Need advice on getting a job in a foreign country

Question

Hello,

I am a citizen of the United States of America and I want to get a job in the United Kingdom. Sounds good on the surface but I am looking for some advice on what to expect in the way of taxes (and the salary planning associated with them), legal issues and anything else that might not be that obvious.

If you have done the ExPat thing and have some advice for a poor sucker looking to make the leap, please let me know. If you are in the UK (and I know a bunch of you are) and have some advice from that side of the pond, that would be greatly appriciated as well!!

Answer 1

I can make no claim at being English, but be certain to learn English. :)

By which I mean the spellings like odour, aluminium, litre & metre.

Because of a tax agreement, if you pay your UK taxes, you will not owe US taxes for that period. UK taxes are likely a little higher. But you should get some health care after a period of residency, talk to your employer about being covered in the meantime. You may still owe non-income taxes in the US, such as property tax.

You will need work authorization, which is likely easier for an American to get in the UK than for a British person to get in the US, it's your employer's job to get it for you, but it's a very good idea to educate yourself about the steps involved because you'll meet a lot of people who have no idea just how complicated it can be since they just pay a lawyer and expect magic to happen. Unfortunately a search of amazon.co.uk makes it seem like 100% of book on immigration are about US Immigration, which makes sense, since the process is so opaque. On the plus side, it seems like this might be the first time in general that the UK is better off than the US

Answer 2

Tax rates vary from 0-40% income tax, depending on your income (!) You hit the top rate just under £40k. For most others, it's 20%. You have to pay national insurance too (8%, iirc).

Sales tax (VAT - 17.5%) is almost always included in the sticker price, so most people aren't so good at working out smallish percentages when shopping :) Rent will be 400-2k+ pcm depending on your aspirations and your location. Mortages will probably be twice that. London & the south east are easily the most expensive, but they are where the jobs are.

A car will cost you about £120 a year in tax (for a family car) to have on the road, plus a stupid amount if you want to drive into London; insurance will be a minimum of £3-400 for a man with a clean record. Speeding fines start at £60 - 4 in 3 years gets you a ban. Servicing cost vary wildly, but expect several hundred pounds a time. Cars are all smaller, more expensive and more efficient than you'll find in the US (generalising wildly!)

The cost of living here is higher than the US, even taking into account the exchange rate. Petrol (gas) and diesel prices are a case in point - petrol is about £1.13 per litre. The conversion to the dollar/gallon rate will be sobering (and good practice!)

I've no idea about the legal issues, but I'd expect a work permit to be either impossible or straightforward, depending on your skills and relations.

Answer 3

You will need a work permit to work in the UK, if you aren't an EC citizen. This can involve a fair amount of time, expense and paperwork. Usually this is taken care of by a company that wants to employ you. The company needs to convince the government that they can't find an EC citizen with the same skills.

Another route is to work for an international company and have them transfer you to their UK office.

IANAIL (I Am Not An Immigration Lawyer)

Answer 4

Right now, we're suffering the credit crunch the US gave us - which means that there is a shortage of jobs, and salaries are stagnating. Meanwhile prices are going up.

What does that mean? You will get paid less if you can find a job, and all your money will be used to pay for fuel (Gas (petrol), electric and Gas (natural)).

Sorry to sound like it's rubbish here (it's not), but I'd suggest waiting ~6 months and checking how the economy is doing then.

Answer 5

I'm an American working in the UK for the past 10 years.

Because of a tax agreement, if you pay your UK taxes, you will not owe US taxes for that period.

False! The US is unusual among nations in that you do have to pay taxes to your home country even on money you earn elsewhere. Fortunately there is a lower limit, not sure what it is this year, somewhere around $80,000 I think, subtract that from your UK salary and that's what you pay taxes on. You must file in any case.

I recommend looking into the Highly Skilled Workers visa - this is a points-based visa, which isn't tied to an employer. They appear to have changed this recently, I had the predecessor to this, HSMP. If you get an employer to sponsor you for a work permit, you are only allowed to work for that company, so changing jobs is awkward. It's also difficult to find an employer to sponsor you first time around.

insurance will be a minimum of £3-400 for a man with a clean record

Try £1,000 as someone with no record - you are a new driver, even if you've been driving for 20 years in the US. I'd recommend not bothering with a car if you're going to live and work in London, much less hassle and bureaucracy.

Yes, the cost of living is higher, especially in London. Also, you have no credit history. Salaries are stagnating, but there are still jobs out there.

You don't need health insurance, if you're working you'll be covered by the NHS. Whatever you've heard from American politicians, and even from bitching Brits, the NHS will do you fine. You can get private insurance, particularly through an employer, but I've found it to be a waste of money. Many will disagree ...

Right now, we're suffering the credit crunch the US gave us

*cough* *cough*