There are five types of employment status in the UK: worker, employee, self-employed & contractor, director and office holder. The type of work in UK determines your rights and responsibilities and may affect tax obligations, contract type, minimum wages, and benefits. 

Work permits

A job in UK for foreigners requires the work visa. Depending on the work visa type, the duration is usually either less than 3 years, up to 3 years or more than 3 years. The work visas often depend on the contract type:

  1. Temporary contract
  2. Long-term contract
  3. Apprenticeship contract

Where to Find Jobs

Finding a job in UK for foreigners should be a persistent process using various employment search engines. The UK government website includes an official job search engine, listing jobs on demand.

 

Be sure to check the shortage occupation work in UK. Finding a job in UK for foreigners with disabilities can be done through the Disability Confident Scheme.

 

 

Jobs for Russian Speakers

Presently, there are opportunities for Russian speakers: interpreters, various segments in business and others.

 

 

Work Visa

Investors, entrepreneurs & talents visa - Tier 1

 

Tier 1

Eligibility

Duration [if applying outside the UK]

Fees

Entrepreneur visa
  1. Set-up or run UK business 
  2. Investment of £50,000 or more
  3. Outside the EEA*

3 years & 4 months

You: £1,021

Turkish/Macedonian citizen: £966

All dependants: £1,021 each

Exceptional talent visa
  1. Recognized or emerging leader

5 years & 4 months

You: £456

Turkish/Macedonian citizen: £456

Graduate entrepreneur visa
  1. Graduate
  2. Has a genuine, credible business idea 
  3. Endorsed by UK higher education institution
  4. Outside the EEA*

1 year

You: £363

Turkish/Macedonian citizen: £308

All dependants: £363 each

Investor visa
  1. Invest £2 million or more
  2. Must be above 18 years of age
  3. Outside the EEA*

3 years & 4 months

You: £1,623

All dependants: £1,623 each

*EEA: European Economic Area and Switzerland

 

Long-term work visa - Tier 2

 

Tier 2

Eligibility

Duration [if applying outside the UK]

Fees

General Work visa
  1. Offered a skilled job in UK
  2. Offered a skilled job of shortage occupation
  3. Outside the EEA*

3 years or more

 

Fees vary

Intra-company visa
  1. Transferring to UK branch of your company
  2. Long term staff
  3. Graduate trainee
  4. Outside the EEA*

Duration varies

Fees vary

Minister of Religion visa
  1. Offered a job in a faith community in UK
  2. At least £945 in savings 90 days before application
  3. Outside the EEA*

3 years & 1 month

You: £610

Turkish/Macedonian citizen: £555

All dependants: £610 each

Sportsperson visa
  1. Elite sportsperson
  2. Qualified coach
  3. Must be recognized internationally
  4. Endorsed by your own country’s sports governing body
  5. Outside the EEA*

3 years

You: £610

Turkish/Macedonian citizen: £555

All dependants: £610 each

*EEA: European Economic Area and Switzerland

 

Short term work visa - Tier 5

 

Tier 5

Eligibility

Duration

Fees

Charity Worker visa
  1. Doing unpaid, voluntary charity work
  2. At least £945 in savings 90 days before application
  3. Outside the EEA*

12 months

You: £244

Turkish/Macedonian citizen: £189

All dependants: £244 each

 

Creative & Sporting visa
  1. Offered work as a sportsperson in UK
  2. Offered work as creative worker* in UK
  3. Outside the EEA*

12 months

You: £244

Turkish/Macedonian citizen: £189

All dependants: £244 each

 

Government Authorised Exchange visa
  1. Short-time work experience
  2. Training
  3. Overseas Government Language Programme
  4. Research
  5. Fellowship
  6. Have a sponsor
  7. Outside the EEA*

12 or 24 months

You: £244

Turkish/Macedonian citizen: £189

All dependants: £244 each

 

International Agreement visa
  1. Contracted for work covered by International law*
  2. At least £945 in savings 90 days before application
  3. Outside the EEA*

2 years or less

You: £244

Turkish/Macedonian citizen: £189

All dependants: £244 each

 

Religious Worker visa
  1. Religious work* in UK
  2. At least £945 in savings 90 days before
  3. Outside the EEA

24 months

You: £244

Turkish/Macedonian citizen: £189

All dependants: £244 each

 

Youth Mobility Scheme visa
  1. Aged 18 to 30
  2. Want to live and work in UK
  3. Have £1,890 savings
  4. From a certain country
  5. British overseas citizen
  6. British overseas territories citizen
  7. British national (overseas)

24 months

You: £244

 

 

*EEA: European Economic Area and Switzerland

*Creative worker: dancers, actors, musicians or film crew members

*International law work: work in UK for a foreign government or diplomatic household

*Religious work: preaching or working in a religious order

 

Alternative visas and exemptions

 

Exceptions

Eligibility

Duration

Fees

Ancestry Visa
  1. Can prove that one of your grandparents was born in UK
  2. Must be a Commonwealth citizen
  3. Applying outside the UK
  4. Planning to live and work in UK

5 years

£516

Exempt Vignette

 

[exempt from immigration control]

  1. Diplomats
  2. Overseas government minister on official business
  3. Commonwealth armed forces
  4. Overseas territories armed forces
  5. Head of state
  6. Working for head of state or overseas government official

Varies

-

Domestic worker in private household visa
  1. Domestic worker*
  2. Worked for your employer for 1 year
  3. Outside the EEA*

6 months

£516

Representative of Overseas Business
  1. Sole representative* of overseas company setting up UK branch
  2. Sole representative* of UK subsidiary of overseas parent company
  3. Employee of overseas newspaper, broadcast agency, new agency on long-term assignment
  4. Outside the EEA*

3 years

£610

Turkish Business person visa
  1. Turkish nationals only
  2. To start new business in UK
  3. To help run established business in UK

12 months

-

Turkish Worker visa
  1. Turkish nationals only
  2. Must have legally worked in UK for 1 year
  3. The spouse of British citizen or settled person who can legally work
  4. Can work in the UK
  5. A student allowed to work 20 hours term-time, and full-time vacation time

Duration varies

-

*EEA: European Economic Area and Switzerland

*Domestic workers: nannies, chauffeurs, cooks, cleaners and personal caregivers

*Sole representative must hold a senior position, with full decision-making authority, but not a major shareholder

 

Work in UK does not make you eligible for UK public funds.

 

Required Documents

 

The list below are general required documents for work in UK:

  1. Certificate of sponsorship

Given to you by your employer [also known as your sponsor], it holds a unique reference number which contains all the information about the job and your personal details. It is not a document or a paper, it is simply the unique number.

  1. Proof of English language knowledge

An approved English language test with at least a B1 level in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Some country nationals are exempted from the English language test.

  1.  Bank statement
  2. Current passport
  3. Expired passports [to show travel history]
  4. Criminal record certificate
  5. Payment of healthcare surcharge

Calculate your healthcare surcharge here

  1. Tuberculosis test results depending on country of origin
  2. Application longer than 6 months: Biometric Residence Permit

 

The job in UK for foreigners’ application starts at your local visa application center, find your nearest application center here. afterwards, an online application may be necessary. Find out if your work in UK requires online application here.

 

 

All documents must be translated into English or Welsh by a certified translator

 

Teaching in the UK

 

Educators’ work in UK is present. Teachers must hold a Qualified Teaching Status to work or other qualifications depending on the country of origin, or training/education facility. The Teacher Regulation Agency provides all details on teaching processes in the UK.

 

Start your teaching job search here.

 

Other important links:

 

The National Minimum Wage calculator

Employee rights: Safer jobs

Advice on Employment in UK: My Way In