Finding work in the UK

Last updated on 24 January 2023 | Lydia Dye-Stonebridge

For non-citizens, work in the UK requires a visa. There are a number of ways to secure this visa, which are summarised below. These routes, however, are subject to change; please consult the UK Government website for up-to-date information.

Routes to work in the UK

• Take a Master’s (or PhD) and apply for a Graduate Visa. Currently, people who complete their Master’s degree in the UK can apply for a Graduate Visa and work for two years following graduation, or three if you do a PhD. This can be extended if you are in work. Please be aware, though, that this is a costly route - fees can range from £30,000 upwards, and you will need to also budget for living costs, the cost of the visa and a fee to use the NHS. Many graduate programmes also discourage paid work, and often don’t offer paid teaching roles, although they do sometimes offer financial support.

• Apply for a High Potential Visa if you qualify. Some ‘elite’ US graduates can qualify for what’s called a High Potential Visa. Again, you will need to budget for the cost of the visa, the fee to use the NHS, and the time it will take you to find and start a job - normally three months.

• Apply for a Global Talent visa if you qualify. This visa is for people who have significant professional accomplishments and have earned a major award (qualifying awards here).

• Apply for a Skilled Worker Visa if you qualify. Again, this route is normally for people with significant professional experience, but if you have been teaching for a number of years, you may be able to apply. You can find out more about the iQTS, the qualification you’ll need to be able to teach in the UK, here.

• Work for a company with a UK office. Although less common, people still transfer from the US and work in a UK-based office, even at quite a junior level. Generally speaking, if a company is big and global, they will have an office here. Be open that it’s something you wish to do.

What to do once you have your visa

If you are at the point where you have your visa in hand, here’s what you can do.

• Network with other members. Once you have sorted your visa, join our LinkedIn group and network there (please note that our group is only open to members of Phi Beta Kappa).

• Register with relevant recruitment agencies, although apply directly as well. A recruitment agency can certainly help, especially if you are new to work and are applying for roles with high applicant volumes. Even if they don’t find you a role, they can offer valuable advice on adapting your resume (called a CV here) for the UK market. Also, don’t be afraid to call the HR department of an employer you might like to work for and ask if they have any vacancies, but also where they do list vacancies and which recruitment agencies they work with.

• Be flexible. The UK is more open to non-graduates with relevant experience, so being a graduate won’t necessarily give you a competitive advantage. If you are new to work, you may need to start at the bottom, but you should rise through the ranks fairly quickly. Be aware, though, that salaries in the UK tend to be lower than in the US and taxation and the cost of living is higher.

• Think outside of London. The world very much wants to work in London, and while there are a huge number of jobs, there is a huge amount of competition. It’s also very expensive to live here, so even with an income premium, you may still be worse off than living elsewhere. You may want to explore Edinburgh, Manchester, Newcastle, Bath/Bristol, Belfast, Cardiff and Brighton; Cambridge and Oxford are other places to consider, especially if you are interested in publishing or bioscience, although the cost of living is high there as well.