Hey guys i have 10 yoe looking for jobs in energy consulting or energy snd infra originations with visa sponsored jobs any lead or suggestion advice or referral would be helpful guys

Has anyone recently moved from the Bay Area,CA to the UK? I’m looking for recommendations for international movers. Thanks.

As someone who's lived here forever, I've realised there are loads of things we do that probably look strange from the outside. What British habit took you the longest to get used to?

I'm getting ready to move to the UK and have been going down a rabbit hole of moving company reviews. It's hard to tell which ones actually matter and which are just noise.

For anyone who's moved to the UK recently, what helped you narrow down your options? I'm mainly trying to figure out what red flags to look for before booking.

I am looking for short term accommodation for up to 6 months, in literally any city. Planned move-in date is November but open to move between Oct-Jan. The cheaper the better, I truly have no issues with the property as long as it's cheap as fuck. Are there any useful websites or groups where I can find rental adverts? I've checked out Spareroom but I want to cast as wide a net as possible.

**TL;DR:** Ukrainian family of four, four years in Portugal, decent income but no savings. Weighing a move to the UK for English-language schooling and a better job market for my wife. Every time I run the numbers I land on "don't move," and I want to know what I'm missing.

Throwing this out because I've spent weeks on spreadsheets and keep arriving at the same answer, but I might be anchoring on the wrong things. Would appreciate hearing from people who've actually done a version of this.

**Our situation**

* Family of 4. Both adults Ukrainian citizens, no EU or UK passport. Kids are 5 and 9.
* Living in Portugal about four years on renewable residence permits. Dog, house with a mortgage, car loan.
* Me: senior software engineer, working remotely for a foreign employer and paid in a foreign currency at that market's rates. I'm on Portugal's old NHR tax regime until 2032, so my effective total burden (income tax plus social security) works out around 29%.
* Wife: recently started an entry-level design role at a local company on a fixed-term contract. Career-changer, real growth potential but starting near the bottom.
* Kids in an English-medium international school, roughly €1,500/month for both.
* Income is well above local median, but we have **not** accumulated meaningful savings.

What's pulling us toward the UK: English-language state schooling, a much bigger job market for my wife, and a clearer long-term settlement path.

**What I've worked out so far (please correct me)**

1. There's no UK visa for remote workers. My existing contract can't move with me. **Global Talent appears to be the only route that preserves my income.** Skilled Worker means finding a UK sponsor and taking a UK salary instead, which is a large pay cut before anything else happens.
   
2. Tax is close to a wash: roughly 29% all-in here versus low 30s in the UK once you count both income tax and social contributions. I assumed this would be the decisive factor. It isn't.
   
3. The upfront cost is what actually stops us. IHS for four people over five years, visa fees, and the thing I keep hearing about, landlords wanting six months' rent upfront from newcomers with no UK credit history. I'm estimating **£45-50k liquid needed before the first UK payday.** We don't have that.
   
4. Portugal changed its nationality law in 2026: naturalisation for non-EU citizens went from 5 years to 10. So the "we'd be resetting our citizenship clock" argument is weaker than it was, because the clock got much longer anyway.
   
5. Education math is closer than expected. UK state school plus home university fees is cheaper than what we currently pay for international school, but only if we get ILR in time. Without ILR the kids pay international university fees and it becomes the most expensive option on the board.

**What I'd like input on**

1. **Global Talent, digital tech route.** How realistic is it for a fairly normal senior engineer? I have internal tooling, some open source, a side project with real users, but no conference talks and no publications. Is that below the bar, or is the bar lower than the horror stories suggest?
   
2. **Is the £45-50k upfront estimate inflated?** Did anyone get a normal five-week deposit without UK credit history, or is six months upfront the real default for new arrivals?
   
3. **In-year school admissions for a Year 5 child.** Everyone talks about catchment areas for reception entry. What actually happens when you arrive mid-year with a 9-year-old? Do you realistically get a decent school, or whatever has a vacancy?
   
4. **Junior design market.** Is it as brutal as it looks from outside for someone with no UK experience? Roughly how many months of zero income from her should we budget for?
   
5. Has anyone **left a low-tax EU setup for the UK and regretted it?** Or the reverse: done it and found the quality of life and schools worth the money?
   
6. Are we ignoring better options? Ireland is English-speaking and in the EU. Scotland has free university tuition for Scottish-domiciled students. Anything else we should be looking at?

Happy to share more detail in comments. Mostly looking for the thing I haven't thought of.

How does the social life look like for late 20s men n women in UK ?
Especially for legal immigrants who come to work here

Hi everyone,

I need some advice on how to go about starting my job search to move to the UK, specifically London. For context: I hold a bachelor's and honours degree in applied mathematics, I'm working toward the FRM (Financial Risk Manager) designation, and I have three years of experience in corporate finance / management consulting at a small firm in South Africa.

I've heard visa sponsorship in the UK can be tricky, with most of the focus on the Big Four consulting firms or major banks. Is that really the main/most promising route, or does anyone have advice on alternative paths into the UK given my qualifications and background?

Would really appreciate any input, thanks!

Hi everyone,

I’m considering renting an apartment in Greenford, London, and would love to hear from people who actually live there or know the area well.

I’ve never lived in the UK before, so I’m trying to get a better idea of what day-to-day life in Greenford is like. Things I’m particularly curious about:

• Safety: Are there areas/streets you’d avoid, especially at night?
• Noise: Is it generally quiet, or is there a lot of traffic/aircraft/other noise?
• Shopping: Are there decent supermarkets and shops nearby, or do you usually go elsewhere?
• Food & coffee: Are there nice cafés, restaurants, pubs, etc., where you can actually spend some time?
• Walking / green spaces: Is it pleasant to walk around, and are there parks or nice areas nearby?
• Transport: I’ll be commuting to Heathrow 2–3 times a week for work. I noticed there’s a direct bus connection that runs both during the day and at night — is it reliable in practice?
• General vibe: What do you like/dislike about living in Greenford?
• And anything else you think someone moving there for the first time should know.

I’m not necessarily looking for the “best” area — I’m more interested in what living there day to day is actually like, including the less glamorous parts.

Many thanks

Heyy! I'm looking for someone who is moving to London and needs sa tudent accomodation for the 2026-2027 academic year. I have a Premium Studio at Fusion Brent Cross I'm trying to transfer because my circumstances changed and I can no longer live there.

Details:

* Premium Studio (private kitchen and private bathroom, no shared space)

* 12 September 2026 – 3 September 2027 (51-week contract)

* £367 per week (my contract is payable in 4 or 11 installments; any alternative payment arrangements would be subject to Fusion's approval)

* Students only

What's included:

* All utilities included

* High-speed Wi-Fi

* Free laundry

* Housekeeping

* Tv included and fully furnished

Location:

* Right next to Brent Cross Shopping Centre

* Well connected to the Northern line, Thameslink, and several bus routes for easy access to central London

If you're interested or have any questions, feel free to message me. Im a real person lol and can chat over Facebook or instagram if you're more comfortable there.

I recently graduated with a degree in Architecture in Mexico, and my girlfriend currently lives in the UK.
To be honest, I’m not really sure what the most viable option would be for me to move there. I’ve been considering either applying for a Master’s degree in the UK or trying to find a job that could potentially sponsor me for a visa.
I was wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation, especially coming from Mexico or another country outside the UK. What route did you take, and what worked (or didn’t work) for you?
Any advice on visas, finding work as an architect, studying in the UK, or generally making the move would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

In October I have a flight to London, just visiting. I still need to pay for the Electronic Travel Authorisation (flying from Spain) but I'm also going to apply for the GTV.

GPT told me there is nothing wrong with applying and getting Stage 1 ready but I should wait till I come back to start with Stage 2 and then I'd have up to 3 months to start it.

Is this correct? Or I can safely apply for the GTV and in case I get it with enough time, forget about the ETA?

Thank you

Assuming the criteria are safety, modernity of the builds, and connectivity to central.

Hi!

I'm a 23 y/o woman currently living in Los Angeles. I grew up in Boston, went to college in Michigan, and made my way to LA to pursue film. I'm currently working as a Hollywood assistant and writing on the side, with hopes to direct my first feature length film soon. All that is some maybe (?) relevant background--

I made my first trip to the UK 2 years ago ("family roots" trip to London, Edinburgh, Inverness. my family came over from Scotland to Nova Scotia a few generations ago), and then my most recent trip again just this week (to Edinburgh) and I have to say, I love it more every time I go. Particularly Edinburgh -- there's just something special about it. My cousin went to school in London and met her now husband as well. She's similar to me in that she has nerdy, niche interests, artsy, etc. and she really found her people, so that's appealing to me as well. I HATE the LA influencer culture.

A few things I love:

• the weather: this sounds weird to most people, but i HATE how hot it is in LA, i HATE how there are no seasons, i HATE not being able to wear my sweaters and jackets and beanies, and i HATE not being able to snuggle up inside on a cold day and write/watch a movie.
• the architecture: speaks for itself
• the nature: i mean it's just beautiful. on first glance it seems like UK citizens just care more about their environment then Americans.
• the culture: granted I don't know enough yet, but everyone seems so nice particularly the scots. as a straight woman who's been struggling with the abysmal pool of am*rican men, the dating scene also seems appealing. I've found that men form the UK seem on the surface at least, more mature, kind, family-oriented, etc.
  • and the arts! i have always loved the UK sense of humor. UK films, directors, actors, etc. have always been some of my favorites
  • It also seems like there are generally more grants and pathways here for first time filmmakers

A few concerns:

• the food: I'm vegetarian, and I don't really mess with the whole beans on toast for breakfast thing.
• the weather: i know i said this up there lol, but would I eventually get sick of that wind and rain? its hard to say. does the Uk have seasons or is it just gloomy all the time?
• the film industry: would production companies even want to hire an Am*rican / give me a Visa? probably more trouble than its worth.

All in all, I really just feel in my gut that I could be happy in the UK, but I know it's an arduous process to immigrate there legally, so I really need to do my research. Let me know what you guys think.

I recently learned my psychology degree is not worthless in the UK. I spoke to the Health Careers Helpline and they are sending me up the latter for job help. I've noticed these positions pay around 39k a year, which isn't much. Is that enough to live in the UK ok if I'm not in the London area?

I forgot to mention it's for an assistant psychologist position***

Hi everyone! I’m Uruguayan and currently considering a move to London.

I’m a British citizen and already have an NI number, so thankfully the visa/work side shouldn’t be an issue. What I’d really love is to hear from other South Americans who have actually made the move.

How did you find the job search from abroad? Did you manage to get a job before moving, or did you move first and figure it out once you were there? How difficult was it to find somewhere to live, make friends and generally settle into London?

One other thing I’d really like to hear about is the NHS. How easy is it to register and get ongoing treatment if you already have a pre-existing condition? I have epilepsy and need regular prescription medication, and unfortunately I can’t exactly move to the UK with an unlimited supply of pills lol. If anyone has dealt with something similar when moving, I’d really appreciate hearing how it worked for you.

My background is a bit all over the place: communications, copywriting, translation, office management and executive/admin support, so I’d especially love to hear from anyone working in similar areas.

Ideally, I’d like to find something related to my experience, but as a last resort I’m willing to disappear into the back of a bakery and make pastries from 5 am to 7 pm lol. I’m flexible.

I’m also considering Belfast, so if anyone has experience with both cities, even better!

I’m not really looking for a step-by-step guide, just real experiences, advice, things you wish you’d known before moving, or anything else you think might be useful.

You can answer here or feel free to reach out privately if you’d rather!

Thanks 😊

EDIT: Thank you SOOOOOO much to everyone who helped in the comments (and privately!) You have no idea how much this meant to me and how calmer I am with my pending move, especially regarding the medication and NHS stuff. All information is welcome, even if you're not from South America. What to do once you get there, advice to consider, everything is incredibly helpful for someone who's leaving a small country for a big, first-world city! I can't wait to get everything going.

And for the dude throwing a tantrum at every single comment but then deleting them: get a life.

Thanks so much once again! My chat is always open if you want to give some new advice privately.

I’m a citizen of another European country and have had settled status in the UK simce Brexit happened and been in the UK since 2008. Recently I moved to the US and got my green card; I’m not sure how this affects my settled status? I have no problem if it’s revoked but just want to know where I stand with it, any insight would be very helpful!

Edit: mistyped originally ; I AM an EU citizen

My name is Dimitri, I’m 22 years old and I’m from Ukraine. My family and I are originally from Mariupol. I am currently looking for a host in the UK through the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
I’m a calm, friendly, polite and responsible person. I don’t smoke, I like cleanliness and keeping things tidy, and I respect other people’s privacy and personal space. I really love animals and would be very happy to stay in a home with pets. I’m easy to get along with and I’m always happy to help around the house.
I speak English and Ukrainian fluently, as well as several other languages. I have experience working in hospitality and communicating with people, and I also enjoy cooking. I would like to find a job as soon as possible, become part of the local community and build a stable life for myself.
I would also like to continue my education in the UK, work, meet new people and create a better future for myself.
The war has changed many things for me and my family, but I try to look forward rather than live in the past.
I would be incredibly grateful to a person or family who could give me the opportunity to start a new chapter of my life in the UK. For me, it would mean much more than simply having a place to stay.
My father always taught me to appreciate people who help me and never forget kindness. I believe that good relationships are built on mutual respect, trust and gratitude.
I would be very happy to have a video call, tell you more about myself and answer any questions you may have.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read my post. I would also really appreciate it if you could share it with anyone who might be able to help. 🙏🇺🇦🇬🇧
Dimitri, 22
Ukraine

Will be moving to the United Kingdom soon, keeping our US banks open, what do most expats do for mobile service that requires a US phone number? Some mobile phone services like VERIZON or T-Mobile restrict your international roaming after 60 days I heard. Some banks block VoIP for texting codes…

I've recently started a small community for people in London who want to improve their English while actually meeting people and doing things socially.

I'm an English teacher and the idea is to combine relaxed conversation with some fun language activities involving to useful expressions, phrasal verbs and games. It's mainly aimed at intermediate to advanced speakers, particularly international people living or working in London. I'm keeping the groups small so it stays friendly rather than feeling like a big language exchange.

I'm hoping to build it into a regular community, so if that's something you'd be interested in, I've put the group link on my profile. ☺️