From France to the UK: A few tips to obtain a work visa

I’ll be honest from the outset: it is difficult for French legal professionals to obtain a work visa in the UK. Brexit has changed many things for EU citizens and made the possibility of working in the UK a real challenge. However, it is not impossible!

The first thing to know is that you cannot get a Skilled Worker Visa (the main work visa, which will be our focus here) without first securing a job with an employer who is willing and able to sponsor you. There is a minimum salary requirement, and only certain types of jobs are eligible for sponsorship. The good news is that many legal positions are on the list: paralegal, legal assistant, lawyer, solicitor, barrister, clerk, etc. There are also other requirements that I will spare you the details on.

 I will share my experience with you and offer some tips, which I hope will be useful.

Differentiate yourself from English applicants

Sponsoring a French worker is costly for employers and involves a significant amount of administrative paperwork, so they might prefer hiring an English legal professional. This is why it is essential to differentiate yourself from other applicants and highlight any unique skills you possess.

Being a French speaker can be highly sought after by certain companies and law firms! Look for organisations that have French desks and who might want to hire French speakers to liaise with French clients and contacts, understand French legal documents, etc. This is how I found my first job as a paralegal in London.

Target the companies and law firms that have a sponsor licence

When I was looking for a job in London, I made a list of the firms I wanted to apply to and cross-checked it against the list of organisations licensed to sponsor workers. While having a licence didn’t guarantee that these firms would go through the visa process to hire me, it definitely increased my chances of being sponsored, as it was one less administrative step for them to undertake.

If a company or law firm doesn’t already have a licence, you can still try to persuade them to acquire one in order to sponsor you (I know some French lawyers who succeeded in doing this!).

Disclose your immigration status from the outset

I would recommend being transparent with potential employers by informing them in your application or during the first interview that you will require a Skilled Worker Visa to be able to work for them. I know of people who disclosed this information too late in the recruitment process, resulting in the employer withdrawing their offer upon learning that the applicant would need to be sponsored.

Please be aware that other visa options are available, which you may wish to explore with an immigration specialist.

We hope this article helped you! If you have further questions on this topic, do not hesitate to send a message to frenchlegalprofessionals@gmail.com.

Article by Victoria Plisson

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