Today England is the country with advanced economy. This country has ancient traditions and steady style of life. England is very popular country for immigrants and for work. A lot of people from Russian Federation, Ukraine and Commonwealth of Independent States prefer to work in England for a number of reasons: to earn money, to build a career in Europe, to receive a citizenship, to travel and to learn the language.
Work in England as surely as in the other European countries can be seasonal and permanent. Today representatives of nonprofessional occupations of service industry are as popular as highly-skilled professionals. Every kind of work will be described in detail:
Skilled work in England
At the present day programmers, engineers and professionals with technical education are high-demand. Key requirement is oral fluency in English.
If you are professional in the field of Law, Medicine or Finance and you got your degree not in Europe, it has to be confirmed.
Tier 1: visa for trained professionals.
Visa for trained professionals
Tier 1 (General) – so-called General category is one of the most convenient types of visa for the professionals, which keeps to a minimum all job and living restrictions. This type of visa is designed to well-educated young up-and-comers with large income.
Tier 1 (Investor) – immigration visa “Investor” is designed to those people who can invest high money to the national economy of Great Britain.
This type of visa enables the investor and members of his family (wife/husband and minor children) to put in a claim for getting permanent stay after 5 years and citizenship of Great Britain after one more year;
Tier 1 (Entrepreneur) – type of immigration visa “Entrepreneur”. This type of visa is designed to those people, who want to start their own business or to buy already-existing business (or to go halves with the owner in ready-made business). This type of visa enables the entrepreneur and members of his family (wife/husband and minor children) to put in a claim for getting permanent residence after 5 years and citizenship of Great Britain after one more year;
Tier 1 (Post-study work) – graduates of British colleges and universities have a right to file a request for getting visa Tier 1 (Post-Study-Work), which enables them to stay in the country two more years after graduation and work in Great Britain. After two years they can get immigration visa Tier 1 (General).
Requirements for Post-study work:
- Diploma of Higher Education, received in Great Britain;
- Submission of documents for immigration visa Tier 1 (Post-Study-Work) at least 12 months after getting degree.
Tier 2 – trained professionals
Tier 2 (General) - for trained professionals. This type of visa is attached to a certain employer, who is a sponsor. It goes to show that if you want to find a new job, you lose your visa and you have to submit documents for visa all over again. According to the British law, the employer must take out a specific licence of sponsor if he wants to hire foreign specialist. After taking out the licence, British company will give the employee sponsor certificate, which contains the information about future work, wages, period of stay, and also, there has to be information about employee.
Visa Tier 2 (General) is given for 3 years with an opportunity of prolongation in Great Britain. Also you can work at the second job, but in the same district and not more than 20 hours per week.
After five years you have a right to get residence permit.
Requirements for Tier 2 visa receiving:
Your visa application is evaluated under a special point system. You need to have:
- Points for foreign employer:
If a foreign professional is hired at the occupation which is included in the list of shortage occupations in England, the applicant receives 50 points. If the employer has advertised the vacancy on the labor market but has not find a suitable professional for the position among citizens of Great Britain and European Union, the applicant receives 30 points.
- Points for professional skill:
You can get 10 points for the degree of master or bachelor, 15 points for doctorate form (PhD) and 5 points for qualification below the degree of bachelor. Professional skill must meet the demands of National Academic Recognition Information Centre of the United Kingdom (UK NARIC).
- Points for salary: from 17,000 to 19,999 per year will be awarded with 5 points, from 20,000 to 21,999 – 10 points, from 22,000 to 23,999 – 15 points, more than 24,000 – 20 points. Salary payroll is before tax payment. It’s important that not more than 48 hours per week are taken into calculations!
Points for level proficiency of English:
It has to be confirmed by a certificate IELTS not lower than 6.5 points or one of the other admitted exams with the result of the same level - 10 points.
- Availability of funds – 10 points.
If the applicant does not meet language or financial requirements, he is refused automatically.
Tier 4 – Student Visa
The name speaks for itself; this type of visa is designed to those people who want to get education in England (if the curriculum is more than 6 months) and while also to have an opportunity to work. Bring to notice that this type of visa has undergone a lot of changes over the last 2 years!
Your visa application is also evaluated under a point system.
Requirements for Tier 4 visa receiving:
- Points for confirmation of enrolment to course:
Educational institution gives to a student Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). Availability of this document is a guarantee that educational institution believes in the student’s future, his ability to learn the chosen course and takes responsibility for the student for the whole period of study – 30 points.
- Points for availability of funds:
Minimum amount depends on the city, where the student is going to study: in London or in another city of England. Minimum amount the student should have in order to cover expenses for housing and other necessary things is 800 pounds sterling per month for London and 600 pounds sterling per month for other cities – 10 points.
The students have different rights depending on a course of studying. If the student takes a degree after he has completed the course, he has a right to work not more than 20 hours per week and also his family (wife/husband and children under 18) can come with him.
If the course of study doesn’t provide a degree and is intended for studying of the language, for example, the student also have a right to work but not more than 10 hours per week.
Tier 5 – Temporary job in Great Britain
Tier 5 (Creative and sporting) – Applicant is a sportsman. This type of visa is made for sportsmen and creative specialists, who want to come in Great Britain and perform short-term contract/theatrical engagement.
Tier 5 (Charity worker) – Charity work. This type of visa is made for immigrants, who are going to be volunteers in Great Britain; this work has to be connected with sponsor’s activities.
Tier 5 (Religious worker) – Religious worker. This type of visa is made for those immigrants, who want to come to Great Britain and carry on different type of business connected with Church.
Tier 5 (Government authorized exchange) – this is a special type of visa. Using this type of visa, immigrants can come to Great Britain according to a special approved program with the aim of sharing knowledge, experience and also getting to know all the aspects of social and cultural life of the country.
Tier 5 (International agreement) – International agreement. This type of visa is made for immigrants, who want to come to Great Britain according to agreements, governed by international law, for the purpose of service provision and prosecution.
Tier 5 (Youth mobility scheme) – Youth mobility scheme. This level will allow young people to get acquainted with social pattern, way of living and culture of Great Britain and also to get a temporary or short-term job in Great Britain. This program is designed to young people from 18 to 30 and they have to be citizens of following countries: Australia, Canada, Japan and New Zealand, also they can be citizens of former Crown Colonies and British Overseas Territories, for example, British Virgin Islands, Falkland Islands and so on. Immigrants using this type of visa can spend in Great Britain 2 years, get an idea of British way of living and also have an access to British labor market.