Foreign job for Asians
UK
Living, working or studying in the UK?
Just Landed helps you manage everyday life. Our UK Guide covers topics like visas, housing, jobs and finance. Join the Just Landed Community, get in touch with people like you and share your experiences!
VisasWho needs a visa?
How do you apply for one?
The UK has very tough immigration laws, which are enforced. Before travelling, make sure you have all the required visas and documentation or you will be refused entry. This section is intended to give you an overview of what documentation you may need.
Who needs a UK visa?If you are not a British citizen you might need entry clearance (that is permission) to enter the UK. The Home Office has three categories based on entry requirements:
You will also need a visa if you:
Nationals of the following 10 countries now need a visa when staying in the UK longer than six months: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea and the USA.
You can find out what type of entry clearance you need based on your nationality, purpose of the visit and country location, by going to the Foreign Office page, click here.
Visas are issued for a maximum stay of six months. If you require a visa and wish to remain in the UK longer than six months, you must leave the country and apply for a new visa. If you wish to leave and return to the UK within the duration of your visa, it will save you a lot of trouble if you apply for a multiple-entry visa. If you only have a single-entry visa you will have to apply for a new visa each time you leave the country.
Where to apply for a United Kingdom visa?Visas and other forms of entry clearance (such as an entry certificate) for England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland need to be obtained prior to your arrival in Great Britain. If you require a visa there is no way to make an application on arrival and the likelihood is that you will be refused entry to the United Kingdom.
Applications for entry into the UK should be made at any British Diplomatic Post in your country of residence (to find the address and phone number of the one nearest to you click here).
How to apply for a UK visa?You will always need at least the following documents:
Supporting documents may include:
Although straightforward visa applications can be processed within 24 hours, this is not always the case. It is recommended that you allow ample time for you application to be processed, if you are concerned about arriving in the UK for a specific date.
If you are denied a visa you will be notified in writing of the refusal and the reasons for it. In certain cases you will have the right to appeal the decision and as such will be given advice on how to do so. Instead of appealing you can simply apply again, but if the reasons for the initial refusal still apply, your application will probably be turned down again.
Residence Permits
How to become legally resident in the UK
A residence permit, issued by a member state of the European Union, is the necessary authorisation to allow non-EU nationals to stay legally within its territory.
UK residence permits are issued by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) part of the Home Office. These principally affect non-visa nationals who intend to extend their stay in the UK beyond six months.
EU/EEA nationals:EU/EEA nationals do not require residence permits. However, if you wish for non-EEA national members of your family to join you in the EEA UK, you will need to apply for an EEA Family Permit. You can only apply for a Family Permit in the country of which you are a national.
Non-visa nationals:On arrival in the UK, you will be given an entry stamp to the UK for 6 months. If you wish to extend your stay, you will need to apply to the IND for a residence permit. Note that the IND will charge a fee for this.
Further information on residence permits, including downloadable application forms, can be found on the IND’s websitewww.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk .
Family Members
How to bring your loved ones to Britain
Spouses, fiancé(e)s, partners and other family members can join their loved ones in the UK when meeting certain criteria.
Spouses, partners and fiancé(e)sIf your husband, wife, partner orfiancé(e) is currently settled (or intends to settle) in the UK, you can apply to join them.
To join your spouse, you must show that:
To join your fiancé(e), you must show that:
To join your unmarried partner, both you and your unmarried partner must show that:
Family membersYou can apply to join your parents in the UK if:
Note that if only one of your parents is resident in the UK, you will not normally be able to join them unless the parent has sole responsibility for you.
If you are a widowed parent or grandparent aged 65 or over, or parents or grandparents travelling together and one of you is 65 or over, you can apply to join your (grand)child or (grand)children if:
Parents or grandparents under the age of 65 may also qualify if they satisfy the above conditions and there are “exceptional compassionate circumstances”.
Similarly, any other relative (sister, brother, aunt, uncle etc) of a person settled in the UK may apply to join them if there are “exceptional compassionate circumstances.
For further details, and how to apply to join your relative visit the UK Visas website ( www.ukvisas.gov.uk ) or contact your nearest British Diplomatic Mission abroad (for a list of all addresses and phone numbers click here ).
The UK job market
Work opportunities in the UK
The UK offers great working opportunities, especially for people who do not require a work permit. Its flexible labour market has produced a healthy employment market in recent years, with unemployment mostly below 5%, which compares well to other EU countries.
Much economic growth is concentrated in the South-East, so you should bear in mind that regional unemployment is higher in northern England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. There are also certain sectors where job opportunities are poor, such as manufacturing and heavy industry. If you are not eligible to work in the UK, you need to be aware it may be more difficult to obtain a permit than a job.
If you are looking for professional or well remunerated employment, high English language ability will be a requirement for the majority of positions. Depending on the type of job, qualifications may also be important (although not as important as in some countries – e.g. to work in a general business role, your experience will be taken into account ahead of whether or not you have studied business).
If you are studying or learning English and looking for a job to help with or cover living expenses, you will probably not have too much difficulty. The labour market in the UK is flexible and it is relatively easy to find part-time or casual jobs (even if your English is very poor!), however, do not expect to be paid much or get benefits.
Finding a job
Where to look for jobs in Britain
There are many ways to look for a job in the UK, we have listed the most relevant below.
Internet: Over the last decade the online job market has exploded into the mainstream and in the UK it is now the most popular way to apply for work, especially among younger people and graduates. Online recruitment websites allow you to search according to your criteria, such as sector, salary and region. You can also post your CV on websites so that companies looking for specific skills can find you.
Newspapers & Magazines: Broadsheets such as The Times, The Daily Telegraph, Financial Times, The Independent and The Guardian all have job offers, mainly for executives and professionals, as well as sections dedicated to specific professions, i.e. teaching, computers, media. In London, check out the Evening Standard (mainly for business and secretarial positions), Metro and Loot for lower level jobs.
Recruitment agencies: Most agencies specialize in a particular field such as computers, nursing, secretarial work, accounting, catering, construction, and so on. There are also “Head hunting” agencies which are hired by big companies to recruit executives, managers or professionals. Others deal solely with temporary staff (temps), and can find you work in an office or as a babysitter, cook, gardener, security guard or any other type of job. To find an agency you can either look in the "employment agencies" section of the yellow pages or go to www.rec.uk.com for a list of agencies and their specialist fields.
Career fairs: A good place to get started is to visit a career fair. Fairs usually have a range of employers and concentrate on a specific sector. Usually you apply by sending in your CV and employers decide who they want to meet in advance. As well as getting general information on employment perspectives in different companies, it is often possible to arrange interviews.
Speculative applications: If a specific company is of interest you can send a speculative application. Applications are retained and checked against positions as they become available in some companies.
Chambers of Commerce: Contact the local chamber of commerce of your home country in the UK, as they are often asked for candidates and sometimes have a database of open job positions. Often a chamber of commerce will have a list of companies from your home country doing business in the UK, which can make good targets for speculative applications.
Jobcentres: They can be found in every town and focus mainly in jobs for the non-professional. They usually have databases of local, national and European vacancies and know about local employers and their needs. Their advisers can help you with all aspects of finding work. They normally have newspapers, books, leaflets and Internet access to support you in your job search
Networking: Sometimes getting a job is about knowing the right people or being in the right place at the right time. You could join an expats club or attend social gatherings where you think you could meet people that are well connected. Just mingle as much as you can and make sure you let everybody know you are looking for employment.
Contract type
Forms of employment
Along with full-time, salaried work there are several other options for employees in the labour market.
Part-time: Part-time work is particularly popular with foreign students, who often aim to combine such employment with their studies. Part-time jobs are commonly available in pubs, restaurants, shops and offices.
Temps: Temporary jobs are generally for a fixed period or may be intermittent. The hiring of temps is widespread among UK companies and it is quite easy to find such a job. There is usually high demand for secretarial and administrative office staff. If qualified doing temp work can actually earn you more money than working on a fixed contract. Other common temping jobs can be found in construction, gardening, shops (over the Christmas and sales periods), market research, modelling for art schools, cleaning, babysitting, etc.
Contractors: These are freelance workers specialized in fields such as engineering, accounting, electronics and computing. Some positions are very well paid and many IT professionals choose to contract as they can make twice as much or more than if they were in a full-time position. There are also positions which have the added bonus of being able to work from home; an attractive alternative for individuals looking for a better work/life balance.
Voluntary work: If you are unable to obtain a work permit, voluntary work is your only legal option to work in the UK (although you will still need an entry visa if you require one). Although unpaid, board and lodging is usually provided. Useful websites includewww.youngscot.org/channels/volunteering andwww.volunteering.org.uk .
How do you apply for one?
The UK has very tough immigration laws, which are enforced. Before travelling, make sure you have all the required visas and documentation or you will be refused entry. This section is intended to give you an overview of what documentation you may need.
Who needs a UK visa?If you are not a British citizen you might need entry clearance (that is permission) to enter the UK. The Home Office has three categories based on entry requirements:
- European Economic Area Citizens: Do not need entry clearance to enter the UK. The European Economic Area (EEA) includes all EU countries plus Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland. Swiss nationals also fall under this category.
- Non-Visa Nationals: Only require an entry certificate when going to the UK to work or to settle. This category primarily consists of Commonwealth citizens.
- Visa Nationals: Need a visa to enter the UK for any reason.
You will also need a visa if you:
- are stateless (you do not have a nationality)
- hold a non-national travel document (a travel document which does not give you the nationality or citizenship of the country that issued it)
- hold a passport issued by an authority unrecognised in the UK.
Nationals of the following 10 countries now need a visa when staying in the UK longer than six months: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea and the USA.
You can find out what type of entry clearance you need based on your nationality, purpose of the visit and country location, by going to the Foreign Office page, click here.
Visas are issued for a maximum stay of six months. If you require a visa and wish to remain in the UK longer than six months, you must leave the country and apply for a new visa. If you wish to leave and return to the UK within the duration of your visa, it will save you a lot of trouble if you apply for a multiple-entry visa. If you only have a single-entry visa you will have to apply for a new visa each time you leave the country.
Where to apply for a United Kingdom visa?Visas and other forms of entry clearance (such as an entry certificate) for England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland need to be obtained prior to your arrival in Great Britain. If you require a visa there is no way to make an application on arrival and the likelihood is that you will be refused entry to the United Kingdom.
Applications for entry into the UK should be made at any British Diplomatic Post in your country of residence (to find the address and phone number of the one nearest to you click here).
How to apply for a UK visa?You will always need at least the following documents:
- a visa application form (you can obtain it for free at your nearest British mission overseas or you can download it fromwww.ukvisas.gov.uk)
- a valid passport or travel document
- two (sometimes three) recent passport-sized (45mm x 35mm), colour photographs
- the visa fee (which will be paid for in local currency)
- the supporting documents required for the visa category you are applying for.
Supporting documents may include:
- a work permit
- a letter of acceptance from a university
- evidence of your qualifications: i.e. diplomas, certificates, references
- evidence that you will be able to support yourself and your dependants during your stay in the UK, i.e. bank statements, a letter from your bank
Although straightforward visa applications can be processed within 24 hours, this is not always the case. It is recommended that you allow ample time for you application to be processed, if you are concerned about arriving in the UK for a specific date.
If you are denied a visa you will be notified in writing of the refusal and the reasons for it. In certain cases you will have the right to appeal the decision and as such will be given advice on how to do so. Instead of appealing you can simply apply again, but if the reasons for the initial refusal still apply, your application will probably be turned down again.
Residence Permits
How to become legally resident in the UK
A residence permit, issued by a member state of the European Union, is the necessary authorisation to allow non-EU nationals to stay legally within its territory.
UK residence permits are issued by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) part of the Home Office. These principally affect non-visa nationals who intend to extend their stay in the UK beyond six months.
EU/EEA nationals:EU/EEA nationals do not require residence permits. However, if you wish for non-EEA national members of your family to join you in the EEA UK, you will need to apply for an EEA Family Permit. You can only apply for a Family Permit in the country of which you are a national.
Non-visa nationals:On arrival in the UK, you will be given an entry stamp to the UK for 6 months. If you wish to extend your stay, you will need to apply to the IND for a residence permit. Note that the IND will charge a fee for this.
Further information on residence permits, including downloadable application forms, can be found on the IND’s websitewww.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk .
Family Members
How to bring your loved ones to Britain
Spouses, fiancé(e)s, partners and other family members can join their loved ones in the UK when meeting certain criteria.
Spouses, partners and fiancé(e)sIf your husband, wife, partner orfiancé(e) is currently settled (or intends to settle) in the UK, you can apply to join them.
To join your spouse, you must show that:
- you are legally married to one another
- you intend to permanently live together as husband and wife
- you are able to support yourselves and any dependents without recourse to public funds
- you are both 18 or older.
To join your fiancé(e), you must show that:
- you intend to marry in the near future (usually within six months)
- you intend to permanently live together once married
- you are able to support yourselves and any dependents without recourse to public funds.
To join your unmarried partner, both you and your unmarried partner must show that:
- any previous marriage has permanently broken down
- you have been living together for at least two years
- you intend to permanently live together
- you are able to support yourselves and any dependents without recourse to public funds
- you are older than 18.
Family membersYou can apply to join your parents in the UK if:
- your parents are currently settled (or intend to settle) in the UK
- your parents are able to support you without recourse to public funds
- you are under 18 years of age
- you cannot support yourself financially, and not married and are not living away from your parents.
Note that if only one of your parents is resident in the UK, you will not normally be able to join them unless the parent has sole responsibility for you.
If you are a widowed parent or grandparent aged 65 or over, or parents or grandparents travelling together and one of you is 65 or over, you can apply to join your (grand)child or (grand)children if:
- you are financially dependent on the (grand)child or (grand)children settled in the UK
- your (grand)child or (grand)children can support you without recourse to public funds.
Parents or grandparents under the age of 65 may also qualify if they satisfy the above conditions and there are “exceptional compassionate circumstances”.
Similarly, any other relative (sister, brother, aunt, uncle etc) of a person settled in the UK may apply to join them if there are “exceptional compassionate circumstances.
For further details, and how to apply to join your relative visit the UK Visas website ( www.ukvisas.gov.uk ) or contact your nearest British Diplomatic Mission abroad (for a list of all addresses and phone numbers click here ).
The UK job market
Work opportunities in the UK
The UK offers great working opportunities, especially for people who do not require a work permit. Its flexible labour market has produced a healthy employment market in recent years, with unemployment mostly below 5%, which compares well to other EU countries.
Much economic growth is concentrated in the South-East, so you should bear in mind that regional unemployment is higher in northern England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. There are also certain sectors where job opportunities are poor, such as manufacturing and heavy industry. If you are not eligible to work in the UK, you need to be aware it may be more difficult to obtain a permit than a job.
If you are looking for professional or well remunerated employment, high English language ability will be a requirement for the majority of positions. Depending on the type of job, qualifications may also be important (although not as important as in some countries – e.g. to work in a general business role, your experience will be taken into account ahead of whether or not you have studied business).
If you are studying or learning English and looking for a job to help with or cover living expenses, you will probably not have too much difficulty. The labour market in the UK is flexible and it is relatively easy to find part-time or casual jobs (even if your English is very poor!), however, do not expect to be paid much or get benefits.
Finding a job
Where to look for jobs in Britain
There are many ways to look for a job in the UK, we have listed the most relevant below.
Internet: Over the last decade the online job market has exploded into the mainstream and in the UK it is now the most popular way to apply for work, especially among younger people and graduates. Online recruitment websites allow you to search according to your criteria, such as sector, salary and region. You can also post your CV on websites so that companies looking for specific skills can find you.
Newspapers & Magazines: Broadsheets such as The Times, The Daily Telegraph, Financial Times, The Independent and The Guardian all have job offers, mainly for executives and professionals, as well as sections dedicated to specific professions, i.e. teaching, computers, media. In London, check out the Evening Standard (mainly for business and secretarial positions), Metro and Loot for lower level jobs.
Recruitment agencies: Most agencies specialize in a particular field such as computers, nursing, secretarial work, accounting, catering, construction, and so on. There are also “Head hunting” agencies which are hired by big companies to recruit executives, managers or professionals. Others deal solely with temporary staff (temps), and can find you work in an office or as a babysitter, cook, gardener, security guard or any other type of job. To find an agency you can either look in the "employment agencies" section of the yellow pages or go to www.rec.uk.com for a list of agencies and their specialist fields.
Career fairs: A good place to get started is to visit a career fair. Fairs usually have a range of employers and concentrate on a specific sector. Usually you apply by sending in your CV and employers decide who they want to meet in advance. As well as getting general information on employment perspectives in different companies, it is often possible to arrange interviews.
Speculative applications: If a specific company is of interest you can send a speculative application. Applications are retained and checked against positions as they become available in some companies.
Chambers of Commerce: Contact the local chamber of commerce of your home country in the UK, as they are often asked for candidates and sometimes have a database of open job positions. Often a chamber of commerce will have a list of companies from your home country doing business in the UK, which can make good targets for speculative applications.
Jobcentres: They can be found in every town and focus mainly in jobs for the non-professional. They usually have databases of local, national and European vacancies and know about local employers and their needs. Their advisers can help you with all aspects of finding work. They normally have newspapers, books, leaflets and Internet access to support you in your job search
Networking: Sometimes getting a job is about knowing the right people or being in the right place at the right time. You could join an expats club or attend social gatherings where you think you could meet people that are well connected. Just mingle as much as you can and make sure you let everybody know you are looking for employment.
Contract type
Forms of employment
Along with full-time, salaried work there are several other options for employees in the labour market.
Part-time: Part-time work is particularly popular with foreign students, who often aim to combine such employment with their studies. Part-time jobs are commonly available in pubs, restaurants, shops and offices.
Temps: Temporary jobs are generally for a fixed period or may be intermittent. The hiring of temps is widespread among UK companies and it is quite easy to find such a job. There is usually high demand for secretarial and administrative office staff. If qualified doing temp work can actually earn you more money than working on a fixed contract. Other common temping jobs can be found in construction, gardening, shops (over the Christmas and sales periods), market research, modelling for art schools, cleaning, babysitting, etc.
Contractors: These are freelance workers specialized in fields such as engineering, accounting, electronics and computing. Some positions are very well paid and many IT professionals choose to contract as they can make twice as much or more than if they were in a full-time position. There are also positions which have the added bonus of being able to work from home; an attractive alternative for individuals looking for a better work/life balance.
Voluntary work: If you are unable to obtain a work permit, voluntary work is your only legal option to work in the UK (although you will still need an entry visa if you require one). Although unpaid, board and lodging is usually provided. Useful websites includewww.youngscot.org/channels/volunteering andwww.volunteering.org.uk .
