skilled worker visa sponsorship as a paralegal

Its basically unheard of for firms to sponsor visas for paralegals. I know from experience. My TC firm wouldn't even sponsor a visa for me to paralegal before I started my training contract, and I applied to dozens upon dozens of paralegal openings both directly and through recruiters and got nowhere.

Reply 2

OP

Original post by Gmaster1980

Its basically unheard of for firms to sponsor visas for paralegals. I know from experience. My TC firm wouldn't even sponsor a visa for me to paralegal before I started my training contract, and I applied to dozens upon dozens of paralegal openings both directly and through recruiters and got nowhere.

Thank you so much for your reply!! If you don't mind me asking, what did you study (LLB or GDL or else) and how the job hunting went for you? And do you know of any resources to get more insight from international students trying to build a career in law? thanks!!

Reply 3

Original post by muzeyyen

Thank you so much for your reply!! If you don't mind me asking, what did you study (LLB or GDL or else) and how the job hunting went for you? And do you know of any resources to get more insight from international students trying to build a career in law? thanks!!

GDL after masters in the UK. Got my offer after I self funded the LPC. Job hunting was very very difficult, mainly due to visa restrictions making doing vacation schemes nearly impossible. It may be slightly easier with you being eligible for the post graduate working visa, I wasn't.

I didn't use any resources specifically for international students. I'd generally recommend that anyone thinking of coming to the UK for a GDL in the hopes of getting a TC not even try.

Reply 4

OP

Yeah, it seems too risky. On the other hand, as you said, I'll have two years to get some experience through vacation schemes etc. and to build my CV. Did you manage to get a TC without any experience in law?

Also, do you think a GDL would be any good for a decent job in a different sector in the UK (I seriously doubt it) or if I don't have a TC at the end of the grad visa, I'll basically have no choice but to return to my home country?

Reply 5

Original post by muzeyyen

Yeah, it seems too risky. On the other hand, as you said, I'll have two years to get some experience through vacation schemes etc. and to build my CV. Did you manage to get a TC without any experience in law?

Also, do you think a GDL would be any good for a decent job in a different sector in the UK (I seriously doubt it) or if I don't have a TC at the end of the grad visa, I'll basically have no choice but to return to my home country?

I had a fair bit of legal work experience before I got my first (and last) vacation scheme but I was fully nonlaw so I likely had to show a thorough interested before I'd be taken seriously.

The gdl isn't even enough to be competitive for paralegal roles in the UK. Its less than worthless for any other sector.

Reply 6

OP

Original post by Gmaster1980

I had a fair bit of legal work experience before I got my first (and last) vacation scheme but I was fully nonlaw so I likely had to show a thorough interested before I'd be taken seriously.

The gdl isn't even enough to be competitive for paralegal roles in the UK. Its less than worthless for any other sector.

this is very helpful, thanks a lot!

Reply 7

OP

Original post by Gmaster1980

I'd generally recommend that anyone thinking of coming to the UK for a GDL in the hopes of getting a TC not even try.

OK a last question. Why exactly is that? Is it because it is statistically unlikely to get a TC regardless of the profile? You seem to have managed to secure a TC even without the graduate visa, so it can't be impossible, right? But I know nothing about your life, so I just don't know how to interpret this advice. I'm in a rut right now regarding career options and I don't want to be discouraged if it is not for extremely good reasons that cannot be overcome.

Reply 8

Original post by muzeyyen

OK a last question. Why exactly is that? Is it because it is statistically unlikely to get a TC regardless of the profile? You seem to have managed to secure a TC even without the graduate visa, so it can't be impossible, right? But I know nothing about your life, so I just don't know how to interpret this advice. I'm in a rut right now regarding career options and I don't want to be discouraged if it is not for extremely good reasons that cannot be overcome.

I'm the only person I know from my LPC cohort to get an offer, one of 4 from my gdl cohort to get an offer, and the only international I know to get one without having done an undergraduate degree in the UK first. The odds are slim at best and I got incredibly lucky. Youre going to be going to a significant amount of expense to get degrees that amount to **** all if you don't succeed, and when the odds of success are that low, the ROI just isn't high enough.

I can only speak from the experience of someone who did this without the option of the two year graduate visa though, but I know many people who have gone through several cyles of applying and still gotten nothing, so it won't necesarilly help you. My advice on this is also very general because I don't know anything about you.

Reply 9

OP

this helps, thank you!

Reply 10

Obuks

Hi, so was your visa sponsored for your training contract? How difficult was it to find a firm to sponsor training contract? Any tips? Thanks

Reply 11

OP

I went back to my PhD program in the US! ^^

Reply 12

OP