Working in the UK after Your Studies

1
Working in the UK after Your Studies

• David Gee Career Development Unit
• Simon Cox Student Advice Welfare Service

2
Introduction

• Brief overview of the UK job market
• What employers want
• Finding employers/vacancies for international
  students
• Improving your chances of getting work inc. CVs

3
Useful UK job facts

• Main graduate scheme application time is October
  February
• However there are vacancies arising throughout
  the year
• Not many companies offer work permits to
  inexperienced graduates
• Graduate work permits often for accountancy,
  engineering, surveying
• Difficult to get work permits for banking,
  marketing, media, consultancy
• Large companies offering work permits look for
  the best in UK
• Some companies can only get work permits for
  early applicants (eg before mid November due to
  unofficial quotas with multinationals)

4
What do UK employers want?

• Fluent spoken and written English
• Evidence of the right combination of skills
• Relevant work experience
• Well researched, well written applications

5
Advantages of International Students

• Adaptability/autonomy
• Organisation skills
• Communication
• Language skills
• Motivation
• Flexibility
• A boarder perspective
• Understanding of the global market

6
Which employers are interested in IS?

• Those who know you eg project, placement,
  work-shadowing
• Those who need large numbers of graduates eg
  large accountancy/engineering firms
• Those in sector shortage areas engineering/
• healthcare/teaching
• Multi-nationals eg BP, Shell etc

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Where can I find vacancies?

• International Job Online - www.careers.lon.ac.uk/i
  jo/
• Lists in graduate recruitment directories in CDU
  eg Target guides
• Lists compiled by HE Careers Services
• www.uwe.ac.uk/careers/students/international.shtml
  
• www.reading.ac.uk/careers/student/internationalopp
  ortunities.asp
• www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/careers/internatio
  nal/graduateempuk/
• Ask at careers fairs/company events
• www.uwe.ac.uk/careers/students/events.shtml
• www.prospects.ac.uk/

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Finding Employers who dont advertise

• UK-based embassies www.prospects.ac.uk/links/cou
  ntries
• UK Trade Investment Department
  www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk
• UWE Centre for Intercultural communication
  www.uwe.ac.uk/cicc
• Enterprise Europe Network Southwest England -
  www.enterpriseeuropesw.org.uk/swr/
• Culturally-focused groups e.g. www.bristol-china-p
  artnership.com
• www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/citybusinesslibrary
• UWE library eg news articles/company lists
• Specialist recruitment agencies
• Your department

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The UK CV

• Generally 2 sides of A4
• Reverse chronological order
• Key sections include education work experience
  interests referees
• Give detail for key selling points e.g. degree
  content work experience
• Evidence-based, task driven
• Accompany with covering letter

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How have IS been successful at job hunting?

• Consulting an immigration solicitor if they
  already have 2 years () graduate experience or
  employer interest
• Getting early/on-going volunteering work
  experience
• Understanding selling their USPs
• Being creative in their job hunt
• Networking heavily within sector/nationality
  groups
• Attending graduate employer events for ethnic
  minorities
• Using alumni knowledge/contactswww.uwe.ac.uk/alum
  ni/mynetwork/index.shtml www.cssauk.org.uk/
  www.ukan.org.my/
• Using academic departments links to find company
  information and project/ placement opportunity
• Asking Careers Service for help

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Enhancing your employability step by step
(undergraduate)

• 1st year - join in SU student life
• work part-time
• 2nd year volunteer in community
• enrol on English course (if havent done
  already)
• summer internship
• get your CV checked through CDU
• 3rd year study/career related placement
• 4th year become course rep
• Sort out PSWV
• apply for UK job via CDU

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Enhancing your employability step by step
(masters student)

• 1st term work part-time
• volunteer on campus
• 2nd term volunteer in community
• 3rd term/summer degree related placement
• Summer/autumn apply for placement
• apply for UK job

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Your Career Development Unit

• Frenchay Campus Room 2D11
• Open 09.00 17.00 (16.30 on Fridays)
• Information centre and on-line resources
• 30 minute same day appts with careers advisers
• CV Clinics
• Tel [phone]
• www.uwe.ac.uk/careers

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Summary

• Sell your skills relating to being an
  international student
• Work experience significantly increases your
  employability
• Develop as many opportunities as you can through
  networking, and getting involved in the community
• Target employers and sell your USPs

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Working in the UK after Your Studies

• Immigration from 31 March onwards
• Tier 1 (Post Study Work)
• Tier 1 (General) replaces Highly Skilled Migrants
  Programme
• Tier 2 (Work Permit) including shortage
  occupations

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Tier 1 Post Study Work

• A two year visa to take employment without
  needing a employer to sponsor them
• From 31 March on students who have passed a UK
  recognised bachelor degree or postgraduate degree
  can apply. PG Diploma and PG Certs excluded.

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Tier 1 Post Study Work You need

• 75 points required for your attributes
• 10 points for English language skills
• 10 points for maintenance (funds)

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Attributes 75 points

• 20 Points for a UK UG or PG degree
• 20 Points if study a a recognised or listed body
  of if it holds a Tier 4 sponsors license. UWE
  does!
• 20 if your study was carried out under on a
  student visa or had a visa as a dependant of
  someone else
• 15 Points for applying within 12 months of
  getting your results

19
English Language Skills 10 points

• Automatically get 10 points if you get 75 points
  for your attributes

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Maintenance 10 points if

• If you apply in the UK and have been here for
  more than 12 months
• 800 for you and 533 per dependant
• It needs to have been available to you (in your
  account) for at least 3 months before you apply
• Must not have fallen below this figure

21
Maintenance 10 points if

• If you apply outside the UK or have been in the
  UK for less than 12 months
• 2,800 for you and 1,600 per dependent
• It needs to have been available to you (in your
  account) for at least 3 months before you apply
• Must not have fallen below this figure

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Applying

• After 31 March will cost 500 for a postal
  application, 700 in person plus 50 per
  dependant
• If you apply before you have your degree
  certificate you will need to provide clear
  evidence that you have passed your course
• We will provide an online guide to making
  applications before the end of the Summer Term

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Tier 1 (General)

• Replaced HSMP
• Initially a 3 year visa and does not need a
  sponsored employer
• After this can extend for further 2 years
• After this can apply for settlement.

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Tier 1 (General)

• 75 points required for your attributes
• 10 points for English language skills
• 10 points for maintenance (funds)

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Attributes 75 points

• Qualification (points for highest qualification)
• PhD 50 points
• Masters Degree 35 points
• Bachelors Degree 30 points
• Earnings (for students the likely to be 12 of the
  15 months before study started
• 40,000 45 points. 16,000 - 17,999 5 points.
• If earnings outside UK assessments are made based
  on relative value of those earnings.

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Attributes 75 points Attributes 75 points

• UK experience
• 5 points if in previous 5 years took studied in
  the UK for at least one academic year and
  successfully completed the award
• Age
• Under 28 20 points
• 28 or 29 10 points
• 30 or 31 5 points

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English language skills

• 10 points if you are
• A national of a majority English speaking
  country.
• Pass an English language test
• Hold a bachelors degree or above that was taught
  in English

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Maintenance 10 points if

• If you apply in the UK and have been here for
  more than 12 months
• 800 for you and 533 per dependant
• It needs to have been available to you (in your
  account) for at least 3 months before you apply
• Must not have fallen below this figure

29
Maintenance 10 points if

• If you apply outside the UK or have been in the
  UK for less than 12 months
• 2,800 for you and 1,600 per dependent
• It needs to have been available to you (in your
  account) for at least 3 months before you apply
• Must not have fallen below this figure

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Tier 2 (Work Permit)

• Need to be offered a job by a licensed sponsor in
  this category
• You then need to meet the necessary points
• Much easier if in a shortage occupation
• Can switch from Post study work categories

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Tier 2 (Work Permit)

• 50 points required for your attributes
• 10 points for English language skills
• 10 points for maintenance (funds)

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Attributes 50 points

• Sponsorship
• Shortage Occupation 50 points
• Job offer passes resident market test 30 points
• Switching from Post Study category 30 points
• Intra company transfer 30 points
• Qualifications
• None or below a sub degree level 0 points
• Sub degree level 10 points
• Bachelors degree or Masters 10 points
• PhD 15 points

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Attributes 50 points

• Prospective Earnings
• Under 17,000 0 points
• 17,000 - 19,999.99 5 points
• 20,000 - 21,999.99 10 points
• 22,000 - 23,999.99 15 points
• 24,000 or more 20 points

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English language skills

• 10 points if you are
• A national of a majority English speaking
  country.
• Pass an English language test
• Hold a bachelors degree or above that was taught
  in English

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Maintenance 10 points if

• You have personal savings of 800 or more and
  these have been held for three months
• or
• Your sponsor will confirm it will maintain and
  accommodate your costs for the first month. A
  rated sponsors only

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More information

• UKBA website www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingi
  ntheuk
• UKCISA website www.ukcisa.org.uk
• Student Advice and Welfare
• 0117 328 2822
• Saws_at_uwe.ac.uk