Looking for work in Europe?

In news sure to bring a smile to the faces of many who are considering working overseas, Britain has just recently overhauled its work-permit sytem. What does this mean? Well, it's expected to make it easier for Australians to seek employment in Britain.

But this didn't just happen because the Brits like losing to us in the Cricket. No, the real reason behind the overhaul is that the UK is experiencing shortages of skilled workers in various trades and professions.

The new system will work similarly to what America has in place, whereby a certain amount of foreign workers are allowed into the country under a Green Card system. In a bid to curb the dropping workforce, a new scheme titled the "Highly Skilled Migrants Program" would be put in place.

At present, if you were a 27 year-old citizen of Australia, with no immediate family in Britain, you can only work there if an employer gives you a job before you head over. Moreover, for people aged between 17 and 27, under the old rules they would only be permitted to live in the country for two years as a working holidaymaker, provided they only worked part-time and didn't pursue their chosen career.

Under the new "Highly Skilled Migrants Program" Australian and other foreign skilled graduates would benefit, as they are now (from Jan 2002) allowed to look for work in Great Britain, assuming they can provide for themselves, without arriving fully employed.

The reasons behind such a massive new program centre squarely on the issue of illegal immigration - a topic that Australia knows all too well. The Home Secretary for Britain, David Blunkett, had this to say: "We want to ensure that our economy can benefit from opening opportunities to both skilled and unskilled workers on a sensible managed basis for those who wish to be legally employed here.

"We want to encourage those workers who apply to work in Britain through the proper channels so our country is as strong as possible in the global economy," he said.

Three new classes of worker will be allowed into Britain under the new changes: foreign national, highly skilled migrants and unskilled seasonal workers. The latter, unskilled workers, is hoped stem those working illegally in the hospitality and farming industries, as the government expects to issue some 15,000 permits to workers in this category.

There will be strict controls placed on the number of foreign workers entering the UK, but on the whole, if you had ever fancied working the UK - it's now much more appealing than ever - particularly so for Aussies.

Related links:

Working in Britain

Jobs Abroad