Stage 2 · Lesson 1 of 5
Employer-sponsored and job-seeker routes
Almost every work route abroad falls into one of two groups. In an employer-sponsored route, you find the job first, and the employer applies for or backs your permit; the permit is tied to that job, and changing employers usually needs a new application or a notification.
In a , you get permission to enter and search for work first, then switch to a work permit once you have an offer; Germany's Opportunity Card is the best-known example. A few long-term or talent routes, such as the UAE , are not tied to one employer at all, but have strict conditions.
Know which group your route is in, because it decides what you can do before an offer and what happens if the job ends.
Common trapquitting a sponsored job without checking how long you may stay.
A question to check yourself, an AI practice session and 2 cheat sheet entries come when you add the roadmap to your account. Add it
Resources for this stage
Start with· follow one of these
- GuideFreeUK Skilled Worker visa (GOV.UK)
UK Home Office (GOV.UK)
The full Skilled Worker rules: skill level, salary, English, fees and family
- GuideFreeIreland employment permits (Critical Skills and General)
Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Ireland
Critical Skills and General Employment permits, thresholds and Stamp 4
Practise
Keep handy
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What the UK graduate tech market looks like now, and what it means if you need a visa
- Sefism 1:1 MentorshipGo deeper
Check your understanding of a route with someone who has been through it