How To Land A Job In London As A Foreigner

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If you’re looking for jobs in the UK, you’ll find a wide variety of opportunities for foreign workers in London. The UK’s capital city was ranked the world’s best city in terms of job opportunities according to a 2014 PwC study due to a combination of having a diverse and innovative economy and a vibrant city life. This article will fill you in all the details you need to know on how to land a job in London as a foreigner.

Work in London

The Job Market in London

Although London has more job opportunities than other parts of the UK, it has a slightly higher unemployment rate. In March 2020, this stood at 4.5% compared to the UK unemployment rate of 3.9%. During the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment in London rose to 7.6% in June 2020, the highest anywhere in the UK.

However, the economy in London is expected to recover with predicted positive growth rates of 1.4% in 2021 and 4.9% in 2022.

London has a diverse economy and there are good opportunities in skilled sectors such as finance (especially in the financial district, the Square Mile in the City of London, and Canary Wharf), ICT, creative and media, scientific and technical jobs, and senior management positions. There are also many jobs in tourism, retail, healthcare, education, public administration, transport, and construction.

Some of the biggest companies in the UK are based in London, including:

  • BHP
  • BT
  • GlaxoSmithKline
  • HSBC
  • Rio Tinto
  • Shell
  • Unilever

Available Jobs in London

The number of employers in London unable to fill vacancies due to skills shortages has more than doubled since 2011. Sectors experiencing the most severe shortages in recent years have been:

  • Healthcare (particularly NHS jobs)
  • Construction
  • Retail
  • Engineering
  • Finance

However, competition is fierce for jobs in London with many hundreds of applications for a single position. Additionally, as a result of Brexit, the UK government is introducing new measures to restrict the number of foreign workers coming to the UK.

London Work Environment and Culture

London is a lively, multicultural city and this is reflected in the workplace and multicultural workforce. The workforce in inner London is highly educated and around 60% have university degrees. Increasingly graduates are working in non-graduate jobs because of the large numbers of educated candidates on the market. Around 60% of positions in London are full-time; 38% of positions in London are part-time.

Traditional, established businesses tend to be more formal dress-wise (suits and smart clothes) and in the atmosphere (friendly but business-like) while younger, creative businesses, such as digital and media companies, have a relaxed attitude to both (think no dress codes and table tennis in a loft workspace).

London workers are entitled to a minimum wage and many are paid the London Living Wage of £10.75 an hour.

Visas and Work Permits

EU/EFTA citizens can currently come to the UK without a visa or work permit. However, this is due to change as of 1 January 2021 when the UK officially leaves the EU. From this date, EU/EFTA residents will be classed the same as third-country nationals.

Most third-country citizens need a visa to enter and work in the UK, although some exceptions exist. There are several visas with different conditions; for example, highly skilled migrants need a Tier 2 (general) visa, which requires a certificate of sponsorship from an employer before coming to the UK.

Language

You will need to be able to speak English to a high standard to get a well-paid, professional job in London. Because London is a multicultural city with many residents and visitors speaking foreign languages, having another language in addition to English can give you an advantage. If you want a casual job, being able to speak English isn’t so important but the pay and conditions could be poor.

Getting Your Qualifications Recognized in London

Contact Ecctis to get your qualifications and skills recognized in London and the UK. You can apply online for a Statement of Compatibility by using scanned versions of your educational certificates and a transcript of your full academic record from your university or college. You may need to get these documents translated into English by a certified translator (contact your embassy for information on doing this) although UK NARIC accepts documents in certain languages.

London

How To Land A Job in London

Job Websites in London

General

Specialist Job Websites in London

You can search and apply for jobs in London through the gov.uk job portal. You can create a profile to help match you with suitable jobs in London, build or upload CVs and cover letters, get e-mail alerts, and track applications.

There are government-run JobCentrePlus offices all over London, usually focusing on non-professional jobs.

Newspapers and Other Publications

London-specific, free daily newspapers found at Underground stations, railway stations, and on the street include Metro (sales, engineering, secretarial, accountancy, health, tech) and the Evening Standard (jobs in sales, building, hotels, and catering).

The following newspapers have professional-level jobs throughout the UK but a large number of them are based in London. In many cases, you can search for jobs, upload CVs, and apply online; jobs are also provided in their print editions, too:

  • Guardian Online – arts, media, tech/new media, charities, graduate, marketing and PR, social and health, senior executive, education and recruitment
  • The Independent – media, public sector, tech/new media, finance/accounting, engineering, marketing
  • The Times/Sunday Times – senior positions

Recruitment Agencies in London


1: Oakleaf Partnership


HR Recruitment Agency in London- if you’re looking for one of the largest specialists in Human Resources across the UK. They have been proving themselves as a major player with HR, Reward, Payroll, and Human Capital; growing rapidly and have also been listed as one of the Best Small Companies to work for in the Sunday Times.

2: Front HR Recruitment 


HR Recruitment Agency in London, Front HR is dedicated to identifying and securing top-tier candidates for senior permanent HR vacancies that demand exceptional care and attention. Front has operated since 2006, and the focus lies in sourcing talented candidates who aren’t openly searching and recruiting those with a mix of strong relevant industry experience, qualifications, and personality to match. 

3. Morgan McKinley 


HR Recruitment Agency in London which is backed by Randstad. In 2008, Randstad joined Digby Morgan – the award-winning global HR recruitment company – and together, they say they’re stronger by sharing recruitment solutions, expertise and experience. If you need one of your HR agencies which can also cover several other vacancies and has global connections, then Randstad with more than 29,000 staff worldwide, could be for you – a specialist backed by a big-player.

4: Allen Associates


Best HR Recruitment Agencies in London with a large database of pre-interviewed candidates ready to step into Human Resources positions. Established in 1998 by a husband and wife team, now works with 12 consultants in dedicated offices. They cover temp and perm for PA, Administration, Marketing, and Finance roles.

5: Lily Shippen


HR Recruitment Agency For London – with HR jobs in the City of London, from Payroll Assistant to HR Business Partner, this agency was founded in 2016 and specializes in HR professionals.  Very good resources on the website, including useful downloads, articles and videos, all to help and support job hunting or recruiting, as well as a useful blog with indexing.  A large team of recruiters, get your CV over to them with the type of HR position you are looking for.

See More on Recruitment Agencies in London, UK

Tips for Applying for a Job in London

  • Most companies in London welcome speculative applications, so go for it. Always try to write to a specific person; look on company websites or call the company to find out who that is.
  • If you speak more than one language make sure you include this in your CV even if it doesn’t seem relevant to the job – being multilingual is very helpful in multicultural London.
  • If you need help putting a CV together, try an online resume builder like Resume.io.
  • Make sure you mention that you are legally able to work in the UK.
  • Many companies in London will require full CVs and cover letters even for lower-level jobs, unless they have their online application form. Make sure you address the points in the ‘person specification’ if applying for a particular job
  • Companies are usually inundated with applications; don’t be offended if you don’t receive an acknowledgment. If you haven’t heard by a few weeks after the closing date, it’s okay to contact the HR department to ask about your application.
  • When you’re preparing for an interview, think of some challenging situations work-wise and how you handled them. Also, prepare some insightful questions to ask to show that you’re interested in the role.
  • If you don’t get the job, you can contact the HR department to ask for some feedback if you reach the interview stage.

London is one of the world’s leading financial centers for international business and commerce. Hence it’s only natural if you’re asking yourself “How to land a job in London as a foreigner?”.

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