UK Work permit...God please make it happen!

[Alexandria Lora]

We are trying to close the distance...I am moving to my SO in Scotland. I didn't realize how hard it is! You can only obtain a UK work permit IF you are already hired by the employer. Applying for a visa is one thing, but trying to get hired by an employer to sponsor you, OMG! I try to stay positive, but sometimes I think I have my head in the sand. What the hell do I do!? I feel like my life is on hold. Yes, I can go and stay for 6 months, then what? I am a career woman and want to contribute. I want my own money and I don't want to be a burden...I am so lost. I love him so much. This is just a rant. I know there is no answer...... just a hope.

Alexandria

[fiestydyste]

I used to live in England.. and my house mate and a friend of ours from the states got married in the US; and I'm pretty sure she was able to work soon after.. I'll have to ask them... if I get a response... I'll post it! But good luck dear--- I know, we never want to be a burden to our SO's even if they were living in the same country!

[Alexandria Lora]

I used to live in England.. and my house mate and a friend of ours from the states got married in the US; and I'm pretty sure she was able to work soon after.. I'll have to ask them... if I get a response... I'll post it! But good luck dear--- I know, we never want to be a burden to our SO's even if they were living in the same country!

Thank you fiestydyste! Any info is helpful.. However, we are both coming out of marriages and I think we like the idea of being GF/BF.. I would marry him in a heart beat but I don't want it to be over the Visa.. But now I understand why people are marrying..not only for love..but to be with their love! It is such a mess! Just let me be a productive new citizen with my BF, I can be!!

[dancingelephant]

Totally understand your plight. I was with my BF in the UK for 2 years but then the economic crisis came, I left my job and decided to go home to study.. so the plan is to work on my career in the next 2 years and move back to be with him, but with the current economic situation and their recent slash on number of work permits - I am no longer optimistic about finding work!
I also do not want to get married for a visa and in any case, we want to get back to living together, make sure that nothing has changed, before we commit to a lifetime together!

[dancingelephant]

to add to the difficulty of long distance - everytime i fly to london i get questioned like crazy at immigration because i usually go for a month or so and they are convinced that i will do something stupid like get an illegal job and overstay my visa even though i have a really good degree and good earning potential.
this immigration issue puts so much stress on me that i become reluctant to fly to the uk. how stupid is that?!?

[Silviar]

Is there no other visa you can go on? Working Holiday/Gap Year, go in and apply for de facto status (which would then let you be a couple but also work), or anything else?

I know for myself, finding someone to hire me from outside Australia was impossible, so I decided to go on a working holiday visa instead. That gives us a year to live together, with me working, and then we can apply for a permanent residency visa after my year there. Have you tried companies from your country who may have branches there? Just a thought.

[fiestydyste]

I sent a private message on some information that I think might be helpful...

[fiestydyste]

Have you tried companies from your country who may have branches there? Just a thought.

The only problem I see with this is that most companies, you can't just expect them to allow you to move once hired; you usually need to be working for the company (here in the states) for a minimum of 6 months to a year; before you can be considered... and to top if off.. the only way a company can allow you to move, is if they can prove to the UK govt that the company can't hire anyone off the streets in the area the job where it's located... RED TAPE STINKS!

[Alexandria Lora]

Totally understand your plight. I was with my BF in the UK for 2 years but then the economic crisis came, I left my job and decided to go home to study.. so the plan is to work on my career in the next 2 years and move back to be with him, but with the current economic situation and their recent slash on number of work permits - I am no longer optimistic about finding work!
I also do not want to get married for a visa and in any case, we want to get back to living together, make sure that nothing has changed, before we commit to a lifetime together!

Yes, I myself am considering university in England. Yet, immigration is making it hard to work in UK. And marriage, NO WAY!! hehe at least not now... I love him dearly, but I want it to be under right circumstances. I was terribly sad last night when I wrote this message, but today I woke with hope still bright. So I say we keep fighting and moving!! I plan to stay persistent (sp)!!

[Alexandria Lora]

to add to the difficulty of long distance - everytime i fly to london i get questioned like crazy at immigration because i usually go for a month or so and they are convinced that i will do something stupid like get an illegal job and overstay my visa even though i have a really good degree and good earning potential.
this immigration issue puts so much stress on me that i become reluctant to fly to the uk. how stupid is that?!?

OMG, the first time I visited him was like..."what is your is your blood type?" Seriously! I think they let me through once they found out he was a Polish national living in Scotland. I was floored!! I asked the immigration officer (who seemed like a college student but very wise), and she said "You guys do this to us in the US too." I actually apologized!! lol But yes, my BF is there on the EU pass (he has been there for 6 years and qualifies for residency). Either way, i didnt think border crossing for between UK and US would be so steep but it is and I am going back again in about 4 months. I hope I see her again...make it a bit easier.. lol

[Alexandria Lora]

Is there no other visa you can go on? Working Holiday/Gap Year, go in and apply for de facto status (which would then let you be a couple but also work), or anything else?

I know for myself, finding someone to hire me from outside Australia was impossible, so I decided to go on a working holiday visa instead. That gives us a year to live together, with me working, and then we can apply for a permanent residency visa after my year there. Have you tried companies from your country who may have branches there? Just a thought.

Tier 2 Work permit is the only allowable working visa at the moment..well besides the post study work visa... i will keep looking and thank you!

[Alexandria Lora]

I sent a private message on some information that I think might be helpful...

Yes, and thank you fiestydyste!!!! Very helpful! For others, it is the route of being a student which I am considering anyway. I am considering getting my Masters in UK and then becoming eligible for the Post Study Visa...

[dancingelephant]

oh wow she seems so much nicer! maybe i should fly in from scotland. if you can, avoid stansted and gatwick like the plague!!!! heathrow is still OK.
yeah my BF is also EU so we might be able to get a civil partnership in france where he knows how to get around the system better.. haha
yes doing a masters in uk would be the best cos u get student visa, followed by post-studying 1 year visa (2 years if it's engineering/science/maths i think), and then easier to get a HSMV too..
too bad i'm doing my masters right now in singapore. i don't think my dad will be too pleased with me doing another one for the sake of love haha

i think US immigration officers are much nicer to UK immigration officers. they may be less efficient (at least at JFK!) but they pledge to be courteous. unlike uk immigration who treats u as guilty until proven innocent.
if only immigration officers were all like singapore ones - they even give u candy!!!!

[Insanity]

Reading all you're posts makes me feel so thankful I'm Australian, it seems so much easier for me to get into the UK than you guys. I just got back from England, flying via Birmingham airport and have to say all the staff were really nice to me and getting through customs was easier than getting through customs here in Aus, they didn't even want to see my financial records. Whilst I'm under 30 I can apply for a particular holiday working visa (not sure of the name) and my government will be my sponsor.

Goodluck all of you

[London-FortCollins]

I live in the UK, I didn't realise our immigration was as bad (if not worse!) than the US!

In the us they're smart - they make all their security questions sound like a casual conversation, to me anyway. Maybe I just have too much faith in people!

My answer is if your not doing anything wrong, and are there in a permitable circumstance, you have nothing to worry about.

Just make sure to take plenty of evidence with you that'll you'll be returning home. (lease, job offer etc) and that you have the funds to cover your trip.

I'm in the states on my second 3month visit in a year. I got two rounds of security at Denver, but I had all my evidence and was perfectly polite and lovely to them. I also asked questions "how often can I come over or should I leave between visits on the visa waiver scheme?" showing that I had no intention of 'outstaying my welcome' helped I think.

At the end of the day the USA and the UK are still seem as "the lands of opportunity" and a lot of people want to live there to take advantage of that. Jobs are already scarce for the people who have lived, worked snd contributed to their countries economy so the government does have to limit the number of jobs available for non nationals - immigration officers are only doing their jobs, they don't personally hate you

I reckon a good system would be "job swap" - pair up with someone in a similar field in another country, interview at each others firms and if your both hired you simply "swap". Hmmm this could be my million dollar idea...