Popular specialties in the UK

Features of working in England

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The number of workers in the UK increases every year, which is why the unemployment rate is falling every year. There are also more and more hired employees than self-employed people.

Also, the number of low-skilled vacancies is growing, despite the fact that wages are much lower than for workers with a diploma.

It is worth noting that employers first pay attention to local residents, only if there are no applicants among the British, then migrants can fill the vacancy. Most often, such vacancies include: nannies, cleaners, waiters, cooks, janitors, and so on.

Among migrants from European countries or CIS countries, employers give preference to the first

Another interesting fact: Great Britain is significantly enriched by migrants, because they are cheap labor.

Also note that there is no specific employment code in the UK, so it all depends on the individual agreement you have with your employer.

Do you have a PhD relevant to your work?

If your job qualifies for a PhD salary discount, you may be paid 80% or 90% of the normal rate of pay, depending on what subject you are qualified in.

If you have a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) qualification, you can be paid 80% of your normal work hours, as long as you are paid at least £20,480 per year.

If you don't have a non-STEM qualification, you can be paid 90% of the normal duration of your job, provided you are still paid at least £23,040 per year.

In both situations you must:

• hold a UK PhD or an equivalent overseas qualification at doctoral level - you will need to apply through UK NARIC to check whether the overseas qualification is equivalent to a UK PhD
• be able to demonstrate that your qualifications are relevant to the work you will do in the UK - your employer can confirm this

Review the list of jobs eligible for the PhD salary discount to see if your job is included and how much you'll need to pay.

If you are a researcher or academic supervisor, you may also be eligible to apply for a Global Talent visa. There are no language or minimum wage requirements with this visa.

UK Employment Visa

More details about the visa: Visa to the UK - how and for whom it is easy to obtain permission to leave

An employment visa is essential to be formally employed and legally present in the UK. A work visa provides a huge number of positive aspects for citizens of the Russian Federation and the CIS.

In England you can work or run your own business, and for this you need to apply for a work or business visa.

Each type of visa has its own subtleties and nuances, each has its own pros and cons, so when applying for a visa you need to be careful to do everything correctly and legally.

Types of work visas:

• Work visa (general)
• Entrepreneur visa
• Investment visa
• Work visa (special)
• Visa for an employee who is transferred from another branch
• For student employment
• Visa for invited worker
• For the priest
• Visa for athletes

The most universal type of visa for Russian-speaking migrants is General Extension. This visa is issued for the period of validity of the employment contract. After five years of work on this visa, the migrant can apply for a residence permit.

Marketing Manager

Average salary: £45 thousand per year.

As the UK economy picks up, there are more exciting options in marketing too. This profession allows you to work in any industrial sector, from financial services and consumer goods to mechanical engineering and engineering. The key is to understand current and potential customer behavior and develop a marketing plan for the product or brand.

It's easy to learn all the marketing know-how a company really needs and start your journey in this creative, fast-paced field after a bachelor's degree at Anglia Ruskin University. Upon completion of the course there is also the opportunity to obtain a professional CIM qualification, which is valued by employers around the world.

The material was prepared by Nadezhda Ozonyuk together with STAR Academy specifically for begin.ru.

Professions in demand in England

In order to get a well-paid job in the UK, you must have a high-quality higher education, knowledge of English and work experience in this field. To obtain a job for a lower level of work, there are no excessive requirements for potential employees.

List of popular specialties in the UK:

• Sales Manager
• Medical Officer
• Economist
• Notary
• Programmer
• Teacher
• Marketer
• Designer
• Lawyer
• Personal assistant
• Doctor
• Engineer
• Architect
• Scientist
• Analyst
• Ecologist

The most valuable employees are British citizens with an English diploma. If you are a migrant, it is advisable to get an education in England, then the chances of finding a good job are higher.

Without a European education, it is also possible to get a decent job, but you need knowledge of the language, extensive experience, skills and abilities. In this case, the decisive factors are perseverance, a flexible mind, dexterity and enterprise.

Website/mobile application developer

Average salary: 34.5–52.5 thousand pounds sterling per year.

Technology, communications and consumer electronics are rapidly evolving, and computer systems already play a central role in our daily interactions. The effect of advances in artificial intelligence and robotics is expected to transform the labor market over the next 5–10 years. The demand for experts in these matters is growing, so good website and mobile application developers will be able to earn their “bread and butter” in England.

Brunel University graduates earn the highest salaries in the country compared to graduates from other universities, according to statistics from The Economist (2017). And freshly minted bachelors with a degree in Computer Systems Development also find jobs in prestigious companies: BBC, Virgin Airways, Opodo, Philips, Siemens and others.

Salaries in the UK

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Before applying for a job, you need to know the level of salaries, because living in the country is expensive. The UK ranks seventh among other European countries in terms of minimum wage.

Wages in England depend on the volume of work, the number of hours worked, and so on. Salaries also depend on the employee’s length of service, age, level of education and other factors.

The minimum wage in England is £85 per day, about £1,435 per month. Around 20% of workers in the UK earn the minimum wage.

Please note that women's salaries are lower than men's. Typically the difference is about 17%.

Average salaries for different professions in the UK

The average salary in the UK is about 2,500 pounds sterling per month (30 thousand per year).

Also, the salary level depends on your place of residence. For example, London and Bristol have the highest wages, but living in these cities is much more expensive than in other regions of the country.

Average salaries in England by industry per month

Labor market in the UK

Unemployment in the UK during the year does not exceed 5%. The number of employed citizens is 32.5 million, and the unemployed are about 1.6 million. Compared to the previous year, the share of hired workers decreased by 241 thousand people.

To obtain official employment in the UK, foreigners from third countries, including Russians and Ukrainians, must first find an employer, sign an employment contract and obtain a work visa. However, Britons and EU citizens should not normally apply for the vacancy.

The procedure for obtaining a visa or residence permit in the UK includes a special system of points that are awarded for certain criteria. For example, the level of English language proficiency, qualifications, experience and age of the applicant are taken into account.

At a national level, the UK minimum wage is reviewed annually on 1 April. The rate depends on the age of the employee. For example, those over 23 will earn a minimum of £8.91 per hour in 2021, while those under 18 will receive £4.62. In addition, trainees can be paid £4.30.

Including bonuses, the average UK salary is £572 per week and £2,480 per month, according to the Office for National Statistics. The highest incomes were recorded in London, Bristol and Cambridge, and the lowest in Wigan and Mansfield. Men on average earn 17% more than women.

Own business in the UK

The United Kingdom is interested in attracting serious entrepreneurs who can build businesses.

Having analyzed the situation, the British side has suspended accepting new applications for Entrepreneur visa (Tier 1) and Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) visas due to ineffectiveness. In 2021, for businessmen wishing to start a business in the UK, the following are available:

• for 2 years - for entrepreneurs with high potential who are new to the UK market. Such businessmen must demonstrate their effectiveness and, if successful, after two years they have the opportunity to move to the “Innovator” category.

• for 3 years - for more experienced entrepreneurs. The applicant must have at least £50,000 to invest in the business. If successful, the businessman can extend the visa for another 3 years or apply for permanent residence status in the UK.

Working in the UK: Types of Employment

The United Kingdom favors only those migrant workers who strictly follow the immigration requirements and adhere to the established rules:

• have legally entered the UK on an appropriate visa entitling them to work;
• received a work permit, license (for some specialties);
• have the necessary qualifications;
• speak English (without knowledge of the language you cannot count on a well-paid job in the UK).

A good option for young Russians, Ukrainians and other citizens of the CIS to practice English, and also to plunge into the local atmosphere for several months (up to a year) is to take advantage of one of the volunteer programs: caring for animals, participating in charity events, archaeological excavations.

A work permit is not required in this case. You won’t be able to earn money, the maximum you can do is work off your accommodation and pocket expenses. A suitable program can be found on the websites of British volunteer organizations.

In the UK, migrants from the CIS can count on:

• Seasonal work. You can get a job without knowing English without any problems in the agricultural sector: picking berries and fruits, doing auxiliary work on farms. At the height of the tourist season, with knowledge of spoken English, you can find a vacancy in the tourist services sector: hotel business, animation, fast food, guide services.
• Temporary work (including rotational work): packers and packers in factories, factories, warehouses, laborers on construction sites, fish factories and offshore oil platforms, housekeepers, nurses, nannies.
• Permanent employment. This option is the most attractive because it allows you to count on a good salary and an immigration visa.