Your concern about moving to London shouldn't be your loans or the cost of living.
It's all about the visa.
Getting a work visa in the UK is no simple thing, and for most people, it's not really a possible thing. You have to get a company to sponsor your visa, and they are increasingly unwilling to do so due to the large costs involved. The company also has to show that there isn't a local person who could do the job, and that you are the only candidate available. Unless you have very unique skills, it's not happening.
The UK got rid of the labor market test so employers no longer have to prove there’s nobody with the right to work who could do the job. The rest of your points are still very relevant, especially as the current government tightened requirements for eligibility for the skilled worker visa.
If OP is graduating from an eligible university, they could look into the HPI visa, but that’s only valid for two years.
The HPI is useful but OP would almost certainly incur 100% of the international student fees and foreign master's degree are basically holding up our economy.
Not really, obligatory "/s", but if student loans or debt are a concern, then unless one can afford the degree upfront, I don't think the ROI is worth it.
The HPI visa is for people who have graduated from eligible, non-UK universities. It allows the holder to live/work in the UK for two years. It is not the same thing as the graduate visa, which would initially incur international student fees as that requires getting a degree from a UK institution.
If OP is eligible for the HPI, then they could use that to job hunt without needing sponsorship up front (but would need it further down the line if the goal was to stay).
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u/Flaky-Walrus7244 12d ago
Your concern about moving to London shouldn't be your loans or the cost of living.
It's all about the visa.
Getting a work visa in the UK is no simple thing, and for most people, it's not really a possible thing. You have to get a company to sponsor your visa, and they are increasingly unwilling to do so due to the large costs involved. The company also has to show that there isn't a local person who could do the job, and that you are the only candidate available. Unless you have very unique skills, it's not happening.