- Are you looking for jobs with visa sponsorship in the UK?
- Do you struggle to get a job in London?
- We explain why it might be a great idea to broaden your search.
London is the first place that comes to mind when you contemplate moving to the UK. The city is a hot spot for professionals working in business, finance, fashion and creative industries. The British capital has a lot to offer in terms of high wages, variety of jobs, rich culture and entertainment. All these features make London an attractive destination for many overseas job seekers.
While other places in the UK might seem less popular, there are many benefits of getting a job outside of London. In fact, recent data shows that net migration into London from the rest of the UK and abroad has fallen because more people are moving to other British regions.
Today we will share the top 4 reasons why it's a great idea to search for jobs outside of London, especially if you are a foreigner who needs a work visa.
1. Work visa sponsors
When people search for jobs in the UK from overseas they usually put London as their preferred location, because many big companies have their offices in the city.
Contrary to what you might think, a large number of British employers who have visa sponsorship licence to hire international workers are actually located outside of London. The official Home Office register shows that more than half of all companies eligible to hire foreigners (around 15,000) are based across the UK.
Therefore, if you need work visa sponsorship, you don't necessarily have to limit your search to London-based firms.
2. Lower living costs
Although London wages are higher compared to most other places in the UK, London is also one of the most expensive cities globally, measured in terms of absolute cost or general affordability.
When you compare prices in London and the rest of the UK, you could clearly see the large difference. For instance, London consumer and restaurant prices are higher than in Milton Keynes, by 15.10% and 21.41% respectively.
Furthermore, London has the most expensive properties. The average rent for a one-bedroom house or flat on the private market ranges from 30% to 46.4% of median pre-tax pay in London.
So, you could afford getting a bigger property and saving a lot of money on things like rent, groceries and entertainment if you live outside the British capital.
3. Variety of jobs
Companies located in various British regions offer a wide range of jobs across numerous industries.
Many of these jobs are in shortage of occupation (SOL) in the UK, meaning that foreign workers have a better chance of getting a job offer with visa sponsorsrhip if they have the right skill set and work experience. You can read more about the 20 most popular SOL jobs here.
Some regions like South West and North West are producing the highest demand for jobs in finance, teaching, mechanical engineering and social work. So, it's worth checking vaccancies in these areas.
4. New exciting places
Many people around the world put London on their bucket list. However, Britain has a lot more to offer. There are so many amazing cities, thriving market towns and charming villages.
Be adventerous and take a look at this article that explores the best 50 places to live in the UK.
When you don't limit your search, you might find a great job that would allow you to travel around the country or settle somewhere in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Living in a different city doesn't stop you from enjoying a great weekend in London with your friends or loved ones. You could always visit it for a holiday.
Conclusion
Don't be afraid to consider moving somewhere else in the UK.
Many employers who are willing to hire overseas workers are based outside of London. There are also plenty of jobs, particularly those in shortage of occupation. Finally, you could spend much less money and have a better life quality if you choose to live somewhere else in Britain.
We understand that for some of you, London is the only place worth moving to.
However, we hope that this blog post inspired you to be more open-minded and experiment with job search parameters.
If you don't limit yourself to one location, you would be getting many more job opportunities.
