Moving to UK

How hard is it to move to the UK from the US and find work (specifically in the middle eastern area of England)

Will have a bachelors in computer science when the time comes as well as a reasonable amount of work experience by then hopefully

Is it impossible?

not to distract from original post, but ive wondered the same about going from Canada to the UK. any different than from US? we are part of the commonwealth, that has to count for something

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/working/

Also, no such place as middle eastern England, unless you mean Finsbury Park.

  On 8/12/2013 at 3:42 AM, Keith said:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/working/

 

Also, no such place as middle eastern England, unless you mean Finsbury Park.

Yes there is I'm talking directionally not ethnically

No there isn't. You have the East Midlands. And the East of England. And you've circled a good chunk of the South East. Middle Eastern England is not a phrase somebody from England would use. They could make a guess that you mean somewhere in the 'middle', somewhere in the East, but it doesn't actually clearly correspond to anywhere. My first reaction was why would a yank want to move to Norfolk? Why the area you've circled?

  On 8/12/2013 at 4:25 AM, Keith said:

No there isn't. You have the East Midlands. And the East of England. And you've circled a good chunk of the South East. Middle Eastern England is not a phrase somebody from England would use. They could make a guess that you mean somewhere in the 'middle', somewhere in the East, but it doesn't actually clearly correspond to anywhere. My first reaction was why would a yank want to move to Norfolk? Why the area you've circled?

middle eastern area =/= east midlands?

okay

anyway I have my reasons

I really can't see why you'd want to- but yeah I'm sure it'd be relatively straightforward. Don't underestimate the culture shock though. I've been told by American friends that it's actually quite hard to get used to the place.

Also, London's your best bet. Anywhere else in the circled area and you'll be wishing you'd never left.

Why what's wrong with those areas?

They're small and boring, in a nutshell. Some nice places for a day trip but that's about all. In England you're probably best thinking about London or Manchester. Edinburgh is also good.

Be careful, Zef. I heard women's lib is huge in the UK.

Damn that sucks.

Better spread the humane MRA truth.

I'm just playin, Zef.

P.S. I'd be scared to move to the U.K. because in my imagination the U.K. is this ugly police state because of all the surveillance cameras.

  On 8/12/2013 at 4:54 AM, waldszenen said:

I really can't see why you'd want to- but yeah I'm sure it'd be relatively straightforward. Don't underestimate the culture shock though. I've been told by American friends that it's actually quite hard to get used to the place.

 

Also, London's your best bet. Anywhere else in the circled area and you'll be wishing you'd never left.

What kind of culture shock? How insulated are these Americans if they get culture shock from a country that speaks the same language and aren't that dissimilar culturally?

Slightly unrelated, but I laugh when I see subtitles in an American show when someone from the UK with a bit of a dialect is speaking.

why do you want to move to the UK? isn't it just a smaller, drearier, more expensive US?

the health care and gun control would be nice but if you want those things, other parts of northern europe (netherlands, denmark, sweden, finland) would be much better.

i really want to move to scandinavia. but seems like that's nigh on impossible unless you are a refugee or a highly skilled professional.

You're going to have to use words like tyre and kerb, don't do it

definitely think about London... Should be pretty straightforward to get a work visa etc, same for Canada... Just getting ready for work right now, but I'll try to expand on my answer later... There are some alright places in your circled area that aren't London... Cambridge is good, Nottingham, Leicester is ok, you've also got Brighton and Bournemouth a bit south of your circled area... I guess it depends what you're looking for and also where you live now... If you're from a small farming community in the Midwest, then yeah lots of places will probably seem pretty good! Also, don't move to any town/city that doesn't have a university as fuck all will ever happen ever.

Bristol might be a good bet, also anywhere from oxford in towards london along the thames is a pretty good area to watch for technology computing jobs.

  On 8/12/2013 at 7:46 AM, azatoth said:

 

  On 8/12/2013 at 4:54 AM, waldszenen said:

I really can't see why you'd want to- but yeah I'm sure it'd be relatively straightforward. Don't underestimate the culture shock though. I've been told by American friends that it's actually quite hard to get used to the place.

 

Also, London's your best bet. Anywhere else in the circled area and you'll be wishing you'd never left.

 

What kind of culture shock? How insulated are these Americans if they get culture shock from a country that speaks the same language and aren't that dissimilar culturally?

Slightly unrelated, but I laugh when I see subtitles in an American show when someone from the UK with a bit of a dialect is speaking.

 

It pisses me off when subtitles are used when the person is already speaking English, even when it's a second language to that speaker and they have a thick accent. I just find it insulting to them. I mean, do the producers really think their audience is that dumb? (sorry, ranting)

Anyway, if I ever go to the UK, London or Manchester would be my top choices. I would visit first though, before considering making a move there.

  On 8/12/2013 at 7:46 AM, azatoth said:

What kind of culture shock? How insulated are these Americans if they get culture shock from a country that speaks the same language and aren't that dissimilar culturally?

Slightly unrelated, but I laugh when I see subtitles in an American show when someone from the UK with a bit of a dialect is speaking.

 

I guess they took that very attitude and were a bit thrown by how different it actually turned out to be. Plus the little streak of casual anti-americanism in your average citizen probably gets rather trying after a while.

i've lived in london and predominantly outside of london all my life (40 last week) and would say that london is great if you're being paid astonishingly well or doing a job that's so rare it's fascinating despite the potential lack of money. lots of londoners have great arguments for the place - and i would live there is a second if i won lots of cash too - but they're mostly, as far as i can tell, imagined benefits and rarely contradicted or contrasted with the various down sides; it's a hell of a job to grasp all the various things going on, and it's a habit born of a determination or proximity, or failure to realise just how much you have to put into it all over the years.

i found that you might as well be anywhere in england if you've not got the time, energy and money to take advantage of all the stuff there (preferably all three), and it's not implausible to travel there when you'd really like to see something in particular; you can stay overnight pretty cheaply if you look at hostels and book trains well in advance or look for cheap onstreet parking, which is surprisingly possible for the capital. when i lived there, i would go to work and return back home, and all the stuff that was out there was more of a nightmare to travel to from within london than it might be to pick the best of it and drive in to from a couple of hours distance away.

not everyone living in any country lives in a city - so pick somewhere to live here because you want a similarity or a contrast.

plenty of great villages, towns, cities.

All this "city or nothing" talk is kind of amusing, considering I know someone who lives in Stoke-on-Trent who can't imagine why anyone would choose to live somewhere as busy as London. :) It's up to each individual to work out if they'd rather live in a hectic urban environment or a more laid back country one, or somewhere in between, and I'm sure all countries offer the full spectrum of options.

Anyway, there are some great places in the UK.

  On 8/12/2013 at 4:25 AM, Keith said:

No there isn't. You have the East Midlands. And the East of England. And you've circled a good chunk of the South East. Middle Eastern England is not a phrase somebody from England would use. They could make a guess that you mean somewhere in the 'middle', somewhere in the East, but it doesn't actually clearly correspond to anywhere. My first reaction was why would a yank want to move to Norfolk? Why the area you've circled?

LOL!

i live in a tree. i think i just saw a bug, but i cant be sure. i plan to crawl toward ground level, yet this is a great endeavor. it is a journey that will change my life forever. once my friend fell free fall style from the top of the plant to the ground, and survived. i havent heard from him, yet i hear he is alive. im posting now from an internet posting station available to travelers headings downwards toward ground level, they only allow 3 minutes per user. im having to type fast

ill post again when i get to ground level if i can. there are many security agents blocking every entrance, and if you want to proceed any given way, you have to show a passport. its getting bad...dont go into the computer if you plan on going back, but if you plan on going forward, god speed, and for god speed, stay away from the grasshopper people. good luck soldier! i believe in you!

As a broad suggestion, you either want to be within the London area, or in a university town/city. So within your area that includes places like Leicester, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford, Canterbury, Cambridge, Colchester.

As mentioned, have a look at Bristol, and I'd suggest Sheffield and Birmingham as well. Both places are well connected.

University towns cities will probably have better job prospects and be more culturally interesting/accepting. You don't want to end up somewhere like Bedford/Luton/Peterborough/Clacton etc.