I’m an international teacher, what are the visa options to allow me to work in a British school?

If you’re an international teacher who wants to work in the British school system, there are several visa options you can consider. Read our latest blog to find out if one might be right for you.

Youth Mobility Visa

One option for overseas teachers is the Youth Mobility Scheme, which allows you to live and work in the UK for up to two years. To apply for this type of visa you must be aged 18 to 30 or 18 to 35, depending on where you’re from, have £2,530 in savings, and be from Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea or Taiwan.

Ancestry Visa

Overseas teachers with an ancestral connection to the UK may qualify for a UK Ancestry visa. You must be a Commonwealth citizen, British overseas citizen, British Overseas Territories citizen, British national (overseas) or a citizen of Zimbabwe. You must also prove that one of your grandparents was born in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, as well as meet other eligibility requirements.

Alternatively, if you are in a relationship with, married to, or a child of an Ancestry visa holder, you may become a dependant on their visa. To be a dependant, you must be either a partner, a child under 18,or a child aged 18 or over who was previously on an Ancestry visa as a dependant. You’ll need to provide evidence of your relationship when you apply.

EU Settlement Scheme

You may be able to get an EU Settlement Scheme family permit and subsequently pre-settled status to reside in the UK if you’re either the family member (for example, child or spouse) of someone from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, or the family member of an eligible person from Northern Ireland who is currently residing in the UK and has been granted status under EU Settlement Scheme.

Spouse visa

To apply for this visa, you and your partner both need to be 18 or over. Your partner must also either be a British or Irish citizen, have settled in the UK, be from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and have pre-settled status . You must also intend to live together with your partner in the UK permanently.

Skilled Worker Visa 

The Skilled Worker Visa is a great option for those qualified to teach in a hard-to-fill subject area. To qualify for a Skilled Worker visa, you must work for a UK employer that’s been approved by the Home Office; have a ‘certificate of sponsorship’ (CoS) from your employer with information about the role you’ve been offered in the UK; do a job that’s on the list of eligible occupations and be paid a minimum salary – how much depends on the type of work you do and the date you got your CoS. It is important to note that you need to already have a confirmed job offer before applying for this visa.

How Gherson can assist

Gherson’s Immigration Team are highly experienced in advising on UK visa matters. If you have any questions arising from this blog, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or, alternatively, follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

The information in this blog is for general information purposes only and does not purport to be comprehensive or to provide legal advice. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the information and law is current as of the date of publication it should be stressed that, due to the passage of time, this does not necessarily reflect the present legal position. Gherson accepts no responsibility for loss which may arise from accessing or reliance on information contained in this blog. For formal advice on the current law please do not hesitate to contact Gherson. Legal advice is only provided pursuant to a written agreement, identified as such, and signed by the client and by or on behalf of Gherson.

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