As someone who is interested in travelling and working in the United
Kingdom, you probably already know that there is a wide selection of UK
working visas available to you. This wasn’t always the case, and the UK
wasn’t always the most welcoming country when it came to foreigners
coming to their shores and taking jobs. But now, if you are an
English-speaking citizen of a Commonwealth country, then you should not
have a problem finding the right UK working visas for your
circumstances.
Younger people (between the ages of 18 and 30) are able to get on the Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme, which was once known as the Working Holiday Visa. This program allows them to live and work in the UK for up to two years, provided they have never travelled to the country before.
If you are interested in only travelling to Ireland, then the Irish Working Holiday Authorisation is one of the UK working visas you may want to consider. This is essentially an exchange program between Ireland and Australia/New Zealand of casual workers. You can travel and work in Ireland for one employer, up to six months.
The Tier 1 Highly Skilled visa program is designed for adults over the age of 30 who have a bachelor’s degree or higher and are interested in up to five years’ worth of work in the UK (initial three year visa with a potential two year extension). There is no need to have a job waiting for you before you arrive.
Finally, if you have ancestry in the UK, you may apply for the UK Ancestry visa. This allows you to live and work in the UK for up to five years, during which time you can apply for citizenship or obtain a permanent visa through other means.
Carla Kaplan is a writer and researcher on UK working visas. Save time and money by getting the tools, platforms, and essential research you need to get to the UK with the least amount of stress at this blog: restlessworld.com.au
