skilled worker visa sponsorship as a paralegal
Hi,
I'm a non-eu citizen currently doing a PhD in the US. I've decided to leave the program and I'm looking for a new career. I'm thinking about doing a GDL in the UK. If I do this, I will have a 2 year graduate visa which would allow me to work in the UK for two years after graduation. But then I would need an employer to sponsor a skilled worker visa for me. Since securing a TC is far from easy, I'm trying to learn whether it is likely that law firms would sponsor a visa for a paralegal position. (It seems unlikely to me tbh.) I just don't want to spend every bit of money I have on the GDL only to end up having to leave the UK with a degree that is useless outside of the UK!
Thanks!!
I'm a non-eu citizen currently doing a PhD in the US. I've decided to leave the program and I'm looking for a new career. I'm thinking about doing a GDL in the UK. If I do this, I will have a 2 year graduate visa which would allow me to work in the UK for two years after graduation. But then I would need an employer to sponsor a skilled worker visa for me. Since securing a TC is far from easy, I'm trying to learn whether it is likely that law firms would sponsor a visa for a paralegal position. (It seems unlikely to me tbh.) I just don't want to spend every bit of money I have on the GDL only to end up having to leave the UK with a degree that is useless outside of the UK!
Thanks!!
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.
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!!
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.
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?
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?
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?
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Hi There,
I am just finishing my MA Criminal Justice from University of Hull in the UK and I have done previously LLB, LLM from Pakistan with 10 years Experience as Law Clerk. I have applied almost every single vacancy all over the UK but no response. I was thinking to do SQE to improve my profile but I am worried with 2 years graduate visa after finishing this Master degree if I cannot secure my sponsored job what will I do then.
Any advice in my case how to secure a sponsored job in the UK with above profile?
I am just finishing my MA Criminal Justice from University of Hull in the UK and I have done previously LLB, LLM from Pakistan with 10 years Experience as Law Clerk. I have applied almost every single vacancy all over the UK but no response. I was thinking to do SQE to improve my profile but I am worried with 2 years graduate visa after finishing this Master degree if I cannot secure my sponsored job what will I do then.
Any advice in my case how to secure a sponsored job in the UK with above profile?
I would be interested in an answer to this question!
Hey!
As an international student, I can totally relate to the stress and the anxiety. I'm not sure that passing the SQE would boost your profile that much. Firms offer sponsorship for the SQE and it is something that they expect you to do before starting your TC. It would be more beneficial from a financial POV to get the sponsorship from firms instead of self-funding it. With self-funding, there is also the risk that you have a fancy degree but no place to work at. If I were you, I would focus on improving the applications and make them more targeted towards the firm. Explain what attracted you to the firm, go to events and speak to firm representatives to figure out what this firm has that others do not and why you would like to train at this firm rather than any other firm.
If you want more tips, I could suggest Commercial Law Academy's "writing successful applications" course, which provides guidance on how to talk about your experiences and the skills you have derived from them.
As an international student, I can totally relate to the stress and the anxiety. I'm not sure that passing the SQE would boost your profile that much. Firms offer sponsorship for the SQE and it is something that they expect you to do before starting your TC. It would be more beneficial from a financial POV to get the sponsorship from firms instead of self-funding it. With self-funding, there is also the risk that you have a fancy degree but no place to work at. If I were you, I would focus on improving the applications and make them more targeted towards the firm. Explain what attracted you to the firm, go to events and speak to firm representatives to figure out what this firm has that others do not and why you would like to train at this firm rather than any other firm.
If you want more tips, I could suggest Commercial Law Academy's "writing successful applications" course, which provides guidance on how to talk about your experiences and the skills you have derived from them.
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