Employment
Getting started in a new job can be difficult in a new country, especially where the rules may be different to your own country. The first thing you need to check is if you have the right to work in the UK. If you do, then you then need to decide what sort of job you would like to do. Starting again can be exciting, you may want to start a new career you haven’t worked in before, and learn new skills too. Here are some of the things you will want to think about as you begin.
This webpage contains general information about income tax for informational purposes only. The information is not tax advice, and should not be taken as such.
Disclaimer:
Looking for jobs
Tailoring your CV
Writing your cover letter
Preparing for interviews
Looking for more help?
English language
National Insurance number
Qualifications
DBS / “Background checks”
A bank account
Do you have the right to work?
FOR REFUGEES AND MIGRANTS
If you have:
indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK, or
the right of abode,
then you have the right to work. But, if you have a visa with limited leave to enter or remain (i.e. a time limit), then you should find out if you have the right to work, or if there are any restrictions on the type of work or the hours you can work in the UK.
See Citizens Advice for the visas and immigration statuses which grant the rights to work in the UK.
FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS
People applying for asylum usually do not have the right to work in the UK unless they are given special leave to work. You can find out more about how to apply for the special permission to work as an asylum seeker / failed asylum seeker here: Permission to work application process
Preparations
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
If you feel uncertain about speaking or writing English when applying for jobs, you can consider taking an English as a Second or Foreign Language (ESOL) class before going into employment. Depending on the job you are applying for will depend on the level of English you need. For example, working in a factory or a cleaning job will normally require a lower level of English than an office job.
Find a local teaching centre: City and Guilds.com
Apart from joining ESOL classes, you can also easily find free English learning materials online. Here are some of the samples:
Free online ESOL self-study materials: ESOL courses
BBC: Learning English
NATIONAL INSURANCE NUMBER
National Insurance is the UK's social security system, including the state pension scheme, which both you and your employer have to contribute towards. Your employer will require you to have a National Insurance number (known as NI number, or NINO) in order to work in the UK. So if you plan to work, you should apply for a NI number first.
You can only apply for a NI number when you are in the UK. Apply here at the official Government website: Apply for a National Insurance number.
QUALIFICATIONS
To find out how your professional qualifications compare or can be transferred to the UK, check the UK ENIC website. Depending on your professional field, you can apply online for a Statement of Comparability, which you can use to show employers how your qualifications compare to the UK equivalents. This usually costs around £50.
DBS/ “BACKGROUND CHECKS”
In the UK, people working with children and protected adults in health and education sectors are required to undergo a criminal conviction check. This check is called:
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) in England and Wales
AccessNI in Northern Ireland
Disclosure Scotland in Scotland: Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme
Your future employer can ask you to apply for a check during the recruitment process. This process is usually paid by your employer, but there can be exceptions.
Overseas Criminal Records
As DBS/AccessNI/Disclosure Scotland only covers criminal records in the UK, your employer may have to ask for a criminal record from the country you had previously lived in. Here are the UK Government guidelines for how to apply for overseas criminal record checks.
BANK ACCOUNT
Most UK employers pay wages directly into your bank account. So it is important if you can have a local bank account that your future employer can pay you through. See how to open a bank account in the Finance guide.
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1. You can apply for your NI number in advance if you will start looking for a job in 1-2 months’ time. It is because it can take up to 4-8 weeks for you to receive your National Insurance number.
2. If you have a biometric residence permit (BRP), you will already have a NI number. It will be printed on the back of your BRP. If it is not on your BRP, you can contact the Home Office about this.
3. If you already have a job offer, you can start working before getting your NI. But you must be able to show your employer the proof of your right to work. This proof of your right to work is a different service from the proof of your immigration status for your NI number application. Make sure that you are sharing the right share code and webpage link with your future employer:
a. View or prove your migration status (for NI number application): https://www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-statusb. View or prove your right to work (for your employer if you are waiting for your NI number): https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work
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Many UK employers also consider volunteering experience when they look into their job candidates’ work experiences. If your qualifications are not accepted in the UK, or if you want to change to a new career, you can volunteer with local charities to show your interests and to learn about working in the UK.
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Sometimes it is not possible to obtain an overseas certificate. In this case, the UK Government suggests employers to “obtain as much information as possible in the form of references before deciding whether to make an offer of employment” (“Guidance on the application process for criminal records checks overseas”, Aug 2022). But if an employer decides that they prefer a formal criminal record certificate, or if you have difficulties getting references, then you might wish to consider job opportunities outside of the health and education sectors for the time being.
Finding a Job
LOOKING FOR JOBS
There are many ways to search for jobs:
Government services
Online: The UK Government offers Find a Job, a service which helps you find full or part-time jobs in England, Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland, you can find jobs through JobApplyNI instead.
In person: Jobcentre Plus offices (job centres) are located in most local communities. They are run by the government and they are the place you can go to find support in looking for work and/or claiming unemployment benefits. You can find your local Jobcentre Plus on the websites Jobcentre Plus Local office search or Job Centre Near Me.
Free commercial services
In the UK, people also use recruitment websites to find jobs. Notable ones are:
and many others.
Job sectors that require few experience or a low level of English
You can also find work in a variety of sectors that do not require much experience. Here are a few examples:
Logistics and distribution in a warehouse. Different companies have warehouses and distribution centres near towns and cities across the UK, you can search online to find out what is near you.
Jobs in social care in care homes or helping people in their own homes;
Hospitality jobs on the Caterer;
You can hand your CV directly to a local business that is advertising vacancies in their shop window.
TAILORING YOUR CV
After finding the jobs you are interested in, it is time to write a good CV! A CV (Curriculum Vitae, sometimes also called “resume”) is our first “hello” to the future employer. Without one it will be hard to get an interview. So it is important to spend some time making sure that your CV is up to date and prepared in the UK style.
What makes up a CV?
Style and length: clear and simple, usually no longer than 1 to 2 pages. Go through Open University’s “Choosing the right type of CV” to find the format that best showcases your strengths.
Contents (in this order):
Your contact details: name, email address, mobile / phone number, address;
(Can include a personal statement under your contact details if you want);
Your relevant skills (e.g. good communication skills, teamwork, etc.);
Your (relevant) experience;
Your (relevant) education
WRITING YOUR COVER LETTER
You should also send a cover letter along with your CV (unless the job advert asks you not to). The cover letter is a chance for you to introduce yourself in greater depth, and to convince the recruiters that you are the best person for this job. The cover letter should not be a longer copy of your CV. The CV is a brief summary of your life and work experience, the cover letter is where you focus on how the life experiences listed in your CV are relevant to the job and the company you are applying for.
What makes up a cover letter?
Style and length: clear and simple. It usually consists of 3-5 short paragraphs, and is about 1 A4 page long.
Contents:
the reason you are writing this letter;
why you think you are the best person for this job;
your relevant skills and experiences;
express your interest in this job
PREPARING FOR INTERVIEWS AND OTHER HELPS
The job interview is the time for the interviewers to find the best candidate. They will want to know your skills, experiences, and motivations, as well as how compatible you are with the job and the company. Most interviews in the UK consist of a list of questions that the interviewers will ask you. You should wait for them to direct the interview and only talk after a question is asked. It is also a good chance for you to find out more about the company, and whether it is a good match for you.
Preparing for the interview
To ensure that you can perform well at an interview, you can prepare ahead. For example, you can:
Check the computer, microphone, and camera before the interview if it is an online interview. If it is an in-person interview, plan the trip before the actual interview day to arrive around 15 minutes early. Make sure that you switch off the mobile phone so that you will not be disturbed during the interview.
Think about what you will say and ask at the interview. Like:
a short introduction about yourself (around 2 minutes long);
answers to some common interview questions (like the list of questions here);
explanations about details in your CV and cover letter. For example, why there is a gap in your employment history, etc.;
prepare some questions you can ask about the job and the company.
Read up on the company (website and its social media accounts), the job, and the industry. Be prepared to discuss intelligently about the job and the field.
Mock interviews
Interviews are stressful events, and being interviewed in a second language is even harder. To familiarise yourself with the interview situation and with the possible interview topics and activities, you may want to ask some local friends to have a couple of mock interviews with you beforehand.
LOOKING FOR MORE HELP?
Local communities
Local people are often a great help when you are looking for a job. They can help you put together a CV and cover letter, practice interviews with you, and they know about local job and volunteer opportunities. Meet locals who’d love to help you through connecting with a local church here.
Employment-support organisations
There are also many national and regional organisations providing employment support for refugees and migrants. For example:
The Refugee Council, which helps refugees to find jobs and training opportunities;
Refugee Employment Network, which provides information on vacancies, as well as guidance on English language training, and qualification transfers.
Re-Work, which is a supportive group for people reentering the workforce, and offers a short-term employability programme and networking opportunities.
These are just a notable few examples. Ask a local friend about information on local and regional career support services too! Welcome Churches’ project UKHK has prepared a series of online employment skills video workshops on how to prepare CV, cover letters and job interviews for those newly arrived in the UK. Find the series here: Skills to Work
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Jobcentre Plus can help you with more than searching for jobs. They also offer free courses, career advice, CV writing support, in addition to other services like information about Universal Credit and benefits.
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While these recruitment websites can be helpful, you can try and apply directly to an employer where possible to increase your chances of being selected by a recruiter.
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1. Prioritise your most relevant strengths and experiences. Especially, if you are changing careers, your qualifications and experiences might not match the jobs you apply for. So, instead of telling the recruiters everything about yourself, focus on showing how specific skills or strengths you have will help you to perform in your new job.
2. You can read the job advertisement, the company website, and research into the industry expectations for similar jobs, and use these languages to describe yourself when appropriate.
3. Adjust your CV and cover letter for each job application. No matter how similar your job applications seemingly are, there are always differences in company cultures and roles that you may want to highlight in your materials, to show that you are really interested in the company.
4. Remember to thoroughly proof-read your CV and cover letter or ask a friend to check them before sending them.
5. You can visit Prospects UK for more advice in the formats and styles for your CV and cover letter.
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1. There is a lot of good advice online on how to do well at interviews, like these from Indeed.com and Prospects UK. But don’t panic if these interview etiquettes and advice are unfamiliar - you don’t need to do all of these to do well at an interview. Just keep calm, be prepared, and be polite.
2. Being interviewed in a second language is not easy. But there are things we can do to make this easier. If taking notes helps, you can ask for permission to do so at the beginning of the interview. You can take your time and spend a second or two thinking before replying. You can also ask the interviewer to repeat a question or to clarify if you do not hear it or understand it.
Employment Rights and Taxations
SALARIES AND MINIMUM WAGE
The average salary in the UK depends on which part of the country you're in, and the type of work. There are also minimum wage levels, required by law. These are updated every year and apply to part-time and casual work as well as full-time employment. You can find out the current rates of the minimum wages here: National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates
EMPLOYMENT LAWS AND RIGHTS
When you start a new job, you should normally be given a contract to sign. This should have all the details of your working time, annual leave entitlement, and the notice period for terminating the contract.
Hours: full-time jobs are usually for 35-40 hours per week. There is a maximum of 48 hours per week, although you can choose to work more hours if you wish in more than one job. Some employers require you to seek permission before taking a second job.
Annual leave: is a minimum of 20 days for full-time employees, plus 8 days of public holidays (bank holidays).
Sick leave: if you are ill, you are entitled to sick leave. If you take sick leave for more than 7 days, you need to provide a note from your doctor (called a 'sick note' or 'fit note') to prove to your employer that you are ill.
For more information like guides on UK employment contracts, working hours and holidays, and employment law, you can visit Expatica.com for their very useful employment guide.
INCOME TAX
In the UK, you have to pay income tax on any earnings over £12,570 per year. Above that threshold, the amount of income tax depends on how much you earn. In most jobs, tax and National Insurance contributions are paid through your employer. This is called Pay As You Earn (PAYE). If you are self-employed, you will need to pay your income tax directly.
In England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the rate of income tax is 20% if your salary is between £12,570 and £50,270 per year. If your salary is higher, the rate of tax is 40% or more. In Scotland, the rates are similar, but there are more categories of tax rate.
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1. If you are self-employed, you will need to register for tax self assessment. You can register online or by post. Find out more about registering for self assessment (Register for Self Assessment) and what business records you will need to keep for tax assessment purposes (Business records if you're self-employed).
1a. You might need to register in a different way if you are self-employed (sole trader) in construction (see Construction Industry Scheme, CIS).
2. If you have overseas income, you will also have to register for tax self assessment. (See Tip 1). But there are special rules for pensions, rent from overseas properties, and certain types of overseas employment incomes. See more on tax on foreign income.
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1. If you suspect that your employer is under-paying you, you can find out from Acas about the National Minimum Wage entitlements and what does or does not count towards the minimum wage: National Minimum Wage entitlement
2. If your employer is paying you less than you are entitled to, you can call the confidential hotline Acas for advice on a salary dispute.
Acas helpline: 0300 123 1100 (charge might occur depends on your mobile plans)
3. If you are being forced or tricked to work against your will, or if your employer threatens you with violence, debts, or takes away your passport and threatens you with deportation, it is possible that you are a victim of modern slavery. If this happens to you or someone you know, call 0800 0121 700 on Unseen's confidential modern slavery helpline or report it online for help immediately.
We hope this website is helpful to you as you settle in the UK. But there is no substitute for having a local friend to make you feel welcome.