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Many international students are terrified with the idea of having to study something technical in order to qualify for sponsorship.

Others have just found themselves doing an MBA or some other business related subject, and they’ve started to realise this isn’t something that’ll offer sponsorship.

So they start to feel trapped.

But it doesn’t have to be this way,

Yes it’s true the job market always appreciates those with STEM knowledge & skilled workers. (science, tech, engineering, maths).

But STEM sectors as a whole are growing which means there are a lot of jobs being created in these fields and they are not all technical jobs!

Companies will look for people who can work in different positions in order to cater for this fast paced growth,

What are these roles? We can see people getting sponsored for:

Business Analyst

In this role you will be working within a tech team & liaising with business stakeholders, to understand their requirements and break them down into features of a product.

Account Manager

In this role you will be also working with business stakeholders, or more likely clients, to make sure they are taken care of and have everything they need during their engagement with your employer which is usually a digital agency or consultancy business.

Digital Project Manager

In this role you’ll be working on some exciting digital projects, working with the development team to make sure everything is in line with the set goal, and the work is on schedule.

So these are only a few examples, there are many other opportunities in the Tech & Finance sectors which are super exciting right now for international students.

Your mission is to match yourself to one of those, and work like an animal to prove yourself as the best candidate. Be in the right place at the right time.

So go ahead and start your hunt right now, and do not stop until you make it!

To skyrocketing your career 🍻

Living Expenses:

As a student you are allowed to work 20 hrs a week, this job could get you about £1000 per month.

An example of how much expenses you would need per month:

Essentials:

Rent……………………..£650

Food……………………..£200

Travel…………………….£130

Plus other expenses like going out.

So with a part time job you’ll be able to pay for all you essential expenses.

1- The first thing you’d want to do is to apply for a National Insurance number which is important to be able to start any kind of job. Because it can take up to 8 weeks for the student to receive it and sometimes employees want to have it before signing the contract! Even for part-time jobs.

Dial the contact number on this page and choose to apply for National Insurance, Some questions you might be asked:

• When did you arrive in the UK?
• What is your passport number?
• Why you need an NI?
• Your address details

2- Next step is to get a Bank Account. Signing in up with Revolut is the easiest option, All you will need is a phone number & Passport. With Revolut you get a free card & it’s especially useful if your family or parents are going to send you money from abroad.

Also another option is Monzo, it has the same sing up process and it’s super easy to use and send money. Another useful resource for money transfers to checkout would be TransferWise as it supports more countries.

Proof of address is either a letter sent to your home address , utility bill or a provisional driving licence.

Once you sign up to Revolut or Monzo, you’ll be able to easily deposit money and spend money, and also issue a bank statement which would be your additional proof of address which you can use for any other paperwork in the UK.

3- You should also apply to a provisional driving licence as that will be very helpful as an ID in the UK, rather than using your passport for everything, and also as a proof of address. you to apply for provisional driving licence it should come in come in about a week or so.

Another reason to apply for a provisional driving licence is because using your BRP can be risky and if you lose it you’d have to pay £500 to £1000 for a replacement BRP.

4- Register your nearest GP. You still need your two proof of addresses. Go to you nearest GP centre fill up few forms and register with your doctor . Sometimes a GP confirmation letter posted on your address is considered as proof of address as well. You can also checkout Babylon GO which is an easy way to get GP appointments on your mobile.

5- If you are planning to work in the UK after your studies.. This is the most important step for you, once you are done with all of the above, it’s time for your start planning for your Tier-2 work visa sponsorship.

There are many steps involved in this process, so it’s crucial to start with this as early as possible not just the job search.

You must to start by:

If you need help with any of these steps, feel free to get in touch.

98% of international students fail to secure work sponsorship in the UK because they don’t plan ahead.

Links and Resources:

Apply for a National Insurance number

Apply for your first provisional driving licence

Claim your Revolut gift

Transfer Money Online | Send Money Abroad with TransferWise

Babylon Health UK – The Online Doctor and Prescription Services App

Get a free mobile phone SIM

If any of these steps or links do not work for you, please provide me with feedback here or at jawad@cruits.uk.

If you are a non-EU citizen and you want to come and work in the UK, to qualify for work sponsorship you need have one of two things:

• 7 years + experience in a Shortage Occupation, or STEM field (Science, Tech, Engineering, Maths) such as Software Development, Data Science, Electrical or Mechanical engineering etc.. OR;
• Be a student or be on a dependant visa in the UK where you can work part time and gain enough UK experience to qualify for sponsorship.

If you don’t meet the first requirement, then your best option is to seek education in the UK, because international student visa holders can get many benefits if they want to switch to a work visa from within the UK.

With that said, there are options which can be more affordable than other degrees, such as PG Certificate, if you already have a Bachelor’s degree, you can read more about this here.

If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree and want to study your first degree here, you can look into getting scholarship if you have had good grades and you can show potential, or you are planning to study a STEM subject or something relating to Shortage Occupations, organisations and governments tend to grant scholarship for these subjects, you can read more about these subjects here.

Once you manage to get a into a university programme and move to the UK on a student visa, remember: you must start planning for your job search at least 10 months before your student visa expires.

98% of international students fail to find jobs in the UK because they don’t plan ahead.

If you are feeling stuck or need help, get professional guidance and support as soon as you come to plan for your Work Sponsorship.

We’ve recently launched a full journey Career Coaching Programme for those interested in working in the UK.

We help you pick a university programme which offers skilled job opportunities and we work with you throughout your journey to secure a job with work visa sponsorship after you graduate.

Get in touch if you are interested.

Has your Tier 4 visa already expired or it’s about to and you still haven’t found a Tier 2 job yet?

For those who are very unlikely to find a Tier 2 job because they’ve left it until it’s too late, I definitely recommend looking into getting a PG Cert programme.

At £4k it’s the cheapest program you could find. This will help you buy some more time to stay in the UK.

But this also means that you need to work harder and make sure you find a job with sponsorship, by planning for this as soon as possible.

Get the right guidance and help to achieve this, DON’T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE you did the last time!

Example of available PG Cert programmes here.

Example of available PG Cert programmes.

Once you are settled in and have secured you visa for the next year, feel free to get in touch if you want to follow a proven structured system to help you find a job with Sponsorship.

To your success.

If you are planning to come to study in the UK and wanting to start you dream career in this country, it’s crucially important that you plan ahead and choose wisely when picking which programme to study.

The most important factor to consider in this process is whether or not the programme you are planning to study will open the door for your to get sponsored after finishing your degree.

Unfortunately 98% of international students DO NOT consider this factor and they end up going back to their country empty handed.

And even though the 2 year PSW being re-instated is great news for international students, you could easily waste this valuable time if you don’t have a solid plan & a clear vision of which role you want to apply for.

Because guess what, 160,000 other students will have the same advantage and they’ll all be competing over the same jobs after their studies.

So to be one of the successful 2%, you must choose carefully and plan ahead.

The best programme to study in the UK are the ones which allow you to apply to a shortage occupation, So NOT MBA and NOT hospitality management.

Here are some examples of programmes you could go for which will give you a higher chance in getting sponsored after your studies:

• Computing
• Business Analytics
• IT
• Software Engineering
• Biological Sciences
• Physics and Astronomy
• Civil Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical & Electronic Engineering
• Psychology
• Medicine
• Structural Engineering
• Computer Engineering
• UX Design
• Graphic Design
• Cooking & Cuisine (Chef)

You can find a full list of Shortage Occupations here.

Some might say they are not into technical or engineering subjects, and that’s totally fine, because not all technology jobs have to be technical,

Tech is one of the fastest growing sectors in the world right now and it’s creating jobs that matches everyone’s taste and preference.

All you have to do is build on your analytical skills and have an interest in this field, you will be able to qualify for job that provide sponsorship in this field.

Here are some more fields which you should NOT come to study in the UK if you want to get sponsored:

• Business Management
• LLM international business
• Anything related to LAW
• MBA
• Hospitality Management
• Project Management
• Marketing. 
• Accounting & Finance.  
• Customer Service

I’ve written an article explaining this further here.

Why are certain industries more willing to sponsor visas than others?

“Various industries in the UK face skills shortages like nursing, engineering, and healthcare. The government actively promotes companies to hire international candidates by making the work visa rules even simpler.

Furthermore, many industries that have been dominated by multi-national companies like oil, consulting, and IT have a global outlook. This, coupled with a stronger financial position and a more holistic approach, helps them to realise the benefits of employing international students.

https://debut.careers/insight/international-students-graduate-job-uk/

The UK’s Shortage Occupation List (SOL) was amended on 6 October 2019 to include a number of new occupations.

UK Restaurant Owners & culinary companies will also welcome these changes given they can now hire skilled chefs (SOC code 5434) into their kitchens even if their business is providing a takeaway service. Other key occupations added to the list include all civil engineering roles (SOC code 2121) and architects (SOC code 2431).

The list also now includes a number of new (or expanded) Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) codes including the following widely used digital and IT occupations:

• All IT business analysts, architects and system designer roles SOC code 2135
• All programme and software development roles SOC code 2136
• All web design and development professional roles SOC code 2137
• Cyber security specialists classified under SOC code 2139

Companies seeking to sponsor a non-EEA national into a ‘shortage’ role, will find the Tier 2 rules are a lot less stringent. Namely:

• Exemption from the Resident Labour Market Test (‘RLMT’)– The ‘shortage’ vacancy does not need to be advertised by your organisation.
• Exception on attaining salary level– A ‘shortage’ worker is not obliged to meet the minimum earnings threshold when applying for Permanent Residence.
• Lower costs– The government applies reduced Tier 2 application fees in relation to those occupations listed on the shortage list.
• Priority allocation– Roles on the shortage occupation list are awarded priority allocation when the ‘cap’ on the monthly allocation of certificates of sponsorship is reached.

This mean international students & professionals who are applying to work in the UK, have a much higher chance in being sponsored for a SOL job due to the above benefits.

Reference: https://smithstonewalters.com/2019/10/08/update-tier-2-shortage-occupation-list/

Whether you are an International student in the UK or an experienced professional abroad who are interested in finding work in the UK which provides you with Visa Sponsorship.

There is ONE question you need to ask yourself. 

Is the job you are applying for on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL)?

You may be asking what the hell is the SOL? well it’s a list of roles that UK companies have hard time finding people to fill, hence the government has given less restrictions on these jobs for companies in order to be able to sponsor professionals from abroad for these jobs.

The SOL contains many fields which you can pick from, which will give you a good chance in getting sponsored, because it offers a lot of flexibility for employers to be able to sponsor on Tier 2 visa. Read more about the benefits of the SOL here.

If you are an international student, your only option is to look for a job which is on the Shortage Occupation List, you need to have finished your degree, and previously obtained some experience in the relevant domain.

If you are interested in studying in the UK the same rules apply, you just have to pick a job from the SOL & study a university degree relevant to it.

If you are a professional living abroad and looking to relocate to the UK, You need between 3 to 7 years of experience in a field which is also listed on the Shortage Occupation List (SOL).

Why does it have to be a SOL job?

Your other question might be, why do I need to pick something from the SOL? why can’t I just apply to the jobs I have experience with. Well if you are coming from abroad and you need to find a job in the UK, you need to have the best chance in getting sponsored.

Because these jobs are the most in demand in the UK right now, this means companies are 80% more likely to sponsor you for this role than any other role which is not on the SOL!

Here are some fields which ARE NOT on the SOL:

Business Management, 
Project Management
Marketing. 
Accounting & Finance.  
Customer Service

These jobs are not in demand in the UK because there are enough nationals & EU citizens who can do those jobs, so you have a very low chance of being able to get sponsorship for these areas, I DON’T recommend you study these programmes in university if your plan is to find work in the UK!

If you want to get an edge & beat the competition in the job market, you need to pick something from the SOL.

What if my target job is not on the SOL and I am already studying one of the above subject?

Targeting a job on the SOL will give you the highest chance in getting sponsored, but I do understand there are many students who don’t have technical skills.

For this I wrote an article to highlight a few non technical jobs which you can target.

If you want to know what SoC to target but also make sure the job you are applying to qualifies for sponsorship, You need to look the Codes of practice for skilled work – Immigration Rules document and pick a job which is RQF Level 6 and above.

Resources:

UK Shortage Occupation List

Codes of practice for skilled work – Immigration Rules

If this is all gibberish to you and none of it makes sense, get in touch today.

When I was applying for sponsoring jobs, one of the companies had offered me a role at £25k with visa sponsorship,  

The story I don’t usually tell is that I actually turned down that offer, because I knew I could get something better, which I did.  

But I wasn’t always that confident, actually it was a real struggle for me to get that job offer in the first place, But I did it, and I knew I could do it all over again, how?  

Because I knew what was in demand in the job market, I knew where the market need is and I jumped right into the thick of that. 

The biggest mistake jobs seeking International students make is not doing the research on what degrees will open the door for them to get hired,  

That’s not entirely their fault alone, there’s little to no guidance at all from universities to people around getting into market driven educational programmes,  

But this has rather turned into a money making venture for educational institutions, where it’s only optimising for more recruited students, and not really whatever the f* happens with them after graduating.  

This means it’s now on the student to do their own homework, because there’s 10s of thousands & years at stake here.  

Let alone the pain & hassle of your visa expiring, going back and looking for other ways to get back into the UK job market.  

Always look for what’s in demand in the market, and I will tell you right now:  

It’s not Business Management, 
It’s not  Marketing. 
& sure as hell it’s not Accounting & Finance.  

All things technical like engineering, programming, development & IT. These are what’s really in demand,  

And none of that other stuff where for each international student you can find 10 nationals who have studied it and can do it better!  

For more info on what are the most in demand jobs in the UK right now which give you the highest chance at getting hired, checkout the Government’s shortage occupation list here:

UK Shortage Occupation List

To your success! 

When Shahrukh started working with me, he had been a school teacher for over 2 years.

He had some previous experience working with a dev team but never been a dev before, although he studied it in uni.

He wasn’t really sure how to get into the industry, especially with all the options out there.

But he knew he had to work on himself and change his career!

We worked together on building this small project, to help him understand the very basics of web development.

We didn’t build a portfolio, we didn’t have 10 projects on that portfolio.

All we had is a good understanding of what companies are looking for in a junior developer:

* Basic knowledge is the domain of the job you’re applying to.

* A can-do attitude which shows your willingness to learn quickly & ability solve problems.

* Being a good cultural fit by integrating & collaborate well with the team.

In addition to prepping for interviews & technical questions, that’s really all we did.

We started booking him on interviews very quickly after finishing the technical prep.

And that’s how he managed to secure an amazing offer with a great salary as a Junior Web Developer.

He is now on track for an amazing career in Web Development!

Congratulations Shahrukh!

#career #jobs #results #success

I often get asked what tech stack, programming language or framework should I learn to get the best chance at being hired?

Whether you are a self educated dev wanna be or international graduate looking for a job in the UK.

You’ll get presented with 10s of different tech or suggestions from friends or others to pursue, especially when there’s a new framework coming every other day for some technologies.

So how do you know what to pick in order to get the best chance in getting hired?

Your chances in getting hired are directly related to what is most in demand in the job market.

Web Development & Data Science are the hottest jobs in the UK right now.

And this isn’t according to Glassdoor because they also think Accounting is up there with these skills on the demand ladder.

That’s not accurate and it’s probably based on the number of roles listed on their site, but really, demand isn’t only reflected by the number of jobs posted.

It’s also represented by how much trouble companies are willing to go through to hire someone with such skills. This can be in two forms:

• How much money they’re willing to pay (salary/day rate)
• If they are willing to provide visa sponsorship for this role.

If you disagree, try getting a visa sponsorship for an accounting role or get paid £500 per day to that job.

Within Web development, There are thousands of projects kick starting across companies of different sizes.

Many of which are undergoing digital transformation, to keep up with the fast paced shifts & changes in their markets.

This has generated a lot of variation in tech stacks used & there’s a new framework coming out every day.

Here are some tips to help you stay up to date & make the right decision.

Front End

If you are front end person, and would love to work with the look and feel of websites or products,

HTML, CSS, & JavaScript are a must have for any web developer, then you can focus on JS, particularly the React library, also playing with node.js & MongoDB can certainly complement your knowledge.

Back End

If you are into backend, you like working more with inner workings of software, API’s and integrations across applications, but also have a light touch on the front end, you can always learn C# & .NET.

This combined with some hands on exposure to some of the enterprise level management applications out there like Sitecore or Umbraco will be a sure-fire way to get into a job very quickly.

In general a full stack knowledge of developing web applications is certainly invaluable to have in this market.

Data Science

Python would be your go to if you like working with data & solve market problems through processing data & extracting insights.

DevOps

Is another area which is highly in demand if you like working with tools & infrastructure, leveraging knowledge in Cloud tech like Azure, AWS & Google Cloud Platform (GCP) this also requires knowledge of scripting languages like Power Shell & Containerisation tools like Docker & Kubernetes.

So there’s are a few options to choose from, your mission is to just match your interests & skills to one of the above areas that are in demand in the market!

To your Success