Moving to the UK – Work in the UK as an Expat

The UK is the third largest economy in Europe and fifth largest in the world. It is a preferred destination for job seekers from around the globe who are seeking better living standards and opportunities.

You may have already been offered a job from a local employer. If you haven’t, you may want to learn more about what to do and how to start once you’re there.

Here are some useful tips to help you find the perfect job in the UK as an expatriate.

First of all, if you already have a good command of the English language, and a moderate spirit of enterprise, then you’ve got most of the quest already covered!

But preparation prior to departure is all-important.

Make sure you take care of all the appropriate paperwork before you leave and remember that unless you are a EU citizen, you will need to have a valid passport or a visa and go through a specific process of review if you are travelling from certain countries outside of Europe.

The next preparation step is of course informing yourself on the best place to look for a job. One that is conducive also to your preferred lifestyle.

Which city and in what part of the UK would you like to live in?

Studying the economic and employment demographics before deciding on a plane ticket is always the best way to avoid surprises. London and the South East are where economic growth is most concentrated. Whereas there is a higher rate of unemployment in the north of England, Scotland, Wales and North Ireland.

However, this does not mean these places should be immediately discounted. Many cities in the north of England have thriving creative and technology scenes and highly respected universities. All with a much lower living cost than England’s capital.

An advantage for foreign job seekers is there’s a high demand for skilled workers who can speak two or more languages. So if English is your second language you’re more likely to find work through the various worldwide associations for expatriates.

It’s their job to help you through the process of dealing with entry permits. In addition to this, it’s their job to acquaint you with the UK business models.

And of course they will also help you align your skills with the best job choices available and also help you network with professional or academic organizations.

There is a wide choice of positions that include Engineering, Teaching, Sales, and Local Government jobs.

Finding Work

Before you even step foot in the UK, it is obviously recommended give yourself a head start. You can do this by searching the many job sites and job aggregators available.

However it is easier than ever now to connect online through the various apps available straight from your iphone or other smart media device, and from anywhere you may be.

Applications like the Jobrapido app are designed to help job seekers find a new career and give you detailed information on the city of choice and local job listings that are available.

Always remember that there is a large expat community in the UK, so these associations are another excellent networking resource to connect with local foreign workers who may point you in the right direction.

Once there you will have to deal with housing costs as well, so consider this when researching your city of choice.

Obviously, you do not need to work in the same place you choose to live in, as the transportation systems across the UK are excellent and generally extremely reliable.