International students
Immigration & work
Your right to work in the UK will depend on your status in the UK, for example, what type of visa you hold.
- If you are an EEA (European Economic Area) national you have the right to work in the UK.
- If you are an international student see the websites below to check your status for working in the UK
- If you are an asylum seeker or refugee your right to work will depend on your status and any conditions set by the Home Office.
In all cases you should check your status before you begin to apply for work. Visit the International Students Advisory Service or Work Permits (UK).
How we can help
Throughout this site, you’ll find sections on how the Careers & Employment Centre can help students – be that international or domestic – to find work during and after their studies, as well as how to manage the job application process, market themselves effectively and understand the UK job market. We are not able to advise on work permits or visa extensions.
To improve your chances of working in the UK, you need to learn to market yourself effectively by thinking about the skills and experience you can offer an employer, making sure your CV is selling you as well as it can (get it checked by a Careers Counsellor) and developing your interview skills. Please make full use of this website to help you with all of these things.
In addition, you should research employers linked to your country as they are more likely to see the benefits of employing you. Be willing to understand the potential barriers in getting a job in the UK and be ready to answer employers' concerns about recruiting international students. And remember that the way you get a job in your own country may be very different in the UK. Use this site to guide you.
If you need to compare your qualifications with those in the UK t here are a number of external organisations that provide advice and information about international qualifications and how they equate to UK qualifications:
Useful links for international students
- UKCISA: Council for International Student Affairs: provides information, advice and training about various aspects of the recruitment and support of international students.
- The British Council: Information on learning opportunities and creative ideas in the UK.
- Prospects: General careers advice website for students and graduates including a section on work experience opportunities for students in higher education.
- British Services: Extensive list of web links to government associations, general and specific careers resources and large British companies with careers pages on their websites.
- Careers Gateway: Links to the internet sites of higher education institutions and professional bodies.
- Careers Portal: Directory and search engine for careers information.
- Diversity Inc: News site all about diversity.
- Diversity Now: Links to major employers wishing to attract a diverse range of graduate applicants.
- Education Action: Offers advice on education and training to refugees and asylum seekers.
- The Employment Service: (JobCentre Plus)
- Grad China Information about getting a job in China
- The Home Office:: Information on work permits, regulations etc
- Immigration Advisory Service: Offers free legal advice and representation service to immigrants and asylum seekers.
- International Students Union: Support for international students.
- Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants: Campaigns for justice and combating racism in immigration and asylum law and policy.
- Recruitment Employment Confederation: Offers a search facility for recruitment agencies by location and sector.
- Refugee Assessment and Guidance Unit: Support for refugees and asylum seekers with higher level education or professional qualifications from their own countries.
- The Refugee Council: Advice on a range of issues affecting refugees and asylum seekers.
- RETAS: Refugee Education Training Advice Service (now part of Education Action).
- UK Employment Law: Offers legal advice on all aspects and areas of employment.
- Work Permits (UK): Up-to-date advice on work permits including information on 'shortage occupations'.
- www.workgateways.com: Helps organise UK jobs for travellers with work visas from all over the world including: Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada.