Italian passport, you won’t have any problem working and living in the UK. Italy is part of the European community and we are free to go in and out England as many times as we want. I worked in England for many years and I didn’t need a work permit or a working visa, so you should be good!
Good luck for your new adventure! 🙂
I just wanted to know if i would need a visa to move to England?
Hey jackie, it all depends on where you’re from. Europe (E.U) you don’t…outside, you need a visa, yes!
You can check the Visa requirements in here: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa
Cheers
Cle
Pingback: Moving To England: Should You Do It? My Story & Tips For Moving Country | Quilts Zone
Lots of good detail here. My main comment is that the UK is more than England, and definitely more than London. Immigration rules are the same across the UK, but cultures vary within.
I agree, I write UK, England, Great Britain… they are all the same to me. Even if technically they are not!
Just like you, I moved to London as an Au-pair. I actually did it 2 times, with both British and American families. Both experiences were a disaster, although I made many friendships with the other Au-pairs.
London has changed since the financial crisis hit southern Europe. The competition is fierce, the wages went brutally down and the work conditions are bad. This is a time, that London is struggling with the amount of people searching for a better life. It’s overcrowded.
Your guide is excellent, very informative and realistic. People think it will all work out once they’re in London, but end up being slapped in the face by reality, specially if they can’t speak the language.
I dropped out of University before the second year. I got tired of that rat race. But it’s a great city for the folks who can deal with the fast paced, over priced and hiper competitive market.
Thank you for all this info Clelia 🙂
Definitely spot on Yara! It’s not that easy, and I stated it clearly in here, but also the attitude is very important.
Regarding your experience as Au Pair, I guess I’ve been very lucky then. No one can guarantee the perfect family beforehand, of course, but using these good websites is of great help in case things go wrong. I had a friend who was an Au pair too, and she was relocated to another family as she had a not pleasant experience. The second time she was very happy!
So I still recommend this option. Even if you have a terrible experience, I think that it’s in the moment of crisis that you really learn more and get stronger, right?
Hi I’m siobhan, I’m 19. I lived in Australia for 10 years but have moved back to nz with parents. I want to move to london or close by with easy commute to london. I maybe moving with a close friend. I have experience as a factory hand/ pick and pack for skate, surf and snow clothing company and I am currently work at a supermarket at checkouts/tills, I worked at both places for just over a year. If my experience lands me a job earning an average of £1000 a month with about £500 for rent and utilities. Then groceries, public transport, other payment and clothes when needed. Is it livable?
Thanks for your help. Really good blog
Hey Siobhan, thanks for your message!
OK, let’s see…first of all, let me say that everything is possible. I was able to live with 900 euros in Rome, renting my own place (a very very small room with kitchenette and I also had a car to maintain) but somehow I managed to make it work. This is to say that it is possible to live with 1000£ per month in London of course but you’d have to give up going out too much or any extra expense, which can be very frustrating. You have to find a (usually very small) room on a shared apartment in less popular areas of London (sometimes also less safe but that’s not actually 100% true, it really depends).
That said… I think that to stay on the safe side, you’d need to earn at least 1200£ to “breath” a bit and be able not only to live in London but also to enjoy it 🙂
I really hope you will find a qualified job as soon as you arrive but if you’re not that lucky, don’t get discouraged: you’re young, the language is not an issue for you so you can start with less specialized job and move on from there. I’m sure you will be totally fine!
Best of luck and keep me posted!
I’m about 35, I have a Bachelor of Science degree, with a major in criminal justice and minor in psychology. I also have significant admin experience, including paralegal work and since 2011 as a documentation specialist (formatting, editing, etc).
Unfortunately, I was recently laid off due to circumstances beyond control (though I remain in good standing with my former employer). I’ve thought of another job in the U.S., but I have always wanted to go to England and think perhaps I should grasp this moment. What do you think I can expect, opportunity-wise?
Oh, also my brother-in-law is from the U.K. His father and sister live in London, and so I would have a place to stay.
Hi Lynne,
Sorry I missed your message! Unfortunately, it’s hard to say… the market is constantly changing, but you have the advantage of having someone located in the UK already, you could start by asking them about the current situation in your field and also do some online research. Forums for expats in London / Uk are always a great place to exchange point of views and advice. I used them before moving (in my case I chose the Italian community), you should be able to find a community for the US expats or simply a forum treating these topics.
Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
I wish you all the best!
Cheers
Clelia
Hi I’m siobhan, I’m coming up 20. I lived in Australia for 10 years but moved back to nz with parents. I was wanting to move to london or close by with easy commute to london. I maybe moving with my friend. I see that the monthly wage is about £1000 and rent could be up to £500 with utilities. Is £500 livable considering you have to buy groceries, petrol/public transport, clothes and other payments that come up. I have experience as a factory hand/ pick and pack and I currently work for a supermarket at the checkout. I worked just over a year at both and i speak fluent English.
Hey! Just replied on your first message 🙂
Hope it helps, if you need more help let me know!
first thing thank you very much for this information and i’m new here in this page and i’m now live in Murmansk the north of Russia and i’m married & i want moved to united kingdom but i don’t know what’s necessary document’s to move & live there so i hope you can help me soon and thank you very much again . 🙂
Hi Arid,
Once Again, sorry as I missed your comment! I still reply in the hope that you’ll read it and also for other people to benefit from it!
As per the Visa/Document required to move and work on the UK, I added a link at the end of the article, it’s an official source, regularly updated by the government so you will find all the info you need!
Cheers
Clelia
I will definitely bookmark this page. Loads of useful information.
Thank you Sabrina,
glad I could help!:)
Pingback: Interview: Celia from Keep Calm and Travel | GoEuro Blog
Pingback: Preparing to Move to Another Country | The Expat's Corner
Great blog, really !!!
I just have a question, I’m planning to move to England soon, and I’d like to know what kind of paper or document do I really need to take from my homecountry to the UK ? I mean, I don’t want to be asked for a paper I don’t have… And another question, when I arrive to England, do I have to go to the official city building to say “hey, I’m coming from Belgium, I want to be an english citizen” ?
Thanks a lot for your answer
Hi Emilie!
I put a link at the end of the article with an official source for all the document you need to provide, depending on the country you are originally from!
Hope it helps 🙂
Cheers
Clelia
Thanks, A very useful information .
Glad you find it useful Anthony
Clelia i did not see an email address for you…can you please email me…i have a few questiojs for you regarding my own move to the uk…thanks so much
Hey, if you go to the top menu there is a tab called “contact” where you can find it! hope it helps!
Lovely blog, how do you manage to make money while travelling? As I imagine one cannot live on his own savings forever; do you have a sponsor?. If it’s true that ageism is not that strong in the UK, I was curious to know how things can be for 40+ and if people in this age range may be discriminated nowadays.
In my line of work wages are not glorious nowadays (18-20Ka year)and pretty standard everywhere in the Island. Which would you consider to be a wage under which it is not advisable to work for while in southern England? Having lived in London you may know how much life can be expensive over there.
Hi Sara! thanks for passing by! you’re right, i can not live out of my savings forever of course. When i left for my trip i had enough money to travel for at least 6/7 months but since i don’t want to end my travel anytime soon, i am now working part time as English and ballet teacher. This way i’m not touching my savings and i can work full time on my blog (which will allow me to keep traveling one day hopefully!)
As per the situation in England, if your English is good enough and you have experience, they don’t discriminate at all! Sometimes they don’t even ask for your age at the interviews (as you are not forced to state your age on the CV). Regarding the wages..it really depends on many variables but the minimum wage to live a decent life is around 20.000k. It’s not much i know, but if you share a flat in an a cheap area of London is still feasible. If you live outside London 20.000 is enough to live a good life in most of the villages, as the cost of the rent goes down.. These days is not easy anywhere but with the right attitude you can go very far trust me.Every time i feel down and i think i can not make it, i try to change my attitude and things suddenly start to get better!
AWESOME!
Thank you! I’m currently going through all of this, I will be in London in under 30 days! Moving from Australia for at least 2 years.
Thanks for the extra info I wasn’t sure about, it’s always good to see things from other people’s perspectives!
I will be documenting all of my experiences in the process of my move to London on my website, check it out if you get around to it!
Take care!
Graeme.
Wow really? did you sort out everything already? I’ll make sure to check out your blog and see how things are going, in the meantime..good luck! big step for you! congratulations!
Thanks for that! I’m very excited, simply can not wait! It’s coming up fast! I still haven’t got some things sorted! Still need to set up a bank account, find a house, job and NIN number!
Some things have proved difficult to do while I’m still in Australia, such as the bank account! Although, plenty of people have assured me that finding work in London isn’t too hard most of the time!
Anyway, we’ll see how I go! 😀
It will go great! i’m sure. If you already have experience is even better, but even if you don’t, being English your first language is much much easier believe me! When i got there i didn’t know a word, but everything went ok 🙂 Oh for the bank account don’t worry too much, search for a house and apply immediately so it’s sorted! you can even change the address later if you need to move!If i made it, you won’t have any problem! keep me posted..
Arr… awesome! Thank you so much for your help!
That’s re-assuring! Will do! I’ll be sure to put it all on my blog! 😀
Thanks again!
My pleasure!
My dream is to move to London!but my spoken english is not very good now.
I guess i need to practice a bit more. I will surely come back to this when i decide to leave 🙂
Hi Marika, please don’t be too scared or insecure about your English. When i arrived there mine was everything but perfect! And consider that if you have a good base, you will learn to speak and listen quickly! Good luck and let me know if you need any help :=)
This is a really informative post, thanks! I am 23 and i want to try to be an au-pair. I’m from Turkey and i can only stay for max 1 year as my visa will expire. I was thinking on going there in october. Do you think i should start to search for a family? Is there a place you suggest for my research? Any other tips? I’m a bit nervous, as i want to find a good family.
Thank you.
Lonette
Hey Lonette! Congratulations on your choice to be an au pair! It’s such a rewarding experience, believe me! you won’t regret it. I would suggest to start searching for the family. You will need time to evaluate the best one for you, and when you establish a connection, it takes a bit to sort out the logistic part of it all! Regarding the place…is really up to you in the end. More than the place would go for a lovely family. Better be in the middle on nowhere with nice people than in central london with people you don’t like (personal experience, as i was with a very nice family)
Other tips…take time to chat with the family and make sure that both parties are clear about the main duties, free time and salary!
Other than that, you can ask about having a car and the possibility og going to college for free! (one of the best ways to improve your english and start having a social life asap!
Good luck!!
wow this is a great post! I’m not planning to move to England any time soon but i’ll forward it to a friend who is interested! Thank you
Glad you found it useful! Thanks for sharing it.
Thank you!
Hi there, would you have advise for a family moving from france on a shoe string budget and a Camping Car?
great blog! the information you provide is quiet helpful, why i was not able to find it earlier. anyways i’ve subscribed to your feeds, keep the good work up.