Guide For Kiwi Skilled Workers When Moving to London
Every year thousands of Kiwis move to London, whether to study, work or relocate permanently. For whatever reason that you want to do the same, rest assured, you will have good company.
Of course, if your intention is to use to your advantage your skills as a worker, there are more ways than one to see your dreams come true.
To get to the UK, you must first apply for a visa.
Youth Mobility Scheme
Previously known as the Tier 5 Holidaymaker Visa, the Youth Mobility Scheme is applicable for people between 18 and 31 years old, a citizen of New Zealand, and must have at least GBP 1,600 of funds. If you meet all these requirements, you will score 50 points that will make you eligible for this type of visa.
However, if you have already entered the UK through the Youth Mobility Scheme, you can no longer apply for the same visa.
Tier 2 Skilled Worker
Previously called the Work Permit Scheme, this visa gives you an opportunity to work in the UK provided that you are sponsored by an employer looking to fill a position this might have been filled by a settled worker. To be eligible, you must have 70 points gathered from English language proficiency, and at least £800 pounds in your bank account. You will also gain points from certain attributes, such as sponsorship (30-50), qualifications (0-15), and future expected earnings (0-20).
With this visa, you can stay in the UK for a maximum of 3 years and a month, or based on the time indicated on your sponsorship certificate.
Highly Skilled Visa
With this type of visa, you can find work in the UK even without a sponsor as long as you score at least 100 points. These are collected from English language proficiency and maintenance (10 points), available funds of £800 (10), age (between 5 and 20), qualifications (between 30 and 45), UK experience (5) and previous earnings (between 5 and 80). When grandkids use a high skilled visa you can stay in the UK for up to 2 years.
Once you reach London, finding a place to live is fairly easy. Kiwis live all over London, after all. You will find most of the residential areas, such as Acton, Clapham, Clapham Junction and Fulham. If you prefer somewhere less crowded, check out the accommodation in Queens Park, Kilburn and Willesden, among others. And with the internet at your disposal, you can look for accommodation or a flatmate even before you leave New Zealand.
Similar to finding a place to live, looking for work in London can be done before your departure. There are plenty of online recruitment and placement agencies where you can upload your resume for free and increase your chances of being employed. Make sure to look for your unique selling point and highlight it. When you reach London, make sure to obtain a National Insurance number so you can legally work in the city. You should also work hard to network to increase your chances of getting a job as soon as possible.
Since you need funds while looking for a job in London, you might need to transfer money from New Zealand. The quickest way to do this is to open a bank account with a New Zealand counterpart. But because some banks charge exorbitantly for fund transfers, you should consider using international money transfer companies as an alternative.
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