Expat in the UK: Should I get British qualifications?

As a Canadian living in the UK, I asked myself: should I get UK qualifications? Annoyingly, this question is pretty difficult! So let’s break it down.

If you came to the UK on the Youth Mobility Scheme visa…

Personally, I would say getting UK qualifications while on a Youth Mobility Scheme visa is a waste of time. There’s no point as this visa is short and you are unable to renew it. I would recommend enjoying your time in the UK.

One big update is currently happening: this visa is potentially extending! Some of the countries involved, such as Australia and New Zealand, are extending this visa to 3 years. Exciting stuff and certainly we should get more updates soon!

Expat in the UK: Should I get British qualifications?

If you came to the UK on longer-term visa…

This section is for all my expats on visas like a Family visa (because your spouse is British) or an Ancestry visa (because your parents or grandparents are British).

These types of visas means your status in the UK is not based on your job. Should you re-train in the UK to get British qualifications? It really depends on your profession.

I don’t have UK-based qualifications and it hasn’t been an issue. I did look at this route when I felt a bit stuck in my career, but ultimately decided against it. I could still get my first job (and second) in the UK without further British education.

On the other hand, I’ve known fellow-expats who needed qualifications to progress in their UK employment, but this was discussed with their employer first. They ended up creating a schedule where they worked nearly full-time and studied remotely towards getting that British qualification that would help them progress in their career.

If you find that you can’t get into your chosen field while living in the UK, it may be worth studying to get that British qualification, but that doesn’t mean your automatically going to get hired afterwards.

Something to keep in mind is that a lot of employers are starting to move toward experience rather than just having a UK degree. Before you couldn’t do anything without a university degree, but I feel like that’s not the case anymore. Obviously certain jobs require certain forms of education, but a degree in Canada rather than a degree in the UK shouldn’t hinder you.

If you are on a Skilled Worker Visa…

First off, a Skilled Worker visa is tough to get. Some of the requirements around this visa are things like:

  • you must work for a UK employer that’s been approved by the Home Office
  • have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ from your employer with information about the role you’ve been offered in the UK
  • do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations
  • be paid a minimum salary – how much depends on the type of work you do
  • You must have a confirmed job offer before you apply for your visa.

If you’ve made the difficult journey to get sponsored with this visa, should you continue your education in the UK? I would recommend speaking to your UK employer first.

Your boss may love the idea of helping you obtain UK qualifications and may even help with the cost. Because this visa is entirely dependent on your specific job in the UK, it’s always helpful to show your employer that you’re willing to work hard to keep it. And getting UK qualifications may be a great way to show that.

If you work in public sector healthcare

If you’re a doctor or nurse, or you work in health or adult social care, check if you’re eligible to apply for the Health and Care Worker visa instead. It’s cheaper to apply for and you do not need to pay the annual immigration health surcharge.

The Skilled Worker Visa is meant for highly skilled individuals who are currently not living in the UK so naturally, you won’t have British qualifications. Your education and experience will be outside of the UK.

Can I study in the UK?

If you are in the UK on a visa, check to make sure you can study. Each visa will have its own rules, but many visas like the being in the UK as a spouse of a British person (aka a Family Visa) would allow studying.

If you want to come to the UK for the sole purpose of studying, you’ll need to apply for a Student Visa.

Where can I study?

Say you’re in the UK on an Ancestry visa and you want to change careers or improve your education, but where should you study? One place I would recommend checking out is Open University. This is a super popular choice that offers all different types of degrees, diplomas and certificates. Open U says about 3/4 of their students study alongside working so there’s lots of distance learning flexibility.