I am thinking about moving to London. What do I have to do?

Question

Im still pretty young and I would love to live there for a while. What kind of work and school opportunities are available for US citizens. Are there any universities where I could study for my masters degree? Where is a good area in London to live in? Is there any places to play poker? Are foreigners allowed to invest in real estate? Am I allowed to open up my own business?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Phew so many questions! London is like any big city in that there are good areas and bad areas. I suggest you rent a flat in either central London or the City. Outer areas of London should be avoided especially the east side. Be aware that there are gangs of eastern European thieves and muggers ready to steal anything valuable they see. All this said, London is a great place to live and if you can afford it try living in Hampstead/Hampstead heath, it's almost like being in a country village!
Foreigners are continually investing in real estate in this country so you should have no problem providing you meet the required criteria, this also applies to you opening your own business. Check out the Universities on line to find the best one for your chosen subject, and finally, there are casino's in and around London for you to play poker.

Answer 2

Yes Central London is crowded but there are tons of leafy suburbs - its big. I think you'll always regret it if you dont move and wish you did. I moved here from up north and lived here since 2006. I dont plan to leave anytime soon. London is great and has everything I need. The Underground is useful. If not for you there are plenty of buses. Good luck. I think the people saying dont move here are jealous they dont have the guts. I dont go around slagging off their hometowns so they wanna learn to shut up! I just told my work I was leaving to go to London, and they transferred me with the company I was with so I had a job already. I don't work there any more because I'm back at University. So many opportunities.

Answer 3

If you want to work in the UK you will need a work permit. Check this website for more info. http://www.workingintheuk.gov.uk/working_in_the_uk/en/homepage.html It has a lot of information about what work permits are available. If you have good job skills in certain areas you might qualify for a highly-skilled migrant's visa. If you don't have those job skills you might find it hard to get a permit. It's not easy for US citizens to qualify.
If you do make it to the UK and have a work permit you will be allowed to invest in real estate. Be aware though that your US credit rating won't be considered and unless/until you establish permenant residency (takes 5 years) you will have to make a huge downpayment. Expect 40% or more and with UK housing prices and the poor exchange rate you will be making a down payment of $200,000 or more. You can open your own business, but again you have to have the work permit before doing so. I can't help with school info. I know Americans who are going to school in England so I'm sure it's possible, but I didn't do it. I did move to London on a work visa.
If your parents or grandparents came from Europe you might be able to get a European passport from the country they came from. If you qualify for that it's an easy way to live in the UK because a European passport allows you to work in the UK without getting the visa. Good luck!

Answer 4

Well I know there are job opportunities in London to become au pairs. That is you get paid to live in a person's house and look after their children, like a nanny. A lot of young people take this route, but mainly young women. Have you tried looking into an exchange program through a university?

Answer 5

i lived in london several years back & it is not difficult to work there...i worked 2 jobs & didn`t have a work permit, there are plenty of places that will hire u without having one...as far as i know, u don`t need a visa for the uk as long as it`s a 6 month or less stay...they simply stamp your passport upon arrival at the airport...on the other hand, if u plan to study and/or work legally in the uk, then it will be a bit more difficult, because u will have to get a student visa, work permits, etc., which can be quite tedious...check out these sites for general info about accommodations, etc....

http://www.timeout.com/london/

http://www.tntmagazine.com/

Answer 6

All of the above. There are a variety of London universities which welcome international students wanting to take advanced degrees. If I'm not incorrect, the London School of Economics has more non-UK graduates than UK ones.

U.S. citizens may not work in the UK without a company transfer or specialist skills. I know - I've recruited US citizens to work for UK companies.

As with any big city, good areas are a matter of wealth. The more expensive the residence, the better the area for the most part. Unlike many big U.S. cities, there are stark contrasts in the same neighborhoods. In the area of South London where I live, council estates abut luxury properties. Generally, South and East London are less well-off than North and West. For a good middle class neighborhood I would recommend Chiswick in west London. Closer to the centre, I would recommend Putney or Wimbledon - both in South London but have good transport links.

You can invest in real estate and many foreigners do. It's a solid investment. Be aware, though, that London property prices are astronomical - c. $600,000 for a small one-bedroomed flat in a decent area. Mortgage rates are not much higher than U.S. prime rates at the moment, but it is predicted that the Bank of England is going to raise interest rates again soon. Most lenders offer mortgages based on 3x individual income or 2x joint income, so to get on the property ladder you would need a deposit of the equivalent of $100,000 and an annual income of $175,000. There is a severe shortage of affordable private housing in the London area; most of the development is going on out of town.

You can open your own business, but it needs to be viable and as a foreigner you cannot get a bank loan without significant resources. There would of course be a requirement for you to employ Brits. The tax system is complicated, as are the laws, especially health and safety and employment laws. Business premises, like residential ones, are expensive to lease, and there are severe limits on dual use premises, i.e. most residential leases (and bear in mind that most properties in London are leasehold, meaning you might own the flat but you don't own the land it's built on, and when the lease expires, the property, including your investment, reverts to the land owner or "freeholder") do not allow you to operate a business from your home. London has the highest SFs in the WORLD. Prime space in Central London can run as high as $2,000 per square foot. On tpp of your lease or rent, you have to pay "rates" which are charges imposed by the local authority, corporate taxes, employers charges, national insurance contributions (social security), utilities, insurance (liability, etc) and maintenance costs (including e.g. garbage collection).

Employers in the UK, although not as restricted by law as in continental Europe, do have to abide by both UK and European law when it comes to the working conditions of their staff. You cannot terminate an employee without cause. All employees, regardless of their jobs, must have written contracts of employment. Statutory minimum holiday time in the UK is 28 days (including 8 national holidays); maternity and paternity leave and benefits are relatively generous and statutory. The minimum wage is nearly $12 an hour.

Poker is not a particularly popular pasttime in the UK. I play poker but do not know anyone else who does. There are poker games at casinos, but you'll find the casinos in London are all high-end and big money stakes. Gambling is legal and licensed all over the UK. There are betting shops everywhere, in addition to horse and dog tracks. Sport is very popular - soccer, rugby, cricket, motor racing and tennis being the most popular.

Hope this helps!

Answer 7

i cant answer all your questions, but i know its not easy for non europeans you obviosly need a visa. you can check out www.bunac.com or like you say check universities, maybe through your own uni (if you are in one)
good luck! you'll love this place!