Find jobs guide
Working in the UK - what to expect
A plain-English overview of work rights, common routes into UK employment, and what to ask an employer before you start - not a substitute for official guidance.
Right to work checks
Every UK employer is legally required to check that you have the right to work before you start a job - usually by seeing your passport, a visa, or an online right-to-work share code. This applies to everyone, regardless of nationality, and is a normal, routine part of starting a role, not a sign of distrust.
Common routes into UK work
Depending on your circumstances, you might already have the right to work (British/Irish citizenship, settled or pre-settled status), or you might need a visa tied to a job offer - most commonly the Skilled Worker visa, or the Health and Care Worker visa for eligible healthcare and social care roles. Each route has its own eligibility rules, salary thresholds and processing times, and these change from time to time.
What to ask an employer
- What are the contract terms - hours, probation period, notice period?
- If you need a visa: will they act as your sponsor, and what's the expected timeline?
- What does the role actually involve day to day, and what support is there when you start?
Where to get the current, official rules
Visa and work-rights rules change, so we deliberately don't restate them in detail here. For the current, authoritative position, see:
We're a recruitment agency, not an immigration adviser - for advice specific to your situation, speak to a regulated immigration adviser or solicitor.